The Hate That Hate Produced is a made for television documentary that was made in 1959 about the Nation of Islam. The Nation of Islam is a black muslim movement founded in Detroit,Michigan by Wallace Fard Muhammad in July 1930. This documentary introduced mainstream culture to likes of Elijah Muhammad, Louis Farrakhan, and Malcolm X. This documentary is extremely polarizing to say the least.
The host Mike Wallace started things off by making this wildly inaccurate statement:
“While city officials, state agencies, white liberals, and sober-minded Negroes stand idly by, a group of Negro dissenters is taking to street-corner step ladders, church pulpits, sports arenas, and ballroom platforms across the United States, to preach a gospel of hate that would set off a federal investigation if it were preached by Southern whites.”
Mike Wallace forgot to mention that countless numbers of elected officials have made racially charged statements as well.
America’s first interaction with the Nation of Islam was at a rally where Louis X (later known as Louis Farrakhan) was speaking to the crowd when he said this:
“I charge the white man with being the greatest liar on earth! I charge the white man with being the greatest drunkard on earth.... I charge the white man with being the greatest gambler on earth. I charge the white man, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, with being the greatest murderer on earth. I charge the white man with being the greatest peace-breaker on earth.... I charge the white man with being the greatest robber on earth. I charge the white man with being the greatest deceiver on earth. I charge the white man with being the greatest troublemaker on earth. So therefore, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I ask you, bring back a verdict of guilty as charged!”
Of course this fiery rhetoric shocked everyone that watched. Black and white. So at this point I trust that you have looked at the clip I posted. When making an assessment you have to keep in mind the time period that this documentary was produced in. No doubt about it the 1950’s and 60’s were a rough time for African-Americans. Do you believe that the name of the documentary is justified since African-Americans were treated so poorly back then? Or do you believe that this documentary pushed along de-segregation. Some say segregation helped out African-Americans. Some say it made things worst. What do you think?
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Tags: City of Chicago, City of Detroit, Elijah Muhammad, Louis Farrakhan, Malcolm X, Nation of Islam, The Hate that Hate Produced
