As the world commemorates the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth and 33 years after his powerful biopic Malcolm X hit theatres, filmmaker Spike Lee reflects on the undying significance of the civil rights leader. Speaking from his Brooklyn headquarters, a space brimming with cultural and cinematic history, Lee told Newsweek’s Kevin Powell that Malcolm X’s message continues to resonate deeply in today’s America.
Lee, who first encountered The Autobiography of Malcolm X at a young age thanks to his mother, emphasises the book’s profound impact, a sentiment echoed by figures like Barack Obama. He connects the social and political landscape of the early 1990s, when his film was released amidst conservative policies and the crack and AIDS epidemics disproportionately affecting Black communities, to the present day. Lee draws parallels between the Reagan era and the current political climate, noting a lack of significant change, particularly with recent rollbacks on diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Malcolm X, starring a transformative Denzel Washington who earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal, was a landmark moment in cinema. Lee recounts the battles he fought to bring his vision to life, from securing a three-hour runtime to filming Malcolm’s pilgrimage to Mecca. He even rallied Black luminaries like Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan to financially support the project when studio funding fell short. Lee believes the film had a profound cultural impact, inspiring many to read Malcolm X’s autobiography and sparking conversations across generations. Director Ryan Coogler, for instance, shared that his father took him to see the film at a young age, a testament to its lasting influence.
Lee, sporting a “1619” cap to acknowledge the arrival of enslaved Africans in America, underscores the historical context of Malcolm X’s fight for equality. He connects Malcolm’s powerful articulation of Black history and the legacy of slavery to his own production company’s name, 40 Acres and a Mule, a reference to broken promises of reparations.
Now 68, Spike Lee still carries Malcolm’s spirit—bold, unfiltered, and unwavering.
As he prepares for his upcoming film Highest 2 Lowest, Lee continues to champion justice through cinema. Like Malcolm X, Lee is both revered and misunderstood—but always impactful.
“Either you are a mindset of love, or a mindset of hate,” Lee said, pointing to a mug bearing the words from Do the Right Thing. As with Malcolm, love remains his guiding principle, even in the face of injustice.
•Featured image: Spike Lee/Sam Norval for Newsweek
