Clark said that Malcolm X “was the outstanding leader not only of African Americans but of the working class in the United States in the latter half of the 20th century.” He underscored Malcolm's statement that “the only way we’ll get freedom for ourselves is to identify with every oppressed people in the world.” This quote was chosen by meeting organizers for the flyer publicizing the event. The devastating effects of the world economic crisis on workers and the oppressed shows that the conditions Malcolm fought to end continue to this day, Clark added.

The panelists exchanged views on Malcolm X’s approach to culture, politics, and Black nationalism. Clark pointed to the January 1965 interview in the Young Socialist magazine reprinted in the Pathfinder book Malcolm X Talks to Young People in which Malcolm drew attention to the fact that he no longer used the term Black nationalism to describe his political stance. “I was alienating people who were true revolutionaries dedicated to overturning the system of exploitation that exists on this earth by any means necessary.… And if you notice, I haven’t been using the expression for several months.”

Sobukwe Shukura and Samuel Livingston both emphasized the cultural framework in their approaches. Malcolm recognized “that each people have their own culture” and come to revolution in that way, Shukura said. Malcolm X was “was a master in understanding the need for unities. He never forgot the need for cultural unity or that his culture was African.” He “reintroduced the idea of what revolution is,” hailing the revolutions in China and Cuba.

Livingston emphasized that Malcolm X engaged in struggle not only through politics but “understood the power of culture,” of African-American culture and history. Malcolm encouraged Blacks “to rediscover their humanity” as a road “toward creating the future.”

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