DETROIT – The Detroit Pistons announced a retail capsule celebrating Malcolm X’s life, legacy, and connection to Detroit.
The capsule will be available on Friday (Feb. 7), the Pistons HBCU/NPHC Night, on Pistons313Shop.com, and at the Pistons Team Store at Little Caesars Arena.
The collaboration aims to tell an authentic story of Malcolm X’s time in Detroit and his passion for empowering and unifying all people, regardless of color.
The collection, designed by Detroit artist Wesley Taylor and in conjunction with the Malcolm X Estate, X Legacy, features six pieces—two hoodies, two T-shirts produced by DETail Threads, and two hats produced by Mitchell & Ness.
Each piece in the capsule will pay homage to Malcolm X and his legacy to celebrate his 100th birthday this year.
The Detroit Pistons announced a retail capsule celebrating Malcolm X’s life and legacy and his connection to Detroit. (Detroit Pistons)
As part of the collaboration, the Pistons will also contribute to helping fund the competitive Wayne State University Malcolm X Leadership Award, which is issued annually to students in recognition and celebration of their civic engagement, social activism, community empowerment work, and civil and human rights work or related research.
Malcolm X, formerly known as “Detroit Red” due to his red hair, played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. His ties to Detroit served as a critical foundation for shaping his activism.
After his release from prison in 1952, Malcolm X arrived in Detroit and moved in with his brother in Inkster. There, he became deeply involved in the Nation of Islam (NOI), which had a strong presence in the city.
It was in Detroit that he rose to prominence as a dynamic speaker, advocating for Black empowerment, self-determination, and a radical departure from the systemic racism that oppressed African Americans.
The Detroit Pistons announced a retail capsule celebrating Malcolm X’s life and legacy and his connection to Detroit. (Detroit Pistons)
With its affluent African American population and history of labor activism, Detroit became an essential backdrop for his ideas on Black pride and economic independence.
Malcolm X’s time in Detroit set the stage for his transformation into a global figure who sought to challenge racial injustice nationally and internationally.
During his last recorded speech on Feb. 14, 1965, in Detroit’s Ford Auditorium, he said, “I’m from Detroit. I used to live out here in Inkster.”
“I’m from Detroit.” – 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐦 𝐗 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐭, 𝐌𝐈 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦, 𝐅𝐞𝐛. 𝟏𝟒, 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝟓.
Announcing the six-piece apparel collaboration of the Detroit Pistons and Malcolm X Estate. Available this Friday at the… pic.twitter.com/pUAaYk4DiY
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) February 3, 2025
Click here to learn more about the products before their on-sale date.
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