Harlem Protesters Say American Apparel Disrespected Malcolm X
From the New York Times:
A group of Harlem protesters is calling for a boycott of the American Apparel outlet on West 125th Street in Harlem, asserting that the store failed to abide by a request made of Harlem merchants to close for three hours last Tuesday, in observance of Malcolm X’s May 19 birthday.
Malcolm X, the civil rights activist who was assassinated in Harlem in 1965, at age 39, would have turned 84 this month. In his memory, a group called the Malcolm X New Millennium Committee held a march and requested that businesses along 125th Street, Central Harlem’s main thoroughfare, close from 1 to 4 p.m.
“It’s really like a moment of silence,” said Omowale Clay, a member of the committee. The group makes a point of alerts businesses ahead of time, he said. “We hand-delivered the letter.”
The American Apparel store opened within the last year, and a spokeswoman for the clothing chain, Emily Nerad, said that the management of the store was not aware of the request. “We want to apologize for any offense taken by marchers who thought American Apparel was not in support of their rally for Malcolm X,” she wrote in an e-mail message. “Unfortunately, we did not receive advance notice about closing. Once the marchers reached our store in Harlem, the manager immediately closed the store.”
Famous Gay African-Americans
Comments
17
% %
Oh well another black cop killed over a mistake I guess I have to invent this device to keep cops safe black or white and build it in the honor of my spiritual teacher Malcolm X,, PRAY ON PLAYER
BLACXKCOBRA//PRINCE OF THA UNITED STATES
Oh well a black cop killed I guess I have to invent this device to keep good black men from being killed over mistake”s and name it in the honor of my teacher Malcolm X PRAY ON PLAYER
BLACXKCOBRA
I meant to say–Just March! and then when ppl ask you can tell them…didn’t mean to put a “?”.
I am all for honoring Malcolm X’s legacy, but why ask stores to close for the march? Just march? When ppl ask what’s up, you can tell them and spread the word. Let’s be honest, those merchants don’t care about that, they are trying to do business. I don’t know if I see the sense in that. The better thing would have been to create a letter and flyer about his life and pass it out, or ask stores to place it at the front of the store to inform ppl of who he was and what he means to our history.
How about closing protesting stores that close on Labor Day. A holiday for the working people.
I WOULDN’T HAVE CLOSED THE STORE EITHER AND LATER LIE TO THE MEDIA CLAIMING I WASN’T AWARE OF THE EVENT. I WOULD’VE STOOD UP TO THEM BECAUSE THIS IS A FREE COUNTRY AND YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHOM YOU WILL AND WILL NOT SUPPORT. THE MALCOLM X NEW MILLENNIUM COMMITTEE CAN’T FORCE A BUSINESS TO AGREE WITH THEIR IDEAS OR BOYCOTT THEM. WHAT THEY ARE DOING BORDERS ON EXTORTION.
WELL I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IT WAS OR IS JUST LIKE WHEN WE CLOSE 4 PRESIDENTS DAY WHY CAN WE NOT CLOSE FOR 3. HOURS OUT OF A DAY WHEN I KNOW THIS IS THE DAY AND AGE OF COMPUTERS GO ON LINE AND SHOP I THINK THEY GOT THE INVITE AND SAID F**K IT STAY FOCUSED BLACK FLOK WE SHALL OVER COME
Seriously how much more narrow minded are people going to be?? Its funny how people will protest about mindless crap that is seriously unnecessary. I understand that Malcom X was an inspiration to people everywhere because of what he did, but there is no state law saying that stores should close to honor him. If a store chooses to stay open then that is their decision. They shouldn’t have to close down because a bunch of angry protesters made them do it. SMH!!
I find it very interesting that the desires Malcolm X (Malik Shabazz) have not been accomplished, but to waste useless energy to talk about a store not closing is just insane.
Let’s address the amount of young Afrikan Americans dying in the streets due to violence, homelessness, drugs, protitution, hunger and depression. We need economic freedom and unity in our community-this is just a store.
It should show our people that no matter who may sit in the White House, we have a lot to do on an individual and community level.
BLACK PEOPLE: STAY FOCUSED!!!
STOP DEVIATING FROM THE REAL DREAM AND THE REAL TRUTH!!!
jeez…..is everyone in America this damn sensitive??
i agree with others
this is pure ignorance
why cant they just be happy at throwing a festival in honor of this man for other afrkans to come ??
and just call it a night
this stuff is madness
do u think i celabrate christimas
hell nooooooooooo
i celabrate kwanza
would i want kwanza to be a united states holiday hell nooooooo
im content with me and my people at a barbecue reading poems about marcus garvey and such and have everybody of like minded interact with others
to even suggest a company close its doors for a man who called them blonde hair blue eyed devils
u r crazy
this is pure ignorance
if u dont like it go back to afraka and create ur own laws
intill stfu
just another power struggle
I dont agree with that…this is a free country. There is no law saying stores have to shut down to honor Malcolm X. people are getting stupider each day.
What else?
…..this is a tad bit extreme, no?
Are these people serious?? they want a RETAIL store to close down for 3hours in these trying economic times, for a person who probably wouldn’t have been a friend to this type of store in the first place? I’m not sure why this group didn’t just make it voluntary, rather than insisting that stores close down and with all the problems we have in our community, THIS is what people want to protest? no wonder our communities never improve, we’re to busy protesting bull s**t!!!!
you know what i was out there in harlem on the 22 i believe and i saw alot of people in harlem screaming out boycott. i didnt pay it no mind but i saw alot of black brothers and sisters surrounding the store and they was not playing at all. i also was walking and they was playing that cam song with the old school feel to it. i went to macdonals to get me something to eat and went to manhattanville. i had fun but i was there when they was protesting.