Malcolm and the Cross

by Louis A. DeCaro, Jr

Lou DeCaro's Malcolm and the Cross thoroughly explores Malcolm's relationship to the Nation of Islam and Christianity. Examining the religious roots of the Nation of Islam in relation to Christianity, DeCaro traces Malcolm's development and contributions as an activist, journalist, orator, and revolutionist against the backdrop of his familial religious heritage. In the process, DeCaro achieves nothing less than a radical rethinking of the way we understand Malcolm X, arguing for the necessity of seeing him as a religious revolutionist whose analysis of Christianity is indispensable - particularly in an era when cultic Islam, Christianity, and traditional Islam continue to represent key factors in any discussion about racism in the United States.