Did you know that the African-American activist, writer, and poet Maya Angelou (1928–2014) and Malcolm X met for the first time during a protest against the assassination of Patrice Lumumba?
In February 1961, one month after the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, activists demonstrated in New York in front of the United Nations office, an organization accused by the USSR of failing to guarantee the safety of the Congolese Prime Minister. Among the many groups present was the Cultural Association for Women of African Heritage.
After incidents occurred during the demonstration, which the Nation of Islam was accused of having caused, Malcolm X denied any involvement of his group, emphasizing that it did not interfere in American or international politics. However, he added that he refused to condemn the protests because “he is not Moïse Tshombe and will not let anyone use him against the nationalists.”
By distancing himself from Moïse Tshombe, president of the secessionist Republic of Katanga backed by the Belgians, two weeks after Lumumba proclaimed independence, Malcolm X affirmed his solidarity with Lumumba and African nationalists.
Among the demonstrators from the Cultural Association for Women of African Heritage was Maya Angelou. She, along with other members of the association, arranged a meeting with Malcolm X, hoping to gain the Nation of Islam’s support for their protests.
However, he refused to provide the support of his organization to Angelou’s group, explaining to the women that the protests were futile—they would neither secure freedom for those participating nor prevent the political assassination of another African leader.
This initial setback in their relationship was only a prelude. It would be the first episode in an exchange that would help shape the lives of two of the most important figures in African-American history, with the second encounter taking place in Ghana a few years later.
