MALCOLM X ON EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION: “IN THAT DAY THE BLACK MAN IN EGYPT WAS WEARING SILK, SHARP AS A TACK, BROTHERS. AND THOSE PEOPLE UP IN EUROPE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT CLOTHES WAS. THEY ADMIT THIS. THEY WERE NAKED OR THEY WERE WEARING SKINS FROM ANIMALS. IF THEY COULD GET AN ANIMAL, THEY WOULD TAKE HIS HIDE AND THROW IT AROUND THEIR SHOULDERS TO KEEP WARM. BUT THEY DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO SEW AND WEAVE. THEY DIDN’T HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE IN EUROPE. , NOT IN THOSE DAYS. THEY DIDN’T COOK THEIR FOOD IN EUROPE. EVEN THEY THEMSELVES WILL SHOW YOU WHEN THEY WERE LIVING UP THERE IN THE CAVES, THE WERE KNOCKING ANIMALS IN THE HEAD AND EATING THE RAW MEAT. THEY STILL LIKE IT RAW TODAY. YOU WATCH THEM GO IN A RESTAURANT, THEY SAY “GIVE ME A STEAK RARE, WITH BLOOD DRIPPING FROM IT.” (LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE) AND THEN YOU RUN IN AND SAY “GIVE ME ONE RARE, WITH BLOOD DRIPPING IN IT. (LAUGHTER) YOU DON’T DO IT BECAUSE THAT’S THE WAY YOU LIKE IT; YOU’RE JUST IMITATING THEM, YOU’RE COPYING, YOU’RE TRYING TO BE LIKE THAT MAN. BUT WHEN YOU ACT LIKE YOURSELF, YOU SAY “MAKE MINE WELL DONE.” YOU LIKE COOKED FOOD, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN COOKING A LONG TIME; BUT THEY (CAUCASIAN) HAVEN’T BEEN COOKING SO LONG – IT WASN’T TOO LONG AGO THAT THEY KNEW WHAT FIRE WAS. THIS IS TRUE. YOU WERE WALKING ERECT, UPRIGHT. YOU EVER WATCH YOUR WALK? NOW YOU’RE TOO HIP TO WALK ERECT. YOU’VE COME UP WITH THAT OTHER WALK. BUT WHEN YOU ARE YOUR SELF, YOU WALK WITH DIGNITY. WHEREVER YOU SEE THE BLACK MAN, HE WALKS WITH DIGNITY. THEY (CAUCASIANS) HAVE A TENDENCY TO BE OTHER THAN WITH DIGNITY, UNLESS THEY’RE TRAINED. WHEN THEIR LITTLE GIRLS GO UP TO THESE, YOU KNOW, HIGH FAULTIN SCHOOLS, AND THEY WANT TO TEACH THEM HOW TO WALK, THEY PUT A BOOK ON THEIR HEAD. ISN’T THAT WHAT THEY DO? THEY TEACH THEM HOW TO WALK LIKE YOU. THAT’S WHAT THEY’RE LEARNING HOW TO WALK LIKE — LIKE YOU. BECAUSE YOU WERE ALMOST BORN WITH A BOOK ON YOUR HEAD. YOU CAN THROW IT UP THERE AND RUN WITH IT. I WAS AMAZED WHEN I WAS IN AFRICA TO SEE THE SENSE OF POISE AND BALANCE THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE, ALL THROUGHOUT ASIA AND AFRICA. THEY HAVE THAT POISE AND THAT BALANCE. BUT THIS IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. THIS COMES FROM SOMETHING. AND YOU HAVE IT TOO, BUT YOU’VE BEEN CHANNELING YOURS IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. BUT WHEN YOU COME TO YOURSELF YOU’LL CHANNEL IT RIGHT! MALCOLM X ON AFRO HISTORY PG.31 & 32