Malcolm X (1925–1965)

MALCOLM X is one of the most influential, important, and misunderstood civil rights leaders of all time. He became a prominent figure during the late 1950s and 1960s by preaching in northern American cities about the oppressive nature of institutional racism and the importance of black pride. He never received the acclaim of his peer, Martin Luther King, Jr., whose belief in nonviolence and civil disobedience were better received by white America, whereas Malcolm was accused of being a black militant who advocated violence, and thus instilled fear into the white masses. For African Americans in American cities, though, Malcolm became an icon whose message had more significance than King's movement.

Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Louise and Earl Little. His father was a Baptist preacher active in Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association. Growing up in Lansing, Michigan, Malcolm was introduced to racist attitudes at an early age. His father was killed in 1931, and much controversy persists as to whether he was killed by white supremacists. His mother, who could never come to terms with the death was eventually taken to a mental institution and her children were divided up by welfare agencies. Malcolm was sent to live with various foster families; he left school in the 8th grade and moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to live with his sister. In Boston, he became involved in petty crime, and in 1946 was sentenced to jail for burglary. It was while in jail that his life underwent a metamorphosis.

While in jail, he was introduced to the Black Muslim teachings of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam (NOI). When he left jail in 1952, he changed his name to Malcolm X to symbolize his abandonment of his slave name Little, and he entered the Nation of Islam organization. He officially became a minister of the NOI in November 1955, and his oratorical skills quickly elevated him as one of the Nation of Islam's most powerful and influential speakers. Malcolm spoke confidently and carefully, discussing how the white race continued to oppress the black race. He urged African Americans to embrace their heritage and to avoid becoming susceptible to such problems as alcoholism, drugs, and prostitution, which were not surprisingly uncommon in the poor inner-city ghettos. While King was influential throughout the South, Malcolm's message was embraced by inner-city African Americans, who faced different situations than southern, rural blacks.

Malcolm's criticism was not solely reserved for oppressive white treatment of African Americans, as he was very critical of certain black leaders whom he believed to be too passive. During Malcolm's early years as a speaker, King would be one of his primary targets, and he was greatly distressed by the famed March on [Page 294]Washington, D.C., in 1963. He condemned the march as being organized by white politicians and for not calling enough attention to the problems of the black masses. He viewed King as being an “unwitting tool of white liberalism.”

The year 1963 also marked the beginning of tensions between Malcolm and Muhammad. Some problems were a response to the amount of national attention that Malcolm was generating, as he was becoming a more prominent figure than the Nation of Islam. Further tension was caused by rumors of Muhammad's infidelities with his secretaries. What finally caused the relationship to sever, though, were comments that Malcolm made following the death of President John Kennedy, which went against Muhammad's directive for the Nation to remain silent on the subject. He was subsequently suspended from the Nation for 90 days, and during this time, his relationship with the Nation became nonreconcilable.

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