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Malcolm X’s daughter at St. Scholastica
BY CORY CLAESON
STATESMAN STAFF WRITER
iISSUE: 78/26
TYLER SWEENEY / STATESMAN
Ilyasah Shabazz speaks at St. Scholastica.
A cheering audience nearly filled the St. Scholastica auditorium last Saturday afternoon, while waiting to hear Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of the civil rights leader Malcolm X. Shabazz was the keynote speaker at the African Heritage Festival, which is part of Africa week. She encouraged audience members to become aware and involved in issues for African-American, such as the history and the quest for social justice.
Both history and social justice are a part of Shabazz’s life. Shabazz considers her mother to be her strength. Her mother protected her as a 3-year-old the day her father was murdered. Shabazz was then raised by her widowed mother, according
to her official Web site. She spoke about developing education
programs in the United States and Africa. Shabazz stressed the need for knowledge of African history and the importance for Africans to educate themselves, otherwise the past events will be forgotten.
There is a lack of knowledge regarding early African history, according to Shabazz. “The struggle for justice starts with the broad base of education,” said Shabazz. She is also working to bring out the message of self-empowerment to future generations. One way she is doing this is through the inspiration of her father’s legacy. According to the same Web site, her father’s will to risk everything for justice is her inspiration. “As an African, it [African American history] expresses pride,” said senior Black Student Association (BSA) member Daniel Oyinloye. Besides Shabazz’s speech, the African Heritage Festival had a wide range of events. The day consisted of several other participants doing poetry readings, dances, musical performances and a fashion show. “We need more of this [festival] in Duluth as a whole,” said Oyinloye. “It is the first of its kind.”
The African Heritage Festival is just one of the many stops for Shabazz. When not doing her job as director
of public affairs in Mount Vernon, New York, Shabazz goes around the country to different campuses and talks about how people can become participants and leaders for those who are committed to social justice. “The purpose of the festival was to educate people on need for more knowledge on the history of Africa,” said third-year St. Scholastica student Axum Woldegebriel.
Shabazz acknowledged that not everyone is a leader but can still contribute to social justice. “There can be no peace without freedom, no freedom without justice,” said Shabazz.
