Clarence 13X
Encyclopedia
Clarence 13X, born Clarence Jowars Smith (February 22, 1928–June 13, 1969) was the founder of the The Five Percenters
and was referred to by members of that group as Allah or the Father.
to Louis and Mary Smith. In the Korean War
, Smith served as a Private First Class
between October 1952 and October 1954, receiving the Korean Service Medal
with a Bronze Service Star
and a United Nations Service Medal
, and served until 1960 in the United States Army Reserve
.
Smith joined the Nation of Islam
after he learned that his wife became a member of the group. He became a member of Temple Number 7 in Harlem, New York, where Malcolm X
was a minister. There he received the name Clarence 13X, the 13X indicating that he was the 13th person named Clarence to join the temple. Clarence 13X would be well-known there for his martial arts
skills and speaking ability, which led him to become a student minister. However, he would begin to question the NOI teachings of Wallace Fard Muhammad
.
Clarence 13X was reprimanded by the Nation of Islam, eventually excommunicated, and left the organization. He began to preach his own version of NOI teachings in the streets of Harlem, and later other cities, gaining supporters among the youths attracted to his speaking style. Clarence 13X used the Nation of Islam's lessons to teach that any man—black, brown, red, white or yellow—could become God through living a life of righteousness. In order to spread his message, he devised systems reminiscent of mystical traditions, which he called the Supreme Mathematics, a series of principles attached to the numbers 0–9; and the Supreme Alphabet
, a series of principles associated with the letters of the Roman alphabet.
On May 31, 1965, Clarence 13X was arrested in New York City, charged with assault and battery, conspiracy, disorderly conduct, marijuana possession, resisting arrest, and unlawful assembly in which he pled not guilty to all of his charges. He was sentenced to stay at the Bellevue Hospital in New York where was placed under psychiatric evaluation after not seeming to understand what he did wrong. The FBI file on Clarence 13X states that he believes the white man to be the devil by nature, and so cannot be anything other than a devil. Clarence 13X's original diagnosis was described as schizophrenic reaction, paranoid type and stayed in psychiatric care until 1967.
Clarence 13X was shot and killed in his Harlem housing project
on June 13, 1969. Someone had attempted to murder Clarence 13X some years prior on December 13, 1964. Following the unsolved murder, any vestige of hierarchy among the Nation of Gods and Earths disappeared, but his teachings were maintained and disseminated by his early students.
The Nation of Gods and Earths
The Nation of Gods and Earths, sometimes referred to as NGE or NOGE, the Five-Percent Nation, or the Five Percenters is an American organization founded in 1964 in the Harlem section of the borough of Manhattan, New York City, by Clarence 13X, a former student of Malcolm X, who left his mosque...
and was referred to by members of that group as Allah or the Father.
Biography
Clarence 13X was born Clarence Jowars Smith in Danville, VirginiaDanville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
to Louis and Mary Smith. In the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, Smith served as a Private First Class
Private First Class
Private First Class is a military rank held by junior enlisted persons.- Singapore :The rank of Private First Class in the Singapore Armed Forces lies between the ranks of Private and Lance-Corporal . It is usually held by conscript soldiers midway through their national service term...
between October 1952 and October 1954, receiving the Korean Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
The Korean Service Medal is an award of the United States military and was created in November 1950 by executive order of President Harry Truman. The Korean Service Medal is the primary United States medal for participation in the Korean War and is awarded to any U.S. service member, who...
with a Bronze Service Star
Service star
A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...
and a United Nations Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
The United Nations Service Medal for Korea is an international military decoration which was established by the United Nations on December 12, 1950...
, and served until 1960 in the United States Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
.
Smith joined the Nation of Islam
Nation of Islam
The Nation of Islam is a mainly African-American new religious movement founded in Detroit, Michigan by Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in July 1930 to improve the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of African-Americans in the United States of America. The movement teaches black pride and...
after he learned that his wife became a member of the group. He became a member of Temple Number 7 in Harlem, New York, where Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
was a minister. There he received the name Clarence 13X, the 13X indicating that he was the 13th person named Clarence to join the temple. Clarence 13X would be well-known there for his martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
skills and speaking ability, which led him to become a student minister. However, he would begin to question the NOI teachings of Wallace Fard Muhammad
Wallace Fard Muhammad
Wallace Fard Muhammad was a minister and founder of the Nation of Islam. He established the Nation of Islam's first mosque in Detroit, Michigan in 1930, and ministered his distinctive religion there for three years, before mysteriously disappearing in June 1934. He was succeeded by his follower...
.
Clarence 13X was reprimanded by the Nation of Islam, eventually excommunicated, and left the organization. He began to preach his own version of NOI teachings in the streets of Harlem, and later other cities, gaining supporters among the youths attracted to his speaking style. Clarence 13X used the Nation of Islam's lessons to teach that any man—black, brown, red, white or yellow—could become God through living a life of righteousness. In order to spread his message, he devised systems reminiscent of mystical traditions, which he called the Supreme Mathematics, a series of principles attached to the numbers 0–9; and the Supreme Alphabet
Supreme Alphabet
The Supreme Alphabet is, in the Nation of Gods and Earths, a system of interpreting text and finding deeper meaning in the original 120 Questions written by Elijah Muhammad and Wallace Fard Muhammad by assigning meanings to the letters of the Roman alphabet...
, a series of principles associated with the letters of the Roman alphabet.
On May 31, 1965, Clarence 13X was arrested in New York City, charged with assault and battery, conspiracy, disorderly conduct, marijuana possession, resisting arrest, and unlawful assembly in which he pled not guilty to all of his charges. He was sentenced to stay at the Bellevue Hospital in New York where was placed under psychiatric evaluation after not seeming to understand what he did wrong. The FBI file on Clarence 13X states that he believes the white man to be the devil by nature, and so cannot be anything other than a devil. Clarence 13X's original diagnosis was described as schizophrenic reaction, paranoid type and stayed in psychiatric care until 1967.
Clarence 13X was shot and killed in his Harlem housing project
Public housing in the United States
Public housing in the United States has been administered by federal, state and local agencies to provide subsidized assistance for low-income and people living in poverty. Now increasingly provided in a variety of settings and formats, originally public housing in the U.S...
on June 13, 1969. Someone had attempted to murder Clarence 13X some years prior on December 13, 1964. Following the unsolved murder, any vestige of hierarchy among the Nation of Gods and Earths disappeared, but his teachings were maintained and disseminated by his early students.