<p>The paper explores the ideological contribution of Malcolm X in empowering the African Americans and instilling a sense of pride in their African ancestry and heritage. It also traces his influence in giving them a strategy for asserting their identity. By tracing the historical background of the twentieth century American society and the discriminatory racist attitude towards the African Americans, the paper examines the engagement of Malcolm X with the Civil Rights Movement and how he differed from his contemporary figures. The second part of the paper examines the significance of his ideas in the twenty first century world by focusing on the social movement – Black Lives Matter. It also delineates his views and its recurring relevance in the backdrop of a post-colonial world. The paper shows how he gave voice to the suppressed voice of the African Americans in resisting the white supremacy in the twentieth century America. It also demonstrates the enduring relevance of Malcolm X in advocating black pride, political assertion, resistance to systemic oppression, structural racism and state violence in the form of police brutality and incarceration of African Americans. The article concludes that Malcolm X’s ideas on race and identity provide an ideological base to not only movements like Black Lives Matter, but also act as a motivation in struggles for justice among other marginalized communities who are suppressed on the basis of their racial identities across the world.</p>