Malcolm X Page #22

BEMBRY:

In the name of Allah, the beneficent

and the merciful to whom all praise

is due.

At the window Bembry saying the evening prayers.

BEMBRY'S VOICE

Dear Brother Malcolm: I am back in

the bosom of Islam, praise Allah...

He comes to the table, nods and sits. Sidney respectfully

sits after him. Food is passed. It is simple fare: natural

foods, milk, greens.

The portions are small. They eat in silence, but there is

warmth and love at this table.

BEMBRY'S VOICE

...We don't have much, but what we

have is yours. Lorraine and my two

sons join with me in saying that

when you come out, which will not be

too long, come straight to us.

INT. PRISON BARBER SHOP - DAY

Malcolm is reading Bembry's letter as he waits his turn.

There is a

WHITE CONVICT in the chair, just being finished by a WHITE

BARBER - SIMMONS. A BLACK BARBER - SLIM sits by. Both are

convicts. NOTE:
Malcolm now wears glasses, all that reading

in his badly lit cell has ruined his eyes.

BEMBRY'S VOICE

You write thanking me. Don't thank

me. Praise Allah. He did it all.

SIMMONS:

Next.

Malcolm starts for the chair. Simmons moves away to light a

cigarette as Slim takes over.

MALCOLM'S VOICE

Dear Bembry. Please thank the

Honorable Elijah Muhammad for the

money and tell him I have not written

him because I have not yet proven

myself.

INT. SMALL'S PARADISE - NIGHT

Archie and Cadillac are reading a letter they have received.

They look at each other incredulously.

MALCOLM'S VOICE

But I have written everyone else.

ANOTHER PRISON - DAY

Shorty is waving a letter he has received to his CELLMATE.

SHORTY:

Look like Homey got himself a brand

new hype.

INT. ELIJAH'S OFFICE - DAY

An immaculate room, well furnished. ELIJAH sits in a chair

as Bembry stands reading Malcolm's letter.

BEMBRY:

"I wrote the Mayor, the Governor and

the President, but for some reason I

haven't heard from them"...

Bembry laughs; Elijah smiles.

MALCOLM'S VOICE

Tell the Messenger of Allah that I

have dedicated my life to telling

the white devil the truth to his

face. I greet you with the ancient

words:
"As Salaam Alikum."

ELIJAH:

Wa-Alaikum Salaam.

MALCOLM'S VOICE

P.S. I finally worked my way through

the "Z's"...

INT. PRISON CHAPEL - NIGHT

TITLE - 6 YEARS LATER

A GROUP OF PRISONERS, mostly white, but with a goodly

smattering of black convicts, are listening to a lecture by

CHAPLAIN GILL.

CHAPLAIN GILL:

Are there any questions?

ANGLE. Malcolm seated next to a black convict, raises his

hand. It's the only hand up. The Chaplain searches for another

questioner, but there aren't any.

Pete, sitting next to Malcolm, whispers.

PETE:

Watch out, baby, this cat is heavy

on religion.

CHAPLAIN GILL:

I see this has become a struggle

between good and evil. Satan has a

question.

There is laughter from the convicts.

MALCOLM:

Yes it is, Chaplain Gill. But I

wouldn't want to say which one of us

is what.

Laughter, especially from the black convicts.

CHAPLAIN GILL:

Why don't you just ask your question?

MALCOLM:

You've been talking about the

disciples. What color were they?

CHAPLAIN GILL:

I don't think we know for certain.

There are reactions from the convicts. Malcolm is sharply

challenging a white man about color.

MALCOLM:

They were Hebrew, weren't they?

CHAPLAIN GILL:

That's right.

MALCOLM:

As Jesus was. Jesus was also a Hebrew.

CHAPLAIN GILL:

Just what is your question?

MALCOLM:

What color were the original Hebrews?

CHAPLAIN GILL:

I told you we don't know for certain.

MALCOLM:

Then we don't know that God was white.

There is a strong reaction to this.

CHAPLAIN GILL:

Now just a moment, just a moment --

MALCOLM:

But we do know that the people of

that region of Asia Minor, from the

Tigris-Euphrates valley to the

Mediterranean, are dark-skinned

people. I've studied drawings and

photographs and seen newsreels. I

have never seen a native of that

area who was not black.

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