Malcolm X

About

Malcolm X was a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, advocating for Black empowerment and challenging the status quo. Born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska, he experienced a tumultuous childhood marked by the murder of his father and his mother's institutionalization. This led him to foster care and later to a life of petty crime in Boston and Harlem. In 1946, he was sentenced to prison for burglary, where he converted to the Nation of Islam and adopted the name Malcolm X. Upon his release in 1952, Malcolm became a prominent leader in the Nation of Islam, advocating for Black nationalism and self-defense. He criticized the mainstream civil rights movement's nonviolent approach, advocating instead for "by any means necessary." After a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1964, Malcolm embraced Sunni Islam and founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity. His legacy includes influencing contemporary discussions on race and identity, as documented in his autobiography, which remains a powerful narrative of transformation and advocacy. Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965, but his impact endures as a symbol of resilience and the fight against oppression.