By definition, an unsung hero is "a person who makes a substantive yet unrecognized contribution; a person whose bravery is unknown or acknowledged." Given a cursory glance of Malcolm X's legacy, one might assume that he does not fit into the category of an unsung hero because most people of this generation at the very least have heard his name before. But being an unsung hero does not necessarily mean that the individual has not attained notoriety. It means that the individual's contributions to a cause have failed to be acknowledged.
Looking at the bigger picture, most people do know who Malcolm X was, but they are not aware of the significant contributions he made to the Civil Rights Movement and the strides that he made to improve conditions for black Americans. Malcolm X's legacy is controversial because unlike the other civil rights leaders of his generation like Martin Luther King, he denounced any future for peaceful relations between black and white Americans, and essentially supported a solitary black state. I for one pretty much denounced all of Malcolm X's principles and legacy before I watched this movie. I firmly believe that no race is completely good or evil, and that peace and civility are the only true ways to solve problems. And I still hold this belief after viewing this film, but I have a lot more empathy and respect for the man that Malcolm X was.
The film itself was extremely well done. Spike Lee did a phenomenal job of telling Malcolm X's story and making the audience understand how he evolved into this powerful figure that would change history.The cast as well was essential to the success of telling Malcolm X's story. I was especially impressed by Denzel Washington, who really represented Malcolm X as a multi-dimensional figure. The extremely raw and emotionally-packed dialogue also impressed me. The aspect of the film that really blew me away was the cinematography. From the bustling streets of urban Boston to the holy grounds of the Mecca, the film complemented Malcolm X's story with rich, vivid images. I also noticed that the film used black and white scenes to show how media and television was presented during the 1960s era. It was a nice detail that added to the realism of the film. Most of all, I like the film's attention to detail. The film doesn't feel rushed and one really gets the sense that they are seeing Malcolm X's story unfold in its entirety.
Thematically, my biggest takeaway from this film is that no matter where an individual comes from or whatever hardships he has encountered, he has the ability to change his life and find his truth. As presented clearly in the film, Malcolm X's early life was turbulent having lost his father and being separated from his family to getting involved in crime and going to jail. Despite these setbacks, Malcolm X found salvation in Islam and began to accept and truly love his identity as a black man. Although the leaders of the Nation of Islam proved to be corrupt and committed the ultimate act of betrayal against him, Malcolm had found his own "truth" in the Islamic faith. Before his death, Malcolm rejected many of his previous ideas about the separation of the races and the denouncement of other civil rights leaders, like Martin Luther King. By the end of his life, Malcolm X realized that the answer to attaining equality was not through animosity or separation, but through open-mindedness, peace, and joint-community.
Unfortunately, Malcolm X's life was ended in a sudden and violent manner, as shown by Lee's film. A scene from the film that resonated with me is when Malcolm was in the hotel talking to his close confidant. When his close confidant encouraged him to allow them to frisk people at the door of the event that he was scheduled to speak in, Malcolm X refused saying, "I don't what black people killing other black people." This remark is almost like a warning sign to our current generation with the prevalence of violence in black communities. After watching this film, I firmly believe that Malcolm X is an unsung hero because he is often remembered as a violent, hostile "black supremacist", but in reality all he wanted was for black Americans to realize their worth and live up to their potential. Contrary to widespread beliefs, I truly believe that Malcolm X wanted the best for black Americans.
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