Addressing a small but animated crowd in the HUB's Heritage Hall, Chishamiso Rowley spoke to students and faculty about the impact that Malcolm X had on African-American culture. Rowley delivered the 11th annual Malcolm X lecture yesterday.

Rowley, who graduated from Penn State in 1991, was the first student to graduate with a degree in African and African-American Studies. While at the university, Rowley was a student activist and a member of the Black Caucus.

"I have an enduring connection with Penn State," Rowley said. She joked about people who buy blue and white M&Ms and toilet paper, saying that she wasn't that bad yet, but that she was getting far too interested in sweatshirts. The crowd laughed, getting into her humor.

"I want to talk about why we need to talk about Malcolm X and why we need to honor him," Rowley said as she began her lecture.

Rowley told a personal tale of switching her beliefs to those of the Nation of Islam. She said that as a young child, she perceived God as a white man, and that fact upset her mother. Soon after, her family left the Catholic church.

"Students are impressionable as early as age two," Rowley said, telling audience members how important it was for children to have the right influences and role models when they are young.

Using her own story as an introduction, Rowley talked about Malcolm X's personal journey into Islam.

"Blacks had been mentally and physically enslaved," Rowley said. "Malcolm wanted to be a soldier of liberation."

Malcolm X, who was assassinated 27 years ago last Monday, was an advocate for African-American advancement and equality, as well as for the Nation of Islam. He founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity and was working toward finding a common ground between all people at the time of his assassination.

"His most important advice was to 'think for yourself,' " Rowley said.

After speaking about what Malcolm X had done to change things in the 1960s, Rowley asked the crowd to think about what kind of things he would be concerned with in today's society. She said that she felt that learning would be a top priority.

"Everything you learn here will be important; everything will be a resource for you," said Rowley.

"The most important thing you can do here at Penn State is graduate."

Rowley said that she had one piece of advice that she considered more important than everything else she had spoken about all night.

"Remember to keep a spirit of victorious consciousness — the belief that you can overcome all obstacles."