As a child, Malcolm Little endured many hardships and had a tough childhood that he unfortunately had to cope with. (Encarta1) He was born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925. He was the seventh child out of eight. His mother was Louis Norton Little, a homemaker. However, his father, Earl Little, was an outspoken Baptist minister. (Haley1) As a follower of Marcus Gravey, his father was the black nationalist leader of the 1920's. (Encarta1) His civil rights activism promoted death threats from the white supremacist organization, Black Legion, which forced the family to relocate. The family ended up moving the Lansing, Michigan in 1929. However, later that year there home was burned to the ground. (Encarta1) Although this mishap concerning there house was not the end of their misfortune and sadness. Their father's body was found mutilated lying across the town's trolley tracks. The police had ruled that the occurrence of their house and Earl Little's death was both committed by members of the Black Legion. Through this happening, Malcolm's mother, Louis, suffered an emotional breakdown and was committed to a mental institution. After she was committed, the children were split up amongst various foster homes and orphanages. Malcolm ended up leaving school after the 8th grade to live in Boston with one of his relatives. (Haley1)
             Years later he moved to New York City in 1942 to the black Harlem section. ("Years"1) There he lived as a hustler, cheating to make money. He sold drugs and became an addict. He gained the reputation "hustling" on the streets of Boston and New York. However, he traveled back to Boston and organized a burglary ring. Yet, as a result of his actions, he ended up going to prison in 1946. (Haley1)
             While in jail, Malcolm was introduced for the first to the Islamic religion and its teachings and was very intrigued. Malcolm had adopted the Islamic religion as the group practiced it while i...