Page:1965 FBI monograph on Nation of Islam.djvu/65

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Chicago Coliseum. As at all Muslim rallies, after passing through the searching procedure, the visitor entering the hall was met by Muslim guards holding out buckets for contributions. Elijah appeared and spoke on only two afternoons, the 26th and the 28th. On Saturday afternoon, the 27th, a Unity Bazaar was held. This is a regular event of each annual convention, but for this bazaar there was featured a special boxing exhibition by "Muhammad Speaks" had announced that tickets would be on sale at cult business places for "donations" ranging from $10 for ringside to $1.50 for third-balcony seats.  scheduled second exhibition that day was cancelled for an undisclosed reason. Frequently, these Muslim bazaars fall short of the claims set forth for them in advance press notices.

On the last afternoon, the 28th, Elijah spoke before about 3,000 in the hall which could hold 7,500. Because of Malcolm's assassination a few days earlier, violence was expected, and one former Muslim was beaten and forcibly ejected just before Elijah was to speak. The United Press has reported that Elijah's rambling speech lasted over three hours and that "even some of his devoted followers were leaving the Chicago Coliseum as he droned his way through the last hour." Concerning the contents of Elijah's speech, the United Press reported that it "ranged from economics to moon flights, from Islam to short skirts on women, and from the threat of death