Today would have been the 97th birthday of Civil Rights icon Malcolm X. The man was a strong advocate for Black empowerment and people in the Black community protecting themselves.
Throughout his life, he was also a devout Muslim and a spokesperson for the Nation of Islam.
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On May 19, 1925, Malcolm Little was born to Earl and Louise Little in Omaha, Nebraska. Malcolm was the fourth of seven children; his parents were devout followers of Marcus Garvey’s black nationalism movement.
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Malcolm’s mother, Louise, was declared legally insane after a nervous breakdown in December 1938. Malcolm and his six siblings were sent to different foster homes around the state. While in middle school, Malcolm was one of the best students in the entire school and had dreams of becoming a lawyer, but was told by a teacher that being a lawyer was “no realistic goal for a nigger.” After finishing 8th grade, he dropped out of school.
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After he dropped out of school, Malcolm moved to Boston to live with his older sister, Ella in February 1941.
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In 1943, during World War II, Malcolm was ordered by the U.S. draft to register for the military. Ultimately, doctors concluded that he was “mentally disqualified for military service.”
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During World War II in 1943, Malcolm was ordered by the U.S. draft to register for the military. Ultimately, doctors concluded that he was “mentally disqualified for military service.”
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While in prison, Malcolm is reading and writing constantly to stimulate his mind. Four of his siblings convert to Islam and introduce Malcolm to the words of Elijah Muhammad, the Nation of Islam’s leader. He writes the Governor of Massachusetts to demand to practice Islam and in 1952 he is released from prison and joined the Nation of Islam in Detroit. He rejects the surname Little and changes his last name to “X.”
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Malcolm X married Betty Sanders, who changed her last name to “X” in Lansing, Michigan on Jan. 12, 1958.
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Malcolm X publicly announced his break from the Nation of Islam on March 8, 1964. He felt the organization’s rigid religious teachings went too far.
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After leaving the Nation of Islam, tensions rose between the two and attempts against his life occurred multiple times. The Nation of Islam made threats both private and public.
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On March 26, 1964, Malcolm X met Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington D.C. after a press conference. Both of the men were going to the senate to hear the debate on the Civil Rights bill.
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On April 13, 1964, Malcolm X took a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia which was a life-altering trip for him. He was able to meet Muslims who came from different cultures and backgrounds and were of different races and nationalities. This helped change his mindset.
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The Nation of Islam sued to reclaim Malcolm X’s residence in Queens in June 1964. The Nation of Islam won and Malcolm X had to leave the home. On Feb. 14, 1965, the night before he was scheduled to attend a hearing to postpone the eviction date, the house was firebombed and burned to the ground. Everyone in his family survived.
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On Feb. 21, 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated while he was speaking at a meeting of the Organization of Afro-American Unity where over 400 people attended. X was shot in the chest with a sawed-off shotgun. Two other men went to the stage and shot him 16 more times with handguns. He has pronounced dead shortly after. He was only 39 years. The two men originally convicted for his assassination were exonerated in 2021.