Schools, banks, libraries and all public offices in Berkeley, Calif., are closed today so residents in the city can celebrate the birthday of Malcolm X. Berkeley has observed Malcolm X’s birthday as a holiday since 1979, and it remains the sole American city with an official celebration.
However, several noteworthy petitions have emerged online to encourage government officials to make May 19 a national holiday to remember the great civil rights leader. One petition on Facebook has 3,135 members and offers an intriguing explanation on why Malcolm X ‘s birthday should be a national holiday. “If [Christopher] Columbus has a national holiday (despite killing Indians) so should Malcolm X.” The page also links its members to a Web site where they can formally sign a petition, www.petitiononline.com/MalcolmX/petition.html.
While online groups are using social media to create awareness of Malcolm X’s birthday, other organizations have taken their grievances to the streets. In 2009, hundreds of people from a group called the Malcolm X New Millennium Committee protested outside American Apparel on West 125th in Harlem. The group was upset because the store did not close for three hours on May 19. Traditionally, most businesses in Central Harlem close from 1 p.m.to 4 p.m. to commemorate Malcolm X’s birthday. The manager of American Apparel closed the store shortly after the protest began.
Organizations across the nation will celebrate Malcolm X’s birthday this week by hosting local festivals and parades in his honor. Should Congress draft a bill to recognize Malcolm X’s birthday as a national holiday? –amir shaw
