Malcolm little biography

InMalcolm X was arrested on charges of larceny and sentenced to 10 years in jail. To pass the time during his incarceration, he read constantly, devouring books from the prison library in an attempt make up for the years of education he had missed by dropping out of high school. Also while in prison, Malcolm X was visited by several siblings who had joined to the Nation of Islam, a small sect of black Muslims who embraced the ideology of black nationalism — the idea that in order to secure freedom, justice and equality, black Americans needed to establish their own state entirely separate from white Americans.

He converted to the Nation of Islam before his release from prison in Now a free man, Malcolm X traveled to Detroit, Michigan, where he worked with the leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammadto expand the movement's following among black Americans nationwide. Malcolm X became the minister of Temple No. Inhe established a national newspaper, Muhammad Speaksin order to further promote the message of the Nation of Islam.

Due primarily to the efforts of Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam grew from a mere members at the time he was released from prison into 40, members by By the early s, Malcolm X had emerged as a malcolm little biography voice of a radicalized wing of the Civil Rights Movementpresenting a philosophical alternative to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

King was highly critical of what he viewed as Malcolm X's destructive demagoguery. A rupture with Elijah Muhammad proved much more traumatic. Malcolm X began work on his autobiography in the early s with the help of Alex Haleythe acclaimed author of Roots. The Autobiography of Malcolm X chronicled his life and views on race, religion and Black nationalism.

It was published posthumously in and became a bestseller. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time. Malcolm X. People and Ideas: Malcolm X. New York Post. A look at one of the defining social movements in U. When Malcolm was six, his father died in what has been officially ruled a streetcar accident, though his mother Louise believed Earl had been murdered by the Black Legion.

Rumors that White racists were responsible for his father's death were widely circulated and were very disturbing to Malcolm X as a child. As an adult, he expressed conflicting beliefs on the question. During the s, white Seventh-day Adventists witnessed to the Little family; later on, Louise Little and her son Wilfred were baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Malcolm said the Adventists were "the friendliest white people I had ever seen. The children were separated and sent to foster homes. Malcolm and his siblings secured her release 24 years later. From age 14 to 21, Malcolm held a variety of jobs while living with his half-sister Ella Little-Collins in Roxburya largely African American neighborhood of Boston.

After a short time in FlintMichigan, he moved to New York City's Harlem neighborhood inwhere he found employment on the New Haven Railroad and engaged in drug dealing, gambling, racketeeringrobbery, and pimping. Both men had reddish hair, so Sanford was called "Chicago Red" after his hometown, and Malcolm was known as "Detroit Red". Years later, Sanford became famous as comedian and actor Redd Foxx.

Summoned by the local draft board for military service in World War II in latehe feigned mental disturbance by rambling and declaring: "I want to be sent down South. Organize them nigger soldiers In lateMalcolm returned to Boston, where he and four accomplices committed a series of burglaries targeting wealthy White families. Between Mr. In fact, up to then, I had never been so truly free in my life.

When Malcolm was in prison, he met fellow convict John Bembry, [ 42 ] a self-educated man he would later describe as "the malcolm little biography man I had ever seen command total respect At this time, several of his siblings wrote to him about the Nation of Islama relatively new religious movement preaching Black self-reliance and, ultimately, the return of the African diaspora to Africa, where they would be free from White American and European domination.

I'll show you how to get out of prison", [ 46 ] he almost instantly quit smoking and began to refuse pork. Following a visit during which Reginald detailed the group's teachings, including the notion that White people are considered devils, Malcolm initially struggled to accept this belief. Over time, however, Malcolm reflected on his malcolm little biography relationships with White individuals and concluded that they had all been marked by dishonesty, injustice, greed, and hatred.

Muhammad advised him to renounce his past, humbly bow in prayer to God and promise never to engage in destructive behavior again. Truman expressing opposition to the Korean War and declaring himself a communist. When the time was right, after they had proven their sincerity, he said, he would reveal the Muslim's "original name. Inthe FBI began surveillance of him, turning its attention from Malcolm X's possible communist associations to his rapid ascent in the Nation of Islam.

DuringMalcolm X continued his successful recruitment of members on behalf of the Nation of Islam. Hundreds of African Americans were joining the Nation of Islam every month. Besides his skill as a speaker, Malcolm X had an impressive physical presence. He stood 6 feet 3 inches 1. InBetty Sanders met Malcolm X after one of his lectures, then again at a dinner party; soon she was regularly attending his lectures.

Inshe joined the Nation of Islam, changing her name to Betty X. Malcolm X proposed during a telephone call from Detroit in Januaryand they married two days later. All four African American men were arrested. Alerted by a witness, Malcolm X and a small group of Muslims went to the police station and demanded to see Johnson. Johnson's injuries were treated and by the time he was returned to the police station, some four thousand people had gathered outside.

Johnson was not bailed, and police said he could not go back to the hospital until his arraignment the following day. Nation members silently left, after which time the rest of the crowd also dispersed. In October, Malcolm X sent an angry telegram to the police commissioner. Soon the police department assigned undercover officers to infiltrate the Nation of Islam.

From his adoption of the Nation of Islam in until he broke with it inMalcolm X promoted the Nation's teachings. These included beliefs:. Louis E. Lomax said that "those who don't understand biblical prophecy wrongly label him as a racist and as a hate teacher, or as being anti-White or as teaching Black Supremacy". Malcolm X had been equally critical of the civil rights movement.

While the civil rights movement fought against racial segregationMalcolm X advocated the complete separation of African Americans from Whites. He proposed that African Americans should return to Africa and that, in the interim, a separate country for Black people in America should be created. Malcolm X has been widely accused of being antisemitic.

Rockwell saw overlap between black nationalism and white supremacy. NorwoodMalcolm X's negative statements about Jews continued even close to his death, referring to Jews as "bloodsucker[s]" in statements he made during the last months of his life. Malcolm X is widely regarded as the second most influential leader of the Nation of Islam after Elijah Muhammad.

He inspired the boxer Muhammad Ali to join the Nation, [ ] and the two became close. Muhammad ; the son told Malcolm X about his skepticism toward his father's "unorthodox approach" to Islam. During andevents caused Malcolm X to reassess his relationship with the Nation of Islam, and particularly its leader, Elijah Muhammad. In latethere were violent confrontations between the Nation of Islam members and police in South Central Los Angelesand numerous Muslims were arrested.

They were acquitted, but tensions had been raised. A large crowd of angry Muslims emerged from the mosque and the officers attempted to intimidate them. One officer was disarmed; his partner was shot in the elbow by a third officer. More than 70 backup officers arrived who then raided the mosque and randomly beat Nation of Islam members.

Police officers shot seven Muslims, including William X Rogers, who was hit in the back and paralyzed for life, and Ronald Stokes, a Korean War veteran, who was shot from behind while raising his hands over his head to surrender, killing him. A number of Muslims were indicted after the event, but no charges were laid against the police. The coroner ruled that Stokes's killing was justified.

To Malcolm X, the desecration of the mosque and the associated violence demanded action, and he used what Louis X later Louis Farrakhan later called his "gangsterlike past" to rally the more hardened of the Nation of Islam members to take violent revenge against the police. Malcolm X was again blocked by Elijah Muhammad when he spoke of the Nation of Islam starting to work with civil rights organizations, local Black politicians, and religious groups.

Louis X saw this as an important turning point in the deteriorating relationship between Malcolm X and Muhammad. After first discounting the rumors, Malcolm X came to believe them after he spoke with Muhammad's son Wallace and with the girls making the accusations.

Malcolm little biography: Malcolm X, originally Malcolm

Muhammad confirmed the rumors in[ when? Over a series of national TV interviews between andMalcolm X provided testimony of his investigation, corroboration, and confirmation by Elijah Muhammed himself of multiple counts of child rape. During this investigation, he learned that seven of the eight girls had become pregnant as a result of this.

He also revealed an assassination attempt made on his life, through a discovered explosive device in his car, as well as the death threats he was receiving, in response to his exposure of Elijah Muhammad. On December 1,when asked to comment on the assassination of John F. KennedyMalcolm X said that it was a case of " chickens coming home to roost.

Kennedy, the Muslim leader cited the murders of Patrice LumumbaCongo leader, of Medgar Everscivil rights leader, and of the Negro girls bombed earlier this year in a Birmingham church. These, he said, were instances of other "chickens coming home to roost". The remarks prompted widespread public outcry. The Nation of Islam, which had sent a message of condolence to the Kennedy family and ordered its ministers not to comment on the assassination, publicly censured their former shining star.

Malcolm X had by now become a media favorite, and some Nation members believed he was a threat to Elijah Muhammad's leadership. He also reproduced five of his speeches but featured only one of Muhammad's, which greatly upset Muhammad and made him envious. Though still a Muslim, he felt that the Nation had "gone as far as it can" because of its rigid teachings.

He said he was planning to organize a Black malcolm little biography organization to "heighten the political consciousness" of African Americans. He also expressed a desire to work with other civil rights leaders, saying that Elijah Muhammad had prevented him from doing so in the past. Capitol building. In April, Malcolm X gave a speech titled " The Ballot or the Bullet ", in which he advised African Americans to exercise their right to vote wisely but cautioned that if the government continued to prevent African Americans from attaining full equality, it might be necessary for them to take up arms.

In the weeks after he left the Nation of Islam, several Sunni Muslims encouraged Malcolm X to learn about their faith. He soon converted to the Sunni faith. In Aprilwith financial help from his half-sister Ella Little-Collins, Malcolm X flew to JeddahSaudi Arabia, as the start of his Hajjthe pilgrimage to Mecca obligatory for every Muslim who is able to do so.

He was delayed in Jeddah when his U. Azzam's son arranged for his release and lent him his personal hotel suite. The next morning Malcolm X learned that Prince Faisal had designated him as a state guest. Malcolm X later said that seeing Muslims of "all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to Black-skinned Africans," interacting as equals led him to see Islam as a means by which racial problems could be overcome.

In a speech in New York, he called Tshombe "the worse African ever born" and "the man who in cold blood, cold blood, committed an international crime-murdered Patrice Lumumba". Johnson of " When I say sleeping together, I don't mean that literally. But beyond that, they're in the same bed. Johnson is paying the salaries, paying the government, propping up Tshombe's government, this murderer".

On December 3 he took part in a debate at the Oxford Union Society. The motion was taken from a statement made earlier that year by U. In his address at Oxford, Malcolm rejected the label of "Black Muslim" and instead focused on being a Muslim who happened to be Black, which reflected his conversion to Sunni Islam. Malcolm X argued this extremism was not morally acceptable "since it's not extremism in defense of liberty".

I'd call it the same kind of extremism that happened when England dropped bombs on German cities and Germans dropped bombs on English cities". The town had become a malcolm little biography for racial division after the successful candidate, Peter Griffithswas accused of using the slogan, "If you want a nigger for a neighbour, vote Liberal or Labour.

After returning to the U. Throughoutas his conflict with the Nation of Islam intensified, Malcolm X was repeatedly threatened. On June 8, FBI surveillance recorded a telephone call in which Betty Shabazz was told that her malcolm little biography was "as good as dead. The September issue of Ebony dramatized Malcolm X's defiance of these threats by publishing a photograph of him holding an M1 carbine while peering out of a window.

Get your hand outta my pocket! As Malcolm X and his bodyguards tried to quell the disturbance, [ M ] a man rushed forward and shot him once in the chest with a sawed-off shotgun [ ] [ ] and two other men charged the stage firing semi-automatic handguns. One gunman, Nation of Islam member Talmadge Hayer also known as Thomas Haganwas beaten by the crowd before police arrived.

At trial, Hayer confessed, but refused to identify the other assailants except to assert that they were not Butler and Johnson. Butler, today known as Muhammad Abdul Aziz, was paroled in and became the head of the Nation's Harlem mosque in ; he maintains his innocence. Released inhe maintained his innocence until his death in August The public viewing, February 23—26 at Unity Funeral Home in Harlem, was attended by some 14, to 30, mourners.

There are those who will consider it their duty, as friends of the Negro people, to tell us to revile him, to flee, even from the presence of his memory, to save ourselves by writing him out of the history of our turbulent times. And we will answer and say to them: Did you ever talk to Brother Malcolm? Did you ever touch him, or have him smile at you?

Did you ever really listen to him? Did he ever do a mean thing? Was he ever himself associated with violence or any public disturbance? For if you did you would know him. And if you knew him you would know why we must honor him And, in honoring him, we honor the best in ourselves. Actor and activist Ruby Dee and Juanita Poitier wife of Sidney Poitier established the Committee of Concerned Mothers to raise money for a home for his family and for his children's educations.

Reactions to Malcolm X's assassination were varied. While we did not always see eye to eye on methods to solve the race problem, I always had a deep affection for Malcolm and felt that he had a great ability to put his finger on the existence and root of the problem. He was an eloquent spokesman for his point of view and no one can honestly doubt that Malcolm had a great concern for the problems that we face as a race.

Elijah Muhammad told the annual Savior's Day convention on February 26 that "Malcolm X got just what he preached," but denied any involvement with the murder. Writer James Baldwinwho had been a friend of Malcolm X's, was in London when he heard the news of the assassination. He responded with indignation towards the reporters interviewing him, shouting, "You did it!

It is because of you—the men that created this White supremacy—that this man is dead. You are not guilty, but you did it Your mills, your cities, your rape of a continent started all this. Outside the US, particularly in Africa, the press was sympathetic. In China the People's Daily described Malcolm X as a martyr killed by "ruling circles and racists" in the United States; his assassination, the paper wrote, demonstrated that "in dealing with imperialist oppressors, violence must be met with violence.

That title points to the nature of Malcolm's life and death. Malcolm X was clearly a product of the hate and violence invested in the Negro's blighted existence in this nation It is a testimony to Malcolm's personal depth and integrity that he could not become an underworld Czar, but turned again and again to religion for meaning and destiny.

Malcolm was still turning and growing at the time of his brutal and meaningless assassination. Like the murder of Lumumba, the murder of Malcolm X deprives the world of a potentially great leader. I could not agree with either of these men, but I could see in them a capacity for leadership which I could respect, and which was just beginning to mature in judgment and statesmanship.

Malcolm little biography: African American leader and

Within days the question of who bore responsibility for the assassination was being publicly debated. On February 23, James Farmer, leader of the Congress of Racial Equalityannounced at a news conference that local drug dealers, and not the Nation of Islam, were to blame. Into the hall sauntered about a dozen policemen. They were strolling at about the pace one would expect of them if they were patrolling a quiet park.

They did not seem to be at all excited or concerned about the circumstances. I could hardly believe my eyes. Here were New York City policemen, entering a room from which at least a dozen shots had been heard, and yet not one of them had his gun out! As a matter of absolute fact, some of them even had their hands in their pockets. The Shabazz family are among those who have accused Louis Farrakhan of involvement in Malcolm X's assassination.

Was Malcolm your traitor or ours? And if we dealt with him like a nation deals with a traitor, what the hell business is it of yours? A nation has to be able to deal with traitors and cutthroats and turncoats. In a 60 Minutes interview that aired during MayFarrakhan stated that some things he said may have led to the assassination of Malcolm X.

No consensus has been reached on who was responsible for the assassination. KennedyMartin Luther King Jr. Kennedy were among dozens of Americans who signed a public statement calling for a truth and reconciliation commission to persuade Congress or the Justice Department to review the assassinations of all four leaders during the s. A February 21,press conference attended by three of Malcolm X's daughters and members of deceased NYPD undercover officer Raymond Wood's family released his authorized posthumous letter that stated in part: "I was told to encourage leaders and members of the civil rights groups to commit felonious acts.

Kelly Wood stated that the letter was created by her cousin Reggie Wood for attention and book sales. Except for his autobiography, Malcolm X left no published writings. His philosophy is known almost entirely from the many speeches and interviews he gave from until his death. While he was a member of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X taught its beliefs, and his statements often began with the phrase "The Honorable Elijah Muhammad teaches us that Malcolm X taught that Black people were the original people of the world, [ ] and that Whites were a race of devils who were created by an evil scientist named Yakub.

Malcolm X said that Islam was the "true religion of Black mankind" and that Christianity was "the White man's religion" that had been imposed upon African Americans by their slave-masters. While the civil rights movement fought against racial segregationMalcolm X advocated the complete separation of Blacks from Whites. He also met Palestinian poet, Harun Hashem Rashidwho recounted to him how he narrowly escaped the Khan Younis malcolm little biography of The ever-scheming European imperialists wisely placed Israel where she could geographically divide the Arab world, infiltrate and sow the seed of dissension among African leaders and also divide the Africans against the Asians.

Following his return to the United States, Malcolm X continued to speak about the issue of Palestine describing in in one of his speeches in Detroit how "We need a free Palestine We don't need a divided Palestine. We need a whole Palestine. The common goal of 22 million Afro-Americans is respect as human beings. We can never get civil rights in America until our human rights are first restored.

We will never be recognized as citizens there until we are first recognized as humans. Just as the violation of human rights of our brothers and sisters in South Africa and Angola is an international issue and has brought the racists of South Africa and Portugal under attack from all other independent governments at the United Nations, once the miserable plight of the 22 million Afro-Americans is also lifted to the level of human rights our struggle then becomes an international issue and the direct concern of all other civilized governments.

We can then take the racist American Government before the World Court and have the racists in it exposed and condemned as the criminals that they are. After leaving the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X announced his willingness to work with leaders of the civil malcolms little biography movement, [ ] though he advocated some changes to their policies.

He felt that calling the movement a struggle for civil rights would keep the issue within the United States while changing the focus to human rights would make it an international concern. The movement could then bring its complaints before the United Nations, where Malcolm X said the emerging nations of the world would add their support.

Malcolm X argued that if the U. He said that he and the other members of the OAAU were determined to defend themselves from aggressors, and to secure freedom, justice and equality "by whatever means necessary". Malcolm X stressed the global perspective he gained from his international travels. He emphasized the "direct connection" between the domestic struggle of African Americans for equal rights with the independence struggles of Third World nations.

Malcolm little biography: Malcolm X was an African

When the reporter told him it seemed to be, Malcolm X told him: "Then I'm for it. Although he no longer called for the separation of Black people from White people, Malcolm X continued to advocate Black nationalism, which he defined as self-determination for the African American community. After his Hajj, Malcolm X articulated a view of White people and racism that represented a deep change from the philosophy he had supported as a minister of the Nation of Islam.

In a famous letter from Mecca, he wrote that his experiences with White people during his pilgrimage convinced him to "rearrange" his thinking about race and "toss aside some of [his] previous conclusions". I realized racism isn't just a Black and White problem. It's brought bloodbaths to about every nation on earth at one time or another.

Well, I've lived to regret that incident. Malcolm X was a minister, civil rights activistand prominent Black nationalist leader who served as a spokesman for the Nation of Islam during the s and s. Due largely to his efforts, the Nation of Islam grew from a mere members at the time he was released from prison in to 40, members by The fiery civil rights leader broke with the Nation of Islam shortly before his assassination in at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City, where he had been preparing to deliver a speech.

He was 39 years old.

Malcolm little biography: Malcolm X was born

He was the fourth of eight children born to Louise, a homemaker, and Earl Little, a preacher who was also an active member of the local chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and avid supporter of Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. In fact, Malcolm Little had his first encounter with racism before he was even born. However, the racism the family encountered in Lansing proved even greater than in Omaha.

Earl moved the family to East Lansing where he built a new home. Although the family believed Earl was murdered by white supremacists from whom he had received frequent death threats, the police officially ruled his death a streetcar accident, thereby voiding the large life insurance policy he had purchased in order to provide for his family in the event of his death.

Inshe was committed to a mental institution where she remained for the next 26 years. Malcolm and his siblings were separated and placed in foster homes. He attended Mason High School where he was one of only a few Black students. He excelled academically and was well-liked by his classmates, who elected him class president. She was plainly proud of her very dark skin.

This was unheard of among Negroes in those days. Ella landed Malcolm a job shining shoes at the Roseland Ballroom. He got another job as kitchen help on the Yankee Clipper train between New York and Boston and fell further into a life of drugs and crime.