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NYU Press

On the Side of My People: A Religious Life of Malcolm X

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The first book-length evaluation of Malcolm X's religious life The mythic figure of Malcolm X conjures up a variety of images--black nationalist, extremist, civil rights leader, hero. But how often is Malcolm X understood as a religious leader, a man profoundly affected by his relationship with Allah? During Malcolm's life and since, the press has focused on the Nation of Islam's rejection of integration, offering an extremely limited picture of its ideology and religious philosophy. Mainstream media have ignored the religious foundation at the heart of the Nation and failed to show it in light of other separatist religious movements. With the spirituality of cultic black Islam unexplored and the most controversial elements of the Nation exploited, its most famous member, Malcolm X, became one of the most misunderstood leaders in history. In On the Side of My People, Louis A. DeCaro, Jr. offers the first book length religious treatment of Malcolm X. Malcolm X was certainly a political man. Yet he was also a man of Allah, struggling with his salvation―as concerned with redemption as with revolution. Drawing on a wide variety of sources, including extensive interviews with Malcolm's oldest brother, FBI surveillance documents, the black press, and tape-recorded speeches and interviews, DeCaro examines the charismatic leader from the standpoint of his two conversion experiences--to the Nation while he was in jail and to traditional Islam climaxing in his pilgrimage to Mecca. Examining Malcolm beyond his well-known years as spokesman for the Nation, On the Side My People explores Malcolm's early religious training and the influence of his Garveyite parents, his relationship with Elijah Muhammad, his often overlooked journey to Africa in 1959, and his life as a traditional Muslim after the 1964 pilgrimage. In his critical analysis of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, DeCaro provides insight into the motivation behind Malcolm's own story, offering a key to understanding how and why Malcolm portrayed his life in his own autobiography as told to Alex Haley. Inspiring and necessary, On the Side My People presents readers with a Malcolm X few were privileged to know. By filling in the gaps of Malcolm's life, DeCaro paints a more complete portrait of one of the most powerful and relevant civil rights figures in American history. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ NYU Press


Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 1, 1997


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 382 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0814718914


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 19


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.98 x 9 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #1,539,336 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #2,852 in History of Religions #3,512 in Black & African American Biographies #6,257 in Religious Leader Biographies


#2,852 in History of Religions:


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Great Book
Format: Paperback
I would say that this book is the most important book on Malcolm after the autobiography and Karl Evenzz's "The Judas Factor". Very well written and researched. This book focuses on the spiritual development of Malcolm and sheds light on Malcolm's Garveyite past, his blind faith in Elijah Muhammad, his conversion to orthodox Islam and the last year of his life. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2010 by Raheem
    • Five Stars
It is a good book and accomplished my expectations academically, and spiritually. Thanks!
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2016 by Tito Cevallos
    • Must read
Format: Kindle
I genuinely think it’s one of the most under appreciated books on Malcolm ever written. A little long winded, but absolutely incredible content wise. Well done.
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2018 by Tony Rogers Jr
    • An excellent analysis of Malcolm X from a religious, not purely political, perspective
Format: Paperback
"Angry black man"; "black Muslim militant". These are just some of the names that Malcolm X, who was assassinated 44 years ago, was called by journalists, other civil rights activists and the bigots who loved to turn his righteous anger against him. Much has been written about Malcolm X's politics, and his resulting words have been appropriated by revolutionaries around the world to justify their causes. But this book focuses on his religious development. De Caro Jr. presents a largely sympathetic and sensitive portrayal of Malcolm X. He is also balanced in his presentation of Islam as a faith tradition. The book is well-researched, with copious endnotes for each chapter. What De Caro Jr. makes very clear is that the search for God and a faith that was far-reaching and comprehensive was always central to Malcolm X's life. "Malcolm fundamentally perceived religion as a wholistic experience that 'included every aspect of one's life - economic, political and social'" (p. 246). From his early years, his mother would take him to various churches to expose her children to various religious views within the Christian tradition. The book's only weakness is De Caro Jr.'s tendency to overemphasize the influence of Garveyism, the Black Nationalist ideology Malcolm X's parents subscribed to and were activists for, in his life. While in a number of cases this analysis is warranted, in other places, I felt it was not necessarily so. On The Side Of My People is a well-researched, well-written and fascinating portrayal of the spiritual side of Malcolm X, an aspect of his life largely overshadowed by the politics of his courageous quest for dignity for African-Americans. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2009 by Samana Siddiqui
    • An Awesome And Essential Religious Analysis Of The Life Of Malcolm X
Format: Paperback
When a person steps back and tries to take a look at the breadth and sweep of the life of the person we've come to know as Malcolm X, there are a multitude of labels that we could use to try and define him. Despite the multiple, and may I add, appropriate, terms we could use to define him, there is one label that I will step out on a limb and say that fits him better than any other. Before Malcolm X was anything else he was first a child of Allah, and secondly, the son of Earl and Louise Little. I have no doubt in my mind that if he were alive whether Malcolm would have a problem with these two labels being used as the primary and fundamental ones to define him. Given the way in which the World as a whole has completely misunderstood him, most people would probably laugh at this characterization. Anyone who misses this point fails to see God's energy as it worked itself out through his life. I would make the argument that Malcolm X is one of the most misunderstood public figures in American History, and most certainly, one of the most misunderstood of anyone who functioned in the 20th century. This misunderstanding was purposely promoted through an active campaign of misrepresentation carried on by the mainstream American media against him, because, in the scope of things, there was no sincere effort by that media to get to know, and understand him. "Misrepresentation" by another name is called "lying." I have never looked at it this way until this very second as I write these words, but for anyone who genuinely tries to get to know the real Malcolm X as he really was, that person is openly and implicitly rejecting how the American mainstream media tried to define him. If an entity and its agents intend as a conscious effort to steer you to a conception of misunderstanding and you seek understanding in contrast to that entity and its agents, you have repudiated the message that entity and its agents have tried to promulgate. Looked at another way, you have taken a conscious step against brainwashing. I consciously and openly reject the mainstream media's attempt to try and brainwash me into as to what to think about Malcolm X. Malcolm's complexity is like an onion, as you strip one layer back, you discover another, never quite seeming to arrive at its core. In reading about his life's work, the moment you think you "know" him, he reveals a facet of himself that seems to have popped up out of nowhere, but is really part and parcel to his maturation and evolution as a growing human being. His life truly was multidimensional, on every level. His life is easily one that will never fit within exclusive and narrow boxes to define him. One layer of the skin of onion is stripped back only to find a more intriguing, enriching and complex layer of Malcolm beneath it, all of which brings us to "On The Side Of My People: A Religious Life Of Malcolm X" by Louis DeCaro, Jr. DeCaro helps us to clarify a fundamental level of Malcolm, by approaching this book through the angle of looking at Malcolm through a religious lens. In order to do this, DeCaro takes us back into the home of Earl and Louise Little, emphasizing both the messianic Garveyite, Black Christian religious fervor of his parents, and how that fervor conflates with the social/cultural philosophy of Garvey's Black Nationalism. DeCaro takes us through the period after Earl Little's death, when Malcolm's mother explored, but never joined, a number of other Christian denominations. These early religious experiences, would help to fuel the soul and religious curiosity that remained with Malcolm for the rest of his life. In approaching Malcolm in the way that he does, DeCaro is able to get at what I'll call the fundamental "inner workings" within Malcolm, something that many who have held Malcolm up as a hero have not done. DeCaro is attempting a journey to the core of that onion. Malcolm was an infinitely soul-filled man, who took both his religion and his spirituality seriously. This helps to explain Malcolm's zeal in promoting The Nation Of Islam. Anyone who takes Malcolm seriously can get a glimpse of the God-energy within him in what DeCaro calls Malcolm's "legendary smile," a smile that seemed to light up the universe. In addition, anyone who takes Malcolm seriously, must also, at some point, wrestle with Malcolm as both a religious and spiritual man. Like the Biblical story of Jacob wrestling with God's angel, one will wind up blessed by the experience of wrestling with Malcolm's religious and spiritual nature. This book helps us to look at Malcolm from a multiple of religious and spiritual angles, so that we sense the God-energy that worked within him. In fairness to DeCaro, his own theological involvement, background and education informs this book on so many different levels, particularly in how he analyzes Malcolm's two major religious conversions, the first one being his acceptance of the doctrines of The Nation Of Islam, and then later, his repudiation of The Nation's doctrines, combined with his acceptance of orthodox Islam in the form of Sunni Islam. If we get nothing else from this book, DeCaro's comprehensive theological analysis is a MAJOR and ESSENTIAL gift that he has provided to those of us who are fascinated with knowing more about the life of Malcolm X. For those of us who are intensely interested in Malcolm's life, we are sympathetically and almost half-jokingly referred to as "Malcolmites." For Malcomites, every book that comes out about him we approach it with a level of excitement. Most of us have read "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" and we hold it up as both the gold standard and Holy Grail of books about him. Therefore, we compare each new book that comes out about Malcolm with "The Autobiography," wondering if the new book comes anywhere close to the gold standard. Of all the books that I've read about Malcolm up to this point in my life, I would say that DeCaro's book is easily the second best book about him. "The Autobiography" will probably remain the Holy Grail primarily because it is roughly 366 pages of nearly undiluted Malcolm X talking about his life in the first person, a future possibility for any other book that was destroyed with his assassination. As I continue to read books about Malcolm's life, I will enjoy comparing and contrasting whether the focus book is as enriching as "The Autobiography" and DeCaro's book. DeCaro's book is a major work on a major figure in American History and does a great job of providing a tool to help all of us to unravel the web of misunderstanding that surrounds the life of Malcolm X. An open-minded reading of DeCaro's book reveals that he is extremely reverent of Malcolm, ultimately leading to the conclusion that this is a caring, emotionally sensitive and profoundly thoughtful account of an admittedly brilliant man. This book is both scholarship and theological analysis at its best. It is a great work. I read DeCaro's work no more than 2 pages at a sitting. This is the only way I could digest this mountain of information, to “eat this elephant-of-a-book-of 300 pages only one spoonful at a time.” It takes Job-like patience to do it this way. This is not the kind of book I could do marathon reading with, breezing through 30 to 50 pages at a sitting. If I had done that, I would have gotten bored and bogged down. I also looked up all words in this book in a dictionary that were unfamiliar to me, and copied them down into a notebook. Though I pride myself on having a very comprehensive reading vocabulary, DeCaro's verbiage had me looking up and writing down quite a number of words. I am glad that I read the book slowly and to have also looked up all necessary vocabulary words, absorbing much more information doing it this way than any other way. It took me quite some time to read the book, but I am profoundly blessed to have done it my way. I can only hope the level of my reading is reflected in this review. PS--Chapter 4 in "Reality's Pen: Reflections On Family, History & Culture" by Thomas D. Rush is called "Inspiration." That chapter is really a moving dedication to Malcolm X. Anyone interested in Malcolm X will find that chapter worth one's while. In addition, there is much to be gained from the rest of the book. This book can be found right here on Amazon. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2014 by The Careful Observer
    • Its "Okay"
Half way through the book and the notion of cultist vs orthodox is really chapping my @ss....Authentic Religiosity is in its very nature oxymoronic. If the Nation is a Cult then what is Mormonism, Christianity & Scientology?? All of these denominations were considered cultist when they began but once established after surviving a few generations they became "legitimate." So I smell White supremacy rearing its snaky head in in your book Mr. Decaro. Other than that its very good insightful read on hills and valleys of the Hon. Malcolm X's life. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2014 by Mansa Musa

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