Malcolm X

Philosopher &

Militant Leader

o Malcolm Little was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. o Father taught him morals concerning black pride and self reliance.o His family moved several times due to racism.o After his father died, his mother was sent to a mental institution. o Malcolm was sent to several foster homes.

EARLY LIFE

Leading into the wrong path

• Moved with sister to Boston

• He was drawn to the lifestyle of street life. • Sold drugs, gambled, pimping, and

burglary.• In 1942, moved to Harlem and continued

lifestyle.• At age 20, he was sentenced 10 years in

prison.

The Islamic Nation

• Malcolm began to change his life around in jail.

• Brother spoke to his about the black Muslims.

• Malcolm was released from jail and went to go meet Muhammad in Chicago.

• He then was accepted and earned the name Malcolm X

A True Leader

• Malcolm X became the national spokesman for black Muslims.

• He was the speech-writer, philosopher, and inspiring speaker.

• Malcolm called for self defense in the face of white violence.

• Encouraged people to leave Christianity and not vote in politics.

•Martin Luther King Jr. Was Christian.•Graduated College at age of 17.•Always lived a positive lifestyle.• Represented the Christians.• Believe in non-violent protest, and influenced by Gandhi.

•Malcolm X Dropped out of high school. •Lived the street life. •Broke the law, and lived unjustly•Represented Islamic Nation.• Believed in Fighting back and was influenced by Marcus Garvey and Muhammad

• By 1959, the Black Muslim movement was in the spotlight.

• Racial tensions at this time had reached the boiling point.

• Rumors start floating around that Malcolm X wanted to take the seat of Elijah Muhammad.

• Personal jealousy was also in the question• On March 8, 1964, Malcolm X announced he was

leaving the Nation of Islam. • Created two of his own organizations.• He remained a believer in the Islamic religion

• Traveled through Africa and Europe, and to Saudi Arabia.

• He wrote that he no longer believed that all white people were evil, and felt he found the true meaning of the Islamic religion.

• He changed his name to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.

• After renouncing Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X had been marked for assassination.

• His house was bombed, but his family managed to escape unharmed.

• On February 21, 1965 Malcolm X had arranged a speaking engagement in Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom.

• 3 Gunmen rushed Malcolm onstage and shot hit 15 times at close range.• Malcolm X had been pronounced dead in the hospital.• Malcolm’s assassins were convicted of first-degree murder, and all of them were members of the Nation of Islam.

Citations

• Burke, B. (2004) “Malcolm X on education’, the encyclopedia of informal education,

http://www.infed.org/malcolm.htm

• Mararble, Manning. Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention. Penguin Group USA, Inc. (2011)

• Myer, D Walter. Malcolm X: A Fire Burning Brightly. HarperCollins (2003). University Press.

• Rabaka, Reiland. “Malcolm X and/as Critical Theory: Philosophy, Radical Politics, and the African American Search for Social Justice.” Journal of Black Studies. Vol. 33, No. 2. www.Jstor.org/stable/3180931 

• Rummel, Jack, Wagner L Heather (2004). Malcolm X: Militant Black Leader. Black Americans of InfoBase Publishing.