Alex Quote by Manning Marable
![“What is striking is that from almost from the very beginning of certainly by September and October of 1963, as the book was being constructed, that [Alex] Haley was vetting - asking questions to the publisher and to the publisher's attorney regarding many of the things that Malcolm X was saying…” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1fe/manning-marable-9023_alex_what-is-striking-is-that-from-almost-fro_622399.jpg)
“What is striking is that from almost from the very beginning of certainly by September and October of 1963, as the book was being constructed, that [Alex] Haley was vetting - asking questions to the publisher and to the publisher's attorney regarding many of the things that Malcolm X was saying. He was worried that he would not have a book that would have the kind of sting that he wanted.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley, 1965
Haley was concerned the book would fully capture Malcolm X’s powerful voice and impact.
In simple terms: Haley wanted the book to reflect Malcolm X’s strong message.
Key Takeaway
Ensure authenticity in storytelling.
Themes
authenticity
voice
biography
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
literary
historical
When to use this quote
- publishing
- historical biography
- author‑publisher negotiations
Key Concepts
literary editing
authorial intent
Questions to Reflect On
- How do editors preserve a subject’s voice while ensuring readability?
- What compromises might dilute a powerful message?
A Different Perspective
Balancing editorial control with authorial vision can be difficult.
![“There's a hidden history. You see, Malcolm X and [Alex ] Haley collaborated to produce a magnificent narrative about the life of Malcolm X, but the two men had very different motives in coming together.” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d95/manning-marable-9023_alex_there-s-a-hidden-history-you-see-malcolm_138170.jpg)
![“Over a period of about year-and-a-half, Malcolm X and [Alex] Haley agreed to work with each other. They met usually after a long business day that Malcolm put in very tired. He would get there at about - either at Haley's apartment or they would meet at then Idyllwild Airport at a hotel, and…” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/181/manning-marable-9023_airports_over-a-period-of-about-year-and-a-half-m_2954545.jpg)
![“There is no direct evidence that [Alex] Haley sat down with the F.B.I.” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1bf/manning-marable-9023_alex_there-is-no-direct-evidence-that-alex-ha_2530254.jpg)
![“Anne Romaine collected her own parallel archive to [Alex] Haley.” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2a4/manning-marable-9023_alex_anne-romaine-collected-her-own-parallel_2139644.jpg)
![“[Alex] Haley's objective was quite different. Haley was a republican. He was an integrationist. He was very opposed to black nationalism.” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/726/manning-marable-9023_alex_alex-haley-s-objective-was-quite-differe_1983417.jpg)
![“[Alex] Haley had a tendency to write even more frequently and voluminously to his agents and his editors than he did putting pen to paper in his own books.” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1c6/manning-marable-9023_agents_alex-haley-had-a-tendency-to-write-even_1970685.jpg)
![“[Alex Haley] objective was to illustrate that the racial separatism of the N.O.I. was a kind of pathological or a kind of - it was the logical culmination of separatism and racial isolationism and exclusion.” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/266/manning-marable-9023_alex_alex-haley-objective-was-to-illustrate-t_293482.jpg)
![“We know from Talmadge Hayer, one of the men who carried out the assassination, who was shot by Ruben X as he tried to flee the Audubon after shooting Malcolm X, we know that Hayer confessed years later to his Imam in prison that there had been a walk-through a week prior to February 21st [1965] at…” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/645/manning-marable-9023_assassination_we-know-from-talmadge-hayer-one-of-the-m_101701.jpg)
![“I believe that if we could see the chapters that are missing from the book [The Autobiography of Malcolm X], we would gain an understanding as to why perhaps - perhaps - the F.B.I., the C.I.A., the New York Police Department and others in law enforcement greatly feared what Malcolm X was about…” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/690/manning-marable-9023_ahead-of-time_i-believe-that-if-we-could-see-the-chapt_534619.jpg)
![“Malcolm X had a habit of scribbling notes in small pieces of paper that [Alex] Haley would surreptitiously pick up at the end of their discussions.” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d68/manning-marable-9023_alex_malcolm-x-had-a-habit-of-scribbling-note_578782.jpg)
![“I remember having some problems with [the Deus Ex theme] when I first heard it and I was trying to figure out how to tell [Alex Brandon] I wanted changes. But then I noticed that I couldn't get it out of my mind. I was whistling or humming it to myself all the time. So I just kept my mouth shut…” quote by Warren Spector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2ac/warren-spector-41522_alex_i-remember-having-some-problems-with-the_44541.jpg)
