The Myth of Meaning

Malcolm X's cultural rebirth–his improbable second coming–brims with irony. The nineties are marked by intense and often angry debates about racial authenticity and "selling out," and the participants in these debates–from politicians to filmmakers to rap artists–often draw on Malcolm's scorching rebukes to such moves. Meanwhile, Malcolm's "X" is marketed in countless business endeavors and is stylishly branded on baseball hats and T-shirts sported by every age, race, and gender.