This week on From The Vault we pay respect to one of the great American Historians, Manning Marable, who passed away on April 21, 2011. Born May 13, 1950, Marable was most recently professor of public affairs, history and African-American Studies at Columbia University, and had just completed a biography of human rights activist Malcolm X titled Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention. Although he never had the opportunity to discuss the biography on a book tour, Pacifica Radio produced a panel to commemorate on the birthday of Malcolm X in May of 1993, inviting four panelists, including Manning Marable, to explore Malcolm X’s philosophy and how his ideas relevant today and into the future. The resulting discussion addressed issues such as America a racist society, Malcolm X’s consideration as a hero for African Americans, and the evolution of Malcolm X’s positions over the course of his career as a Black Liberation leader.
Participants included Charlene Mitchell, Chair of the Committee of Correspondents and leader of the National Alliance Against Racism and Political Repressio