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1964 comic Lenny Bruce & Malcolm X ads...
1964 comic Lenny Bruce & Malcolm X ads...
Item # 725362
April 02, 1964
THE VILLAGE VOICE (weekly), Greenwich Village, New York City, April 2, 1964
* Lenny Bruce - stand-up comedian - satirist ad
* Conviction for obscenity comedy performance
* Cafe Au Go Go nightclub - Bleecker Street
* Malcom X "Prospects for Freedom"
* "Militant Labor Forum" in NYC ad
The bottom of the back page has a small advertisement for a "MALCOLM X" speech in New York City. (see image)
background: The April 8, 1964, speech at Palm Gardens represented a radical departure from Malcolm X’s previous religious constraints, as he used the Militant Labor Forum to pivot toward a global, secular struggle for human rights. Addressing an integrated audience of socialists and activists, Malcolm argued that the American racial conflict was not a localized "civil rights" issue to be settled in domestic courts, but rather a segment of a worldwide rebellion against colonialism and Western imperialism. He famously critiqued the U.S. government as a "criminal" entity, suggesting that African Americans should bypass the federal government entirely and take their grievances to the United Nations. By defining Black Nationalism as the necessity for Black communities to control their own local politics and economy, he signaled the birth of a new political identity that was internationalist in scope and uncompromising in its demand for self-determination.
Page 25 has an advertisement for Lenny Bruce for the performance he would be arrested at. (see image)
wikipedia notes: In April 1964, he appeared twice at the Cafe Au Go Go in Greenwich Village, with undercover police detectives in the audience. He was arrested along with club owners Howard and Elly Solomon, who were arrested for allowing an obscene performance. On both occasions, Bruce was arrested after leaving the stage.
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
It is worth noting that "The Village Voice" was an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955, the Voice began as a platform for the creative community of New York City.
Complete with 32 pages, tabloid size, one fold along the center, nice condition.
Provenance note: This issue comes from The Village Voice's own archives, part of their in-house collection used to create their digital archive. Rare as such.
Alert: Many issues of The Village Voice contain articles and/or photos which some consider offensive, and are certainly inappropriate for children. Please purchase with discretion.
Category: The 20th Century
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