National

E-Book of Malcolm X Autobiography Expected by May

Published

9 years ago

February 20, 2015

In this March 5, 1964, file photo, Muslim leader Malcolm X poses during an interview in New York. One of the last major digital holdouts, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, should soon be available as an e-book, the attorney for the late activists estate told AP, Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. (AP Photo/Eddie Adams)

HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — One of the last major digital holdouts, “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” should soon be available as an e-book, the attorney for the late activist’s estate told The Associated Press.

L. Londell McMillan said Friday that a digital edition will likely be out by May 19, what would have been Malcolm X’s 90th birthday, and that the estate expects to self-publish the book. Saturday marks the 50th anniversary of Malcolm’s assassination.

“Malcolm X was a fervent advocate for self-help, self-reliance and self-respect,” McMillan said in explaining why the estate favored self-publishing over releasing the e-book through the publisher of the paper editions, Ballantine Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

“Today’s technology allows for innovative means to share content and add to it for educational, cultural and commercial purposes. Malcolm X did not grant all rights to a publisher in perpetuity. The works and rights of Malcolm X belong to his children and the community, not a publisher.”

McMillan said that the estate, X Legacy LLC, also hopes to release an audiobook and to self-publish other works by Malcolm, including speeches, letters and diaries. In November 2013, the estate sued to prevent a Chicago-based publisher from releasing a diary Malcolm X kept near the end of his life.

“We shall vigorously file legal action to protect those intellectual property rights,” McMillan said.

The autobiography is a collaboration with Alex Haley published in 1965, soon after Malcolm was killed. It was immediately acclaimed as a riveting account of Malcolm X’s self-transformation, has sold millions of copies and is widely regarded as one of the most important memoirs in American history. Porscha Burke, a publishing manager and associate editor at Random House, told the AP that the hardcover and paperbacks of the autobiography were “precious jewels” and noted that the publisher had prepared special editions for the 50th anniversary of the book’s release.

“While we would be honored to be asked to publish an e-book edition, we are aware, and respectful, of the estate’s interest in publishing the work as an e-book under their own direction,” Burke wrote in an email.

Agents have long complained that e-book royalties paid by traditional publishers are too low, but rarely have works as popular as “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” been self-published or released through a third party. J.K. Rowling decided to sell e-editions of her “Harry Potter” books through her own Pottermore web site. Such celebrated novels as Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” and Erica Jong’s “Fear of Flying” are published as e-books through the digital company Open Road Integrated Media.

The number of works not offered electronically has shrunk rapidly in the past few years, with even such devotees of paper as Harper Lee and Ray Bradbury permitting e-books. J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher In the Rye” and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude” are among the few major books still unavailable digitally.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

California’s School Suspensions Show Racial Disparity

Don't Miss

Police Help Hard-Walkin’ Detroiter Move to Safer Home

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

5 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on Deaths of Humanitarian Aid Volunteers in Gaza 

On April 2, a day after an Israeli airstrike erroneously killed seven employees of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a humanitarian organization delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, a statement was release by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12). “This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

By California Black Media

“This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

The same day, it was confirmed by the organization that the humanitarian aid volunteers were killed in a strike carried out by Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Prior to the incident, members of the team had been travelling in two armored vehicles marked with the WCF logo and they had been coordinating their movements with the IDF. The group had successfully delivered 10 tons of humanitarian food in a deconflicted zone when its convoy was struck.

“This is not only an attack against WCK. This is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the direst situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said Erin Gore, chief executive officer of World Central Kitchen.

The seven victims included a U.S. citizen as well as others from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Palestine.

Lee has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza and has supported actions by President Joe Biden to airdrop humanitarian aid in the area.

“Far too many civilians have lost their lives as a result of Benjamin Netanyahu’s reprehensible military offensive. The U.S. must join with our allies and demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire – it’s long overdue,” Lee said.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Commentary

Commentary: Republican Votes Are Threatening American Democracy

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We needed to know the blunt truth. The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening. That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

By Emil Guillermo

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We needed to know the blunt truth.

The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

And to save it will require all hands on deck.

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening.

That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

No man is above the law? To the majority of his supporters, it seems Trump is.

It’s an anti-democracy loyalty that has spread like a political virus.

No matter what he does, Trump’s their guy. Trump received 51% of caucus-goers votes to beat Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who garnered 21.2%, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who got 19.1%.

The Asian flash in the pan Vivek Ramaswamy finished way behind and dropped out. Perhaps to get in the VP line. Don’t count on it.

According to CNN’s entrance polls, when caucus-goers were asked if they were a part of the “MAGA movement,” nearly half — 46% — said yes. More revealing: “Do you think Biden legitimately won in 2020?”

Only 29% said “yes.”

That means an overwhelming 66% said “no,” thus showing the deep roots in Iowa of the “Big Lie,” the belief in a falsehood that Trump was a victim of election theft.

Even more revealing and posing a direct threat to our democracy was the question of whether Trump was fit for the presidency, even if convicted of a crime.

Sixty-five percent said “yes.”

Who says that about anyone of color indicted on 91 criminal felony counts?

Would a BIPOC executive found liable for business fraud in civil court be given a pass?

How about a BIPOC person found liable for sexual assault?

Iowans have debased the phrase, “no man is above the law.” It’s a mindset that would vote in an American dictatorship.

Compare Iowa with voters in Asia last weekend. Taiwan rejected threats from authoritarian Beijing and elected pro-democracy Taiwanese vice president Lai Ching-te as its new president.

Meanwhile, in our country, which supposedly knows a thing or two about democracy, the Iowa caucuses show how Americans feel about authoritarianism.

Some Americans actually like it even more than the Constitution allows.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1.