Sixteen Malcolm X handwritten POSTCARDS to be auctioned

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Thursday, August 25, 2016

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Sixteen Malcolm X handwritten postcards to be auctioned

The postcards were written to Gloria Owens, sister of Maceo X Owens, who was secretary of MTI #7 (Muhammad's Temples of Islam) in New York City, where Malcolm X was a minister alongside Louis Farrakhan. 3

LOS ANGELES, CA.- A set of 16 Malcolm X handwritten postcards from 1957, 1958 and 1964 will be auctioned by Nate D. Sanders Auctions on August 25. The collection provides a unique – and particular current relevance – into the perspectives of a renowned civil rights activist. Interested bidders may participate in the auction online. The postcards were written to Gloria Owens, sister of Maceo X Owens, who was secretary of MTI #7 (Muhammad's Temples of Islam) in New York City, where Malcolm X was a minister alongside Louis Farrakhan. Malcolm X sent Gloria Owens postcards of landmarks and poignant depictions of African-Americans from his travels in the U.S. and abroad. In March 1964, Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam and toured West Africa and the Middle East, where he was recognized for many speaking engagements. During this time, following a pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm X returned as El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz and formed the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU). Malcolm X sometimes sent postcards featuring denigrating or stereotyped images of blacks, as well as flagrantly racist cartoons. Included in the images on the cards being auctioned is a stereotypical drawing of an older black woman spanking a young boy for not reciting his prayers properly. Malcolm X wrote short notes to Owens on the back of the postcards with various socially conscious messages including, “Since I've seen what a mess can be made of things by narrow-minded people, I'm still traveling, trying to broaden my scope” and “Greetings from the Deep South...Islam is on the march.” The postcards are particularly relevant today, in light of the heightened attention to American race relations and recognition of Black Lives Matter. The collection of postcards provides a window into the racial atmosphere in the United States at the time, and an intimate look at the perspective of one of the world’s most recognized African-American civil rights activists. Additional information on the postcards can be found at http://natedsanders.com/ catalog.aspx?searchby=3& searchvalue=malcolm%20x