Organization of Afro-American Unity
ORGANIZATION OF AFRO-AMERICAN UNITY
ORGANIZATION OF AFRO-AMERICAN UNITY (OAAU) was founded by Malcolm X after his departure from the Nation of Islam. The Organization of Afro-American Unity was inspired by the Organization of African Unity, which drew together the fifty-two nations of Africa to discuss and solve pressing problems pertinent to the continent. The OAAU sought to build independent institutions in the African American community and to support black participation in mainstream politics. The OAAU was the clearest indication that Malcolm X, or as he had renamed himself in 1964, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, was moving politically in a new direction. Although he considered himself a black nationalist, there were some indications he was moving toward socialism. His assassination in February 1965 in the Audubon Ballroom left those matters unclear. The demise of the OAAU came shortly after Malcolm's death.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Perry, Bruce. Malcolm: The Life of A Man Who Changed Black America. Tarrytown, N.Y.: Station Hill, 1991.
Charles PeteBanner-Haley