Who said “If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent…”?

Verified

Malcolm X. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceMessage to the Grass Roots (1963)

Find Message to the Grass Roots on Amazon · paid link

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Authors A–Z
“If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent defending black women and black children and black babies and black men, then it is wrong for America to draft us, and make us violent abroad in defense of her. And if it is right for America to draft us, and teach us how to be violent in defense of her, then it is right for you and me to do whatever is necessary to defend our own people right here in this country.”
— Malcolm X
VerifiedMessage to the Grass Roots (1963) · evidenceViolence
Report

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Message to the Grass Roots (1963).

APA

X, M. (n.d.). If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent defending black women and black children and black babies and black men, then it is wrong for America to draft us, and make us violent abroad in defense of her. And if it is right for America to draft us, and teach us how to be violent in defense of her, then it is right for you and me to do whatever is necessary to defend our own people right here in this country. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/41386-if-violence-is-wrong-in-america-violence-is/

MLA

X, Malcolm. “If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent defending black women and black children and black babies and black men, then it is wrong for America to draft us, and make us violent abroad in defense of her. And if it is right for America to draft us, and teach us how to be violent in defense of her, then it is right for you and me to do whatever is necessary to defend our own people right here in this country.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/41386-if-violence-is-wrong-in-america-violence-is/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

X, Malcolm. “If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent defending black women and black children and black babies and black men, then it is wrong for America to draft us, and make us violent abroad in defense of her. And if it is right for America to draft us, and teach us how to be violent in defense of her, then it is right for you and me to do whatever is necessary to defend our own people right here in this country.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/41386-if-violence-is-wrong-in-america-violence-is/.

Related quotes

“In America all too few blows are struck into flesh. We kill the spirit here, we are experts at that. We use psychic bullets and kill each other cell by cell.”
— Norman Mailer
VerifiedThe Fourth Presidential Paper — Foreign Affairs : Letter To Castro · evidenceDetails & citeViolence
Report
“I write about violence as naturally as Jane Austen wrote about manners. Violence shapes and obsesses our society, and if we do not stop being violent we have no future.”
— Edward Bond
VerifiedPreface to Lear (1972; London: Methuen, 1983) p. lvii · evidenceDetails & citeViolence
Report
“Power and violence are opposites; where the one rules absolutely, the other is absent. Violence appears where power is in jeopardy, but left to its own course it ends in power's disappearance.”
— Hannah Arendt
Verified"On Violence" · evidenceDetails & citeViolence
Report

More quotes by Malcolm X

“You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.”
VerifiedSpeech in New York City (7 January 1965) · evidenceDetails & citeFreedom
Report
“Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it.”
VerifiedMalcolm X Speaks (1965) · evidenceDetails & citeFreedom
Report
“Usually when people are sad, they don't do anything. They just cry over their condition. But when they get angry, they bring about a change.”
VerifiedMalcolm X Speaks (1965) · evidenceDetails & citeAdversity
Report
“I believe in a religion that believes in freedom. Any time I have to accept a religion that won't let me fight a battle for my people, I say to hell with that religion.”
VerifiedBy Any Means Necessary (1970) · evidenceDetails & citeFreedom
Report
“Sitting at the table doesn't make you a diner, unless you eat some of what's on that plate. Being here in America doesn't make you an American. Being born here in America doesn't make you an American.”
VerifiedMalcolm X Speaks (1965) · evidenceDetails & citeAmerica
Report
All 25 Malcolm X quotes →