In honor of Malcolm X: December 12th Movement shuts down Harlem’s 125th Street

A sea of red, black, and green Liberation flags flew on Harlem’s 125th Street on May 19 as hundreds marched to honor Malcolm X on his 98th birth anniversary. Behind a giant photo of Malcolm X, the marchers enforced a 3-hour “commercial moment of silence” in honor of the martyred Pan-Africanist leader. Whole Foods, PC Richards, Old Navy, Krispy Kreme, and other corporate-owned stores that profit off the Harlem community closed their doors from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The annual tribute, a 34-year-old tradition, is organized and led by the December 12th Movement and the Malcolm X New Millennium Committee.