Malcolm X Mural - San Francisco State University

Location: Malcolm X Plaza

Hours: 24 hours/ outdoor viewing

Artist's: Eric Noberg and Kama Ayubbo students of SFSU, two of the nine students who submitted their art for the chance to paint the late activist.

Painted: May, 19th 1996. Two pictures of Malcolm X are painted with the African continent rising in the back with the United States painted in black inside. A quote from the civil rights leader at the bottom left corner of the mural reads, "Our objective is complete freedom, justice, and equality By Any Means Necessary". The mural stems from the 1968 student strike where members of the NSA and members of the Black Panther party came together to demonstrate the first sustained assault against an institution by it's students resulting in a 5 month strike, the longest to date on a US campus. The results led to the opening of the nation's first department of Black and ethnic studies, to be housed in a separate school of ethnic studies

Background: A plaza and mural dedicated to the late human rights activists Malcolm X, has been in the center of SFSU for more than 26 years. The mural was painted to embrace and honor Malcolm X's independent beliefs of political, spiritual, and economical values that contributed to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's.The first mural at SFSU of Malcolm X was first revealed in 1994 on his birthday May 19th. Artist Senay Dennis, she painted a mural of the activist with his face surrounding dollar signs, skulls, and the Star of David. Many students and administration found the mural anti-semetic although it was meant to demonstrate Malcolm X's criticism of Israel. This mural was later sandblasted off by administration.

Black on Campus. Part VI: For the Culture | by Ebonita | Medium