--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Malcolm X was the first prominent…" description: "\"Malcolm X was the first prominent American to attack and to criticize the U.S. role in Southeast Asia, and he came out four-square against the Vietnam ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0be/manning-marable-9023_asia_malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-americ_1526601.jpg" --- # Malcolm X was the first prominent American to attack and… ![“Malcolm X was the first prominent American to attack and to criticize the U.S. role in Southeast Asia, and he came out four-square against the Vietnam War in 1964, long before the vast majority of Americans did.” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0be/manning-marable-9023_asia_malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-americ_1526601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0be/manning-marable-9023_asia_malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-americ_1526601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0be/manning-marable-9023_asia_malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-americ_1526601.jpg) > “Malcolm X was the first prominent American to attack and to criticize the U.S. role in Southeast Asia, and he came out four-square against the Vietnam War in 1964, long before the vast majority of Americans did.” [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Malcolm X publicly condemned U.S. involvement in Vietnam before most Americans, highlighting early dissent against the war **In simple terms:** Malcolm X opposed the Vietnam War early Key Takeaway Recognize early dissent voices Themes activism politics history Mood critical reflective Type historical political When to use this quote - civil rights protests - academic curricula - media analysis - policy debates Key Concepts Anti‑imperialism civil rights public dissent Questions to Reflect On - How might early dissent change public opinion faster? - What barriers prevented wider acceptance then? A Different Perspective Early opposition faced marginalization and limited impact at the time ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asia/) [Southeast asia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southeast-asia/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [Vietnam war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam-war/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Lieutenant Linh said, “Thank you for this valuable information, it gives us an opportunity to take counter-measures to nullify the American attack! I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-kramer/lieutenant-linh-said-thank-you-for-this-valuable-information-it-gives/) [Michael G. Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-kramer/) > [“Waving his arm over the carnage, the German remarked that the American attack that morning had been a “foolish affair.” He himself had known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-e-persico/waving-his-arm-over-the-carnage-the-german-remarked-that-the-american/) [Joseph E. Persico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-e-persico/) > [Malcolm X felt that if he could make a public - a prominent public statement to show his fidelity to the Honorable Elijah Mohammad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/malcolm-x-felt-that-if-he-could-make-a-public-a-prominent-public/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [Malcolm's X objective was actually to reingratiate himself within the Nation of Islam, that because he had emerged by the early 1960s as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/malcolm-s-x-objective-was-actually-to-reingratiate-himself-within-the/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [The overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed of two great qualities a sense of humor and a sense of proportion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/the-overwhelming-majority-of-americans-are-possessed-of-two-great/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [In a time when our nation is engaged in multiple, long-term wars, it's critical that "the military" not become an abstraction to the vast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/in-a-time-when-our-nation-is-engaged-in-multiple-long-term-wars-it-s/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [Democrats may be in the minority in Congress, but we speak for the majority of Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/democrats-may-be-in-the-minority-in-congress-but-we-speak-for-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The great majority of Americans are suspended between these opposing attitudes. They are uneasy with injustice but unwilling yet to pay a significant price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-great-majority-of-americans-are-suspended-between-these-opposing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The real income reported on federal tax returns by the vast majority of Americans, the 90 percent, doubled between the end of the war and 1973.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cay-johnston/the-real-income-reported-on-federal-tax-returns-by-the-vast-majority/) [David Cay Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cay-johnston/) > [ New record majority of Americans dislike the two corporate front-runners \[ Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton\] . This is what Lesser Evil leads to. Enough. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/new-record-majority-of-americans-dislike-the-two-corporate-front/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [After the Democrats shoved the 2700 pages of ObamaCare down our throats - and we did find out how expensive, controlling, and coercive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/after-the-democrats-shoved-the-2700-pages-of-obamacare-down-our/) [Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/) > [In spite of Bush's win, the majority of Americans still think the country is headed in the wrong direction (56%), think the war wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/in-spite-of-bush-s-win-the-majority-of-americans-still-think-the/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I think we've set the bar with respect to the notion that it is possible to provide health care for people. Now I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-ve-set-the-bar-with-respect-to-the-notion-that-it-is/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It does not help the vast majority of Americans, but it does really well for people already at the top. Well, we're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-does-not-help-the-vast-majority-of-americans-but-it-does-really/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [How is it that labels like 'centrist' and 'moderate,' which common sense tells us should reflect the views of a majority of Americans, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehdi-hasan/how-is-it-that-labels-like-centrist-and-moderate-which-common-sense/) [Mehdi Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehdi-hasan/) ## More by Manning Marable > [We know from Talmadge Hayer, one of the men who carried out the assassination, who was shot by Ruben X as he tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/we-know-from-talmadge-hayer-one-of-the-men-who-carried-out-the/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [Malcolm X broke with the N.O.I. in March 1964, and in that last 11 chaotic months, he spent most of the time outside of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/malcolm-x-broke-with-the-n-o-i-in-march-1964-and-in-that-last-11/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [ There's a hidden history. You see, Malcolm X and \[Alex \] Haley collaborated to produce a magnificent narrative about the life of Malcolm X,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/there-s-a-hidden-history-you-see-malcolm-x-and-alex-haley/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [The NYPD was ubiquitous. They were always around Malcolm X. Whenever Malcolm spoke, there would be one or two dozen cops all over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/the-nypd-was-ubiquitous-they-were-always-around-malcolm-x-whenever/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [Whiteness in a racist, corporate-controlled society is like having the image of an American Express Cardstamped on one's face: immediately you are “universally accepted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/whiteness-in-a-racist-corporate-controlled-society-is-like-having-the/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [ \[Alex Haley\] objective was to illustrate that the racial separatism of the N.O.I. was a kind of pathological or a kind of - it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/alex-haley-objective-was-to-illustrate-that-the-racial-separatism-of/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [Two of the three men, who were imprisoned, Norman Butler and Robert 15x Johnson, convicted and given life sentences, I'm absolutely convinced were innocent.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/two-of-the-three-men-who-were-imprisoned-norman-butler-and-robert-15x/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [In the case of Alex Haley, Haley's material is located at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, primarily. But there are a whole series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/in-the-case-of-alex-haley-haley-s-material-is-located-at-the/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [ I believe that if we could see the chapters that are missing from the book \[The Autobiography of Malcolm X\], we would gain an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/i-believe-that-if-we-could-see-the-chapters-that-are-missing-from-the/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [The liberal uses the radical's language to achieve the conservative's aim: the preservation of the capitalist system, and the traditional ethnic/racial hierarchy within society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/the-liberal-uses-the-radical-s-language-to-achieve-the-conservative-s/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [ Malcolm X had a habit of scribbling notes in small pieces of paper that \[Alex\] Haley would surreptitiously pick up at the end of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/malcolm-x-had-a-habit-of-scribbling-notes-in-small-pieces-of-paper/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/what-is-striking-is-that-from-almost-from-the-very-beginning-of/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [At the heart of the fractured soul of America is the frightening chasm of race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/at-the-heart-of-the-fractured-soul-of-america-is-the-frightening/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [“To blacks, it was abundantly clear what groups like the NAACP and CORE wanted; the NOI, by contrast and largely by design, had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/to-blacks-it-was-abundantly-clear-what-groups-like-the-naacp-and-core/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [ Either Malcolm X or Martin \[Luther King\] could have played the role of a unifier, but it was - Malcolm as long as he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/either-malcolm-x-or-martin-luther-king-could-have-played-the-role-of/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) [Explore all 76 Manning Marable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) ## More Asia quotes > [Firstly, economic globalisation has brought prosperity and development to many countries, but also financial crises to Asia, Latin America and Russia, and increasing poverty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-lindh/firstly-economic-globalisation-has-brought-prosperity-and-development/) [Anna Lindh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-lindh/) > [We have reiterated on many occasions that China wishes to establish and develop long-term, good-neighbourly and friendly relations with all countries in south Asia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-peng/we-have-reiterated-on-many-occasions-that-china-wishes-to-establish/) [Li Peng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-peng/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In Russia there is an emigration of intelligence: émigrés cross the frontier in order to read and to write good books. But in doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-russia-there-is-an-emigration-of-intelligence-migr-s-cross-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [Many of us, whether in the jungles of Asia or on the streets of Chicago, had discovered that noble causes can lead to ignoble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-grant/many-of-us-whether-in-the-jungles-of-asia-or-on-the-streets-of/) [Linda Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-grant/) > [In view of China's growing military strength and intentions, the best way to safeguard Asia's permanent peace and prosperity is to have all Asian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-costa/in-view-of-china-s-growing-military-strength-and-intentions-the-best/) [Jim Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-costa/) > [Certainly, protecting oppressed people, stopping ethnic conflict and promoting responsible governance are worthy goals. But none is as important for American security and prosperity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mandelbaum/certainly-protecting-oppressed-people-stopping-ethnic-conflict-and/) [Michael Mandelbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mandelbaum/) > [The evidence points to central Asia as man's original home, for the general movement of human migrations has been outward from that region and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellsworth-huntington/the-evidence-points-to-central-asia-as-man-s-original-home-for-the/) [Ellsworth Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellsworth-huntington/) > [Maybe it is the last chance for Europe to influence standards for world trade. Next it will be between the US and the Asia-Pacific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmar-gabriel/maybe-it-is-the-last-chance-for-europe-to-influence-standards-for/) [Sigmar Gabriel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmar-gabriel/) > [Countries will cooperate with each other, and are more likely to cooperate with each other when they share a common culture, as is most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-p-huntington/countries-will-cooperate-with-each-other-and-are-more-likely-to/) [Samuel P. Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-p-huntington/) > [The uniqueness of the United States in human history is the United States is the first global power in human history which emerged far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-davutoglu/the-uniqueness-of-the-united-states-in-human-history-is-the-united/) [Ahmet Davutoglu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-davutoglu/) > [I've lived 16, 17 years of my life in Asia, and that's most of my life. I was born in Asia - I've lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-golding/i-ve-lived-16-17-years-of-my-life-in-asia-and-that-s-most-of-my-life/) [Henry Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-golding/) > [I've built a career in Asia for 18 years, playing roles that had nothing to do with my race because everybody's Chinese in the films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-wu/i-ve-built-a-career-in-asia-for-18-years-playing-roles-that-had/) [Daniel Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-wu/) > [Our resources will diminish in the coming decades at a time when hunger for energy grows dramatically in China and other parts of Asia.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-e-ott/our-resources-will-diminish-in-the-coming-decades-at-a-time-when/) [Hermann E. Ott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-e-ott/) [Browse all 770 Asia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asia/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Malcolm X was the first prominent American to attack and to criticize the U.S. role in Southeast Asia, and he came out four-square against the Vietnam War in 1964, long before the vast majority of Americans did.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Manning Marable" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-american-to-attack-and-to-criticize/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asia" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-american-to-attack-and-to-criticize/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0be/manning-marable-9023_asia_malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-americ_1526601.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0be/manning-marable-9023_asia_malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-americ_1526601.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0be/manning-marable-9023_asia_malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-americ_1526601.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Malcolm X was the first prominent American to attack and to criticize the U.S. role in Southeast Asia, and…” — Manning Marable", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Manning Marable", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Malcolm X was the first prominent...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-american-to-attack-and-to-criticize/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/malcolm-x-was-the-first-prominent-american-to-attack-and-to-criticize/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```