Born: May 19, 1925 - Omaha, Nebraska, USA Died: February 21, 1965 - New York, New York, USA Cause: assassination
Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, one of eight children. His father, Earl Little, was a Baptist preacher who supported Marcus Garvey's Back to Africa movement. When Malcolm was four, the family moved to Lansing, Michigan where Earl tried opening a store while continuting his preaching. But a group of white suremacists calling themselves the Black Legion (a sub-branch of the Ku Klux Klan) became irate to him.
Two years later, Earl Little was found dead on the trolly tracks in town after a streetcar ran over him. Dispite the police report that Earl's death was an accident, Malcolm strongly belived that his father was killed by the Black Legion who placed his father's body on the tracks to make it look like an accident. Following Earl's death, Malcolm's mother, Louise Little, tried to support her eight children on her own. Malcolm started stealing food and candy from neighborhood stores to support his brothers and sisters. After being caught a few too many times, a local court ruled that Louise was unable to control Malcolm and had him removed from her care and placed in a friendly white couple's home who knew Louise. Two years later, Louise, due to severe stress in raising her children, suffered a nervious breakdown and was commited to the state mental hospital where she remained for the remaining 26 years of her life.
After finishing 8th grade, Malcolm dropped out of school and traveled to Boston where his older sister, Ella, lived. After a few years, Malcolm moved to New York City where, to support himself, be became a numbers runner, a drug dealer, even a pimp. He wore zoot suits and dyed his hair red where he earned the nickname 'Detroit Red'. He relocated to Boston again where he organized a robbery ring which was uncovered by the police in 1946 and he was sentenced to eight to 10 years in prison. Malcolm used the time behind bars to educate himself in the prison library where he learns the fundamentals of grammar and increased his vocabulary. It was here that a few inmates introduced Malcolm to a new religion and movement, The Nation of Islam. Malcolm's younger brother, Reginald, already a member, visited him and told him about Islam and about Allah. Much of what Reginald said confused Malcolm, but two phrase took root in his head, "the white man is the devil" and "the black man is the brainwashed." Malcolm learned that if he wanted to join he would have to accept its theology and submit completely to its founder and leader, Elijah Muhammad.
Inspired by the new direction his life was taking, Malcolm wrote Elijah Muhammad a hearfelt letter about himself and why he wanted to join. Elijah wrote back welcoming Malcolm to the faith. He instructed Malcolm to drop his last name, which his ancestors inherited from a slave owner, and replace it with the letter X which symbolized that his true African name had been lost. In 1952, Malcolm was finally paroled from prison. Rather than returning to the life of crime, Malcolm commited himself to learning more about his new religion. In 1958 Malcolm marred Betty Shabazz, a Muslim nurse and together they had four daughters (plus two more born after his death). Over the next several years Malcolm became the spokesperson for the Nation of Islam and became one of it's most powerful speakers attracting thousands of African-Americans into the fold with his charasmatic speaches and rich and powerful words. Malcolm's charasmatic personalty also attracted the attention of the white media. But unlike Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who belived in non-violent tactics to achive equal rights for blacks, Malcolm favored the use of arms and proposed a revolutionary program that would create a seperate society for blacks in America. Malcolm's relationship with the media displeased Elijah Muhammad for he felt that the Nation of Islam's messages where being overshadowed by Malcolm's newfound celebrity.
In the early 1960's Malcolm learned of paternity suits filed by two women of the Nation of Islam who worked for Elijah Muhammed as his secretaries. Determined to get to the bottom of the rumors about Elijah Muhammed, Malcolm met with the two women and later privately with Elijah Muhammed who did not deny the accusations against him as he did publicly but justifed his actions by compairing his with other Biblical figures as David and Noah who suffered from "moral lapses". Elijah's response left Malcolm dissatisifed and contributed to his growing disenchantment with the Nation of Islam.
In November 1963, Malcolm's candidness with reporters provided Elijah Muhammed with an excuse to sideline him. When asked about the assasination of President John F. Kenndy, Malcolm called the murder a case of "the chickens coming home to roost." The public, both black and white, was outraged by Malcolm's comment which Elijah suspended him as his duties as spokesperson for 90 days.
Feeling betrayed by the Nation of Isalm, Malcolm announced in March 1964 that he was not going to return, but he was going to form his own movement called the Muslim Mosque, Inc. and invited blacks everywhere to join his new crusade. In response to Malcolm's announcement, Elijah Muhammed wrote in the Nation if Islam's bi-weekly newspaper that "only those who wish to be led to hell or to their doom will follow Malcolm. No one ever leaves the Nation of Isalm."
Over the next several months several attempts where made against Malcolm's life. Apparently, this did not suprise him for he quoted, "this thing with me well only be resolved by death and violence." In April 1964, Malcolm made a pilgrimage to Mecca, the Isamic holy city is Saudi Arabia. The trip had a profound affect on him were he was greeted warmly by Musilms of many nationalties. Malcolm then realized that if Muslims of all races can live together in peace, why not people of all religious? Malcolm then quoted, "my true brotherhood includes people of all races, coming together as one. It has proved to me that there is the power of one God."
Upon his return to the USA, death threats continued leading to his house in Queens, New York getting fire-bombed in February 1965, to his assasination a week later at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, New York City where he held weekly meetings. Although the Nation of Isalm was suspected of being behind Malcolm's murder, his three killers, who were convited of the murder, denined being part of the Nation of Islam or knowing each other dispite the fact that they were Black Musilms and later revealed to be members. When questioned about Malcolm X's murder, Elijah Muhammed maintained (as he did with a lot of other things) that neither he nor his organization had anything to do with Malcolm X's assasination.
What's in a Name? Understanding Malcolm X--Literature/U.S. History lesson plan (grades 9-12)--DiscoverySchool.com Students work collaboratively to evaluate four stages in the life of Malcolm X: the periods he was known as Malcolm Little, Detroit Red, Malcolm X, and el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz. ... have read The Autobiography of Malcolm X, discuss the various names Malcolm X used in his lifetime ... http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/malcolmx
Malcolm X Inspiration The most comprehensive info on Malcolm X, Gil Scott-Heron and Stevie Wonder. Books, Poems, Lyrics, Malcolm X Speeches and more! ... Malcolm X, a lot has been said about the man as witnessed by the numerous books written ... of one, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, penned by Alex Haley, is based ... http://www.gilscottheron.com/malxintro.htm
Malcolm X (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Malcolm X (film) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Malcolm X. Running time. 202 min. Language. English. Budget. $34,000,000 (estimated) Contents. Plot summary. Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow. ... times of the famous African-American activist Malcolm X into three sections ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X_(movie)
MSN Encarta - Malcolm X ... Malcolm X (1925-1965), African American activist whose ideas about racial problems in the United States had an ... Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha ... http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761552252/Malcolm_X.html
Malcolm X ... Malcolm X. 1925-1965. Interview of 1964 & The Oxford Debate. Malcolm X - DVD - $20.00 ... Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska ... http://www.africawithin.com/bios/malcolm_x.htm
El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz - Malcolm X El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. by Alex Haley, May 1963. You will need. From the book Malcolm X, The Man and His Times, by John Henrik Clarke. January 1964. April 1964. To the Domestic Peace Corps, December 12, 1964. Sept. 17, 1964 ... Interview of 1964 & The Oxford Debate. Malcolm X - DVD - $20.00 ... http://www.africawithin.com/malcolmx/malcolm.htm
Malcolm X: Down for the cause before the cause - Black History Month - MSNBC.com Even now, 40 years after his untimely death, many of the issues that dominated the life and career of Malcolm X remain - like the man himself - at the forefront of African-American life, and American life in general. ... When Malcolm X (El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) was shot to death at 3:10 p.m ... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6949163?GT1=6190
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