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By Doshon Farad
On Saturday Jan.12, activists in New York City convened to celebrate the birthday of late Nation of Islam spokesman and New Black Panther Party leader Khallid Abdul Muhammad. Muhammad whose 2001 death resulted from an apparent brain aneurysm, and is still surrounded by elements of suspicion, is best known for controversial statements he made at Kean University back in 1993 regarding whites and Jews. He also led the controversial Million Youth March in Harlem in 1998.
His birthday was celebrated in Brooklyn at the Christian Life Center and was hosted and organized by a well-known activist husband and wife couple, Oba and Yaa Asantewaa. The near standing room only celebration included African drummers, vendors, and speakers. It was keynoted by the current leader of the New Black Panther Party and Executive Director of Black Lawyers for Justice, Attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz.
The program was patterned after a town hall meeting. Not only did each speaker express their love for Khallid Abdul Muhammad, they used the venue as an opportunity to pose possible solutions to improving the African-American community and the African community abroad. After each speaker was heard the hosts opened the floor up for attendees to speak.
During his address Atty. Shabazz stated “We are in a serious condition as a people and are having a leadership crisis”. He told the audience that comprised mostly of black nationalists and pan-Africanists that “civil rights organizations do not have the knowledge to bring us our own nation” while assuring that “We will work with them”.
“It is you in this audience who hold the keys to our liberation” he asserted.
He stressed the need for people of African descent to advocate a “Black Power agenda”. In regards to civil rights leaders recently presenting President Barack Obama with a black agenda, Shabazz asserted, “They cannot afford to speak directly to Black Power and if they could they will not pay the price to do so”.
Shabazz also used this time to announce that the New Black Panther Party was leading a delegation of African-Americans to visit South Africa at the invitation of the Pan-African Congress.
Afterwards Your Black World caught up with the fiery young attorney for an exclusive interview. The interview is below:
