Malcolm X

Malcolm X was one of the most passionate, black-rights activists in American history. It is the isolation, confusion, and pain that he experienced in his past that fueled his ability to inspire the masses. Malcolm X gave African Americans a hope that one day they would no longer be looked down upon and treated unfairly because of the color of their skin.

Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925. He was the son of Earl Little, a Baptist preacher, and his wife, Louise. Earl Little was an outspoken promoter of social and economic independence for blacks and a supporter of the "Back to Africa" movement of a black nationalist leader named Marcus Garvey. Because of Earl’s outspoken ways, the Ku Klux Klan terrorized the whole family. Earl eventually moved his entire family to Lansing, Michigan – but that didn’t help.

One of Malcolm’s first memories came in 1929. He awoke to pistol shots, shouting, and smoke. His father shot at the two white men who set fire to their Lansing home but they both were able to escape. The Little family ended up on their front lawn in their underwear crying and screaming while white policemen stood around watching their house burn to the ground. (Haley X 3) In 1931, when Malcol

. . .

View the whole essay, without interruption

He also thought that African Americans should reject any and all integration or cooperation with whites. This is a world problem, a problem of humanity. Ostrowski, asked him if he had been thinking about a career. He constantly attacked the prominent civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Malcolm needed to see for himself that that life can, and does, thrive without a constant struggle over the superiority of one race over another. Even before the split, however, Malcolm X had begun to break away from the Black Muslims because he felt to controlled by the organization of the Nation of Islam. This is a quote from a letter he sent back home during that journey:

“There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world.

When Malcolm was released from prison in 1952, he went to Detroit, Michigan, and joined the Nation of Islam temple in that city. But we were all participating in the same rituals, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had lead me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white.

During his pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm had a revelation. Elijah Muhammed made him the chief minister of Harlem's main temple in June 1954. (Dyson 3-5)

Malcolm only went to school through the 8th grade. He was ready to be his own leader, rather than to follow the orders of Muhammad or anyone else.

Approximate Word count = 1498
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Simply subscribe to view this paper, and 100,000 others.