faqir
25-12-2004, 04:21 PM
Malcolm X in a speech he delivered on February 4th 1965.
“Back during slavery, when Black people like me talked to the slaves,
they didn’t kill ‘em, they sent some old house Negro along behind to
undo what he said. You have to read the history of slavery to understand
this.”
“There were two kinds of Negroes. There was the old house Negro and the
field Negro. And the house Negro always looked out for his master. When
the field Negro got out of line, he held them back in check. He put ‘em
back on the plantation”.
“the house Negro could afford to do that because he lived better than
the field Negro. He ate better, he dressed better, and he lived in a
better house. He lived right up next to his master- in the attic and or
the basement. He ate the same food his master ate and wore his same
clothes. And he could talk just like his master. – good diction. And he
loved his master more than his master loved himself. That’s why he didn’t
want his master hurt”.
“If the master got sick, he’d say, ‘what’s the matter, boss, we sick’?
[Laughter] When the master’s house caught a fire, he’d try to put out
the fire. He didn’t want his master’s house burned. He never wanted his
master’s property threatened. And he was more defensive of it than his
master was. That was the house Negro”.
“But then you had some field Negroes, who lived in a hut and had
nothing to lose. They wore the worst kind of clothes. They ate the worst
food. And they caught hell. They felt the sting of the lash. They hated
their master. Oh yes, they did.”
“If the master got sick, they’d pray that the master died. [Laughter
and applause] If the master ‘s house caught a fire, they’d pray for a
strong wind to come along. [Laughter] This was the difference between the
two”.
“And today you still have house Negroes and field Negroes [applause].
I’m a field Negro. If I can’t live in a house as a human being, I’m
praying for a wind to come along. If the master won’t treat me right and
he’s sick, i’ll tell the doctor to go in the other direction [laughter].
But if all of us are going to live as human beings, as bothers, then
I’m for a society of human beings that can practice brotherhood
[applause].”
“Back during slavery, when Black people like me talked to the slaves,
they didn’t kill ‘em, they sent some old house Negro along behind to
undo what he said. You have to read the history of slavery to understand
this.”
“There were two kinds of Negroes. There was the old house Negro and the
field Negro. And the house Negro always looked out for his master. When
the field Negro got out of line, he held them back in check. He put ‘em
back on the plantation”.
“the house Negro could afford to do that because he lived better than
the field Negro. He ate better, he dressed better, and he lived in a
better house. He lived right up next to his master- in the attic and or
the basement. He ate the same food his master ate and wore his same
clothes. And he could talk just like his master. – good diction. And he
loved his master more than his master loved himself. That’s why he didn’t
want his master hurt”.
“If the master got sick, he’d say, ‘what’s the matter, boss, we sick’?
[Laughter] When the master’s house caught a fire, he’d try to put out
the fire. He didn’t want his master’s house burned. He never wanted his
master’s property threatened. And he was more defensive of it than his
master was. That was the house Negro”.
“But then you had some field Negroes, who lived in a hut and had
nothing to lose. They wore the worst kind of clothes. They ate the worst
food. And they caught hell. They felt the sting of the lash. They hated
their master. Oh yes, they did.”
“If the master got sick, they’d pray that the master died. [Laughter
and applause] If the master ‘s house caught a fire, they’d pray for a
strong wind to come along. [Laughter] This was the difference between the
two”.
“And today you still have house Negroes and field Negroes [applause].
I’m a field Negro. If I can’t live in a house as a human being, I’m
praying for a wind to come along. If the master won’t treat me right and
he’s sick, i’ll tell the doctor to go in the other direction [laughter].
But if all of us are going to live as human beings, as bothers, then
I’m for a society of human beings that can practice brotherhood
[applause].”