'You Can Kill The Lion, But What Will You Do With The Cubs’

Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey

A Black Power Salute To Dr. Khallid Abdul Muhammad From the Front-Line By: Kofi Taharka

The leader of the New Black Panther Party and former National Spokesmen of the Nation of Islam (NOI) Dr. Khallid Abdul Muhammad joined the realm of the Egun our Holy African Ancestors early Saturday, Morning February 17, 2001. Reportedly, suffering a brain aneurysm earlier in the week brother Khallid’s death has shocked the entire movement. We are in mourning over the physical departure of one of our most uncompromising warriors. Brother Khallid was a native of Houston’s Fifth ward and a graduate of the renowned Phyllis Wheatley High School. He showed intensity for public speaking and spiritual endeavors at an early age preaching to passing cars on Houston’s Jensen Drive at the age of 7.  While no stranger to various movement formations for the last 25 years Dr. Khallid became well known in the Mid 1990’s for his uncompromising assault on White Supremacy with fiery rhetoric. During this period he was dismissed from the Nation of Islam. He continued to move around the country speaking to Black Nationalist, Pan-African, African-Centered and militant youth groups.

While there was certainly a deep hurt in brother Khallid over his dismissal from the NOI and he publicly challenged the lack of process by which this happened, he shared this at the 1998 Million Youth March. ‘He (Min. Farrakhan) is largely responsible for who I am and who I am becoming, I will never deny him’. Among the various post brother Khallid served in while in the NOI were Supreme Captain of the Fruit of Islam (FOI) and Minister of the historic Mosque #7 in New York, City. After being dismissed a foiled assassination attempt on his life by a former member of the NOI (James Best) caused great tension and heightened security. Brother Khallid became very close to the good brothers of the New Black Panther Party and it’s founder brother Aaron Michaels in Dallas, Texas, eventually assuming the position of National Chairman in the late 1990’s. This relationship gained national attention when the New Black Panthers went to Jasper, Texas armed after the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. This effort was supported by a large number of Jasper residents.

Our Brothers legacy and contributions to our great and mighty struggle are numerous. However, three major aspects of his work stand out in my mind.  First, is the obvious uncompromising stand he took against white supremacy stating: “I was born to give the white man hell, I will give him hell from the cradle to the grave”.  Second, is the depth’s he reached in the study of the various ideologies, formations and spiritual systems in our movement. He spoke and captured audiences of our people throughout America from New York to California and around the world. His reach into our communities is verified by the many testimonials that have poured in from around the world. As a follower of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad under the leadership of Minister Farrakhan he was strong in his belief in the NOI, in addition he embraced his African heritage. It was characteristic for our brother to wear an Ankh ring (Ancient African Symbol of life) on one hand and a Star & Crescent ring (Universal Symbol of Islam) on the other. He was a gifted speaker quite capable of lecturing on a wide array of topics. He was a good student of our movement; if you ever heard him speak you would not forget the experience. His top security aid for most of the decade of 1990’s Brother Talib Muhammad of Houston stated that “when I heard him speak in Los Angeles he awakened the spirit of God in me, he and I were in many life threatening situations, I was willing to die for that brother”.

The third and final observation is his consistent efforts to seek out the young soldiers in the streets and on college campuses. He was well known and respected in the Hip-Hop community bringing his powerful Black Nationalist message. Among the many holding the torch for what this brother represented are two of his top lieutenants Minister Quanell X of Houston and Attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz of Washington, D.C. Both young warriors have shown promise in assuming high positions of service on local and national issues and organizing. Minister Quanell X stated “ Brother Khallid told me never forget the struggle, never compromise and always remember the white man is not a devil, he is the devil”.   He touched a lot of youth with a bold and brash confrontational style, taking on Mayor Rudolph Guiliani and the New York City police department around the first Million Youth March. This warrior characteristic is sorely missing among the projected leadership in our community.  Brother Malik and brother Quanell should be embraced by our entire movement given the collective wisdom, encouragement, love, respect and patience necessary to insure that brother Khallid’s work continues.

Of the many times this writer had the good fortune to be in the company of brother Khallid, the first being in Atlanta in the early 1980’s and the last in Houston at Shaka Sankofa’s funeral in 2000, Jasper Texas stands out. After the New Black Panther protest against the Klan an unplanned memorial was held at the spot were James Byrd Jr.’s head was found. Amid the beautiful greenery of this country road brother Khallid held church, he engaged the people drawing from the Christian, Islamic, Yoruba and Black Nationalist traditions in a way that everybody understood. Most of the media was gone it was just us, the people of Jasper, the brothers with the guns and the spirit of God and the ancestors. I imagined that this must have been like when Nat Turner planned his rebellion in the woods of Virginia or when Toussaint, Boukman and Dessailines called forth the spirits in Haiti.

He was laid to rest in Harlem, New York on Saturday, February 24, 2001. The rallying cry was Black Power, Black Power as the New Black Panthers carried his red, black and green laced casket through the streets. He was buried not far from Brother Malcolm. It must be Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to investigate the death of strong servants to the African Liberation Movement. We should continue to pray for his family and his organization. We will look for you in the whirlwind brother Khallid.

Aluta Continua – The Struggle Continues.

** Note this article is an effort to give an accurate representation of some of our brothers’ contributions from our own perspective drawing on personal experiences and primary sources. Additional primary source information is welcomed.

(Kofi Taharka serves as National Secretary and Houston Chapter Chairman for the National Black United Front (NBUF).