Manning Marable Memorial Conference: Continuing the Discussion About Movement Building

Bill Fletcher, a long-time friend of Manning�s, chose to take on the book�s detractors following the book�s release, a necessary task in order to put the criticisms in their proper perspective. But as important, in his article published in BlackCommentator.com following Manning�s death, Bill shared a discussion with him about how to use the book to advance �a discussion about the state of Black America�the future of Black radical politics.� This weekend offers a unique opportunity to honor Manning and his extensive body of work, to debate the merits of the book and to explore the serious questions facing the Black Liberation Movement and the U.S. Left.

If you haven�t yet read the book, I encourage you to do so. Don�t let the 500 pages intimidate you; there�s never a dull moment and it�s a moving experience on multiple levels. I don�t think that Manning�s in-depth look at Malcolm X – the good, bad and the ugly, will jade your opinion about the magnanimity of the man. One of Manning�s goals in writing the book was to go beyond the legend, the hero – to disentangle both the personal and political mythologies that have surrounded Malcolm X since his untimely death. As author and culture critic Toure assured us, the book �pulls away the curtain to show us the entirety of [Malcolm�s] life, and the emperor remained clothed.�