Details
MALCOLM X (el-Hajj Ma-lik el Sha-bazz). Typed letter signed ("Your Bro Malcolm") TO ELIJAH MUHAMMAD, New York, N.Y., 23 September 1955. 1 page, 4to, 278 x 215 mm. (11 x 8 1/2 in.), with original typed, postmarked envelope.
MALCOLM TO ELIJAH
An enthusiastic early letter, written not long after his conversion to Islam, reporting to the founder of the Black Muslin faith on his efforts to establish new Muslim Temples, and considering the problem of Church members working "undesirable" jobs in show business: "...Tuesday night we had 21 visitors, and 10 lostfounds at [Temple] #13 Springfield [Massachusetts]. There were four carloads there from Hartford, who came over to hear the Teaching... All thanks and praise is due to ALLAH...[t]hey speak of their desire to get their own Temple in Hartford as soon as is possible." In Springfield, "we hope to be in a place there, one that will be within the means of the Believers without putting them in unnecessary strain....I believe that moving to a hall at this time will help their progress....About the Muslims working on undesirable jobs: I'll give them this understanding immediately. If Bros have been in the Temple 9 months and yet are playing in bands as a means of livelihood...should they be given time from the Temple? And if these Muslims on these other type jobs where they shouldn't be, stay on them, are they to be punished? If so, how? How long should we give a Muslim who comes to us from show business, time to get out...?"
MALCOLM TO ELIJAH
An enthusiastic early letter, written not long after his conversion to Islam, reporting to the founder of the Black Muslin faith on his efforts to establish new Muslim Temples, and considering the problem of Church members working "undesirable" jobs in show business: "...Tuesday night we had 21 visitors, and 10 lostfounds at [Temple] #13 Springfield [Massachusetts]. There were four carloads there from Hartford, who came over to hear the Teaching... All thanks and praise is due to ALLAH...[t]hey speak of their desire to get their own Temple in Hartford as soon as is possible." In Springfield, "we hope to be in a place there, one that will be within the means of the Believers without putting them in unnecessary strain....I believe that moving to a hall at this time will help their progress....About the Muslims working on undesirable jobs: I'll give them this understanding immediately. If Bros have been in the Temple 9 months and yet are playing in bands as a means of livelihood...should they be given time from the Temple? And if these Muslims on these other type jobs where they shouldn't be, stay on them, are they to be punished? If so, how? How long should we give a Muslim who comes to us from show business, time to get out...?"