Passive resistance

" . . . this 'system' that the white man created, of teaching Negroes to hide the truth from behind a façade of grinning, 'yessir-bossing,' foot shuffling . . ." [passive resistance]

Malcolm is describing the phenomenon of passive resistance. Along with the violent rebellions and insurrections such as the Stono rebellion and Nat Turner's rebellion, enslaved Africans also utilized other methods to combat the institution of slavery. Work slow-downs, self-inflicted abortions and infanticide,