A. Peter Bailey facts for kids
A. Peter Bailey (born February 24, 1938) is an American journalist, author, and lecturer. He was a close friend of Malcolm X and was part of the Organization of Afro-American Unity.
About A. Peter Bailey
Alfonzo Peter Bailey was born in Columbus, Georgia, on February 24, 1938. He grew up in Tuskegee, Alabama. He served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1959. After his time in the army, he studied at Howard University until 1961.
In 1962, Bailey moved to Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. That June, he heard Malcolm X speak near Mosque No. 7. When Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam in 1964, Bailey became a founding member of Malcolm X's new group, the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Bailey worked as the editor for the group's newsletter, which was called Blacklash. He was one of the people who carried Malcolm X's coffin at his funeral in 1965.
His Work as an Editor and Author
From 1968 to 1975, Bailey worked as an associate editor at Ebony magazine. Later, from 1975 to 1981, he was the associate director of the Black Theatre Alliance (BTA). He also edited the BTA Newsletter.
Bailey has written several books. In 1998, he co-wrote Seventh Child: A Family Memoir of Malcolm X with Rodnell Collins, who was Malcolm X's nephew. In 1995, he wrote Revelations: The Autobiography of Alvin Ailey. This book was based on interviews he did with the famous choreographer Alvin Ailey before Ailey passed away in 1989. In 2013, Bailey wrote his own memoir, called Witnessing Brother Malcolm X: The Master Teacher.
He has also written articles for many well-known publications. These include The Black Collegian, Black Enterprise, Black World, Essence, Jet, The Negro Digest, the New York Daily News, and The New York Times. Today, he writes a column every two months for the Trice-Edney Wire Service.
Teaching and Lecturing
A. Peter Bailey has shared his knowledge about Malcolm X at many colleges and universities. He has spoken at more than three dozen schools. He also taught as a part-time professor at Hunter College, the University of the District of Columbia, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
