Malcolm X
Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, was an African-American Muslim minister and a human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of blacks, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans; detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. He has been called one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history. More
Malcolm X was effectively orphaned early in life. His father was killed when he was six and his mother was placed in a mental hospital when he was thirteen, after which he lived in a series of foster homes.
In 1946, at age 20, he went to prison for larceny and breaking and entering. While in prison he became a member of the Nation of Islam, and after his parole in 1952 quickly rose to become one of its leaders. For a dozen years he was the public face of the controversial group; in keeping with the Nation's teachings he espoused black supremacy, advocated the separation of black and white Americans and scoffed at the civil rights movement's emphasis on integration.
Malcolm X timeline
-
Malcolm X is born
Malcolm Little was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Earl and Louise Little (née Louisa Norton). His father was an outspoken Baptist lay... Read more
-
Earl Little (Malcom X's father) fatally struck by streetcar
After they moved to Lansing, their house was burned in 1929, however the family escaped without physical injury. On September 28, 1931, Earl Little... Read more
-
Malcolm X drops out of school after 8th grade
In December 1938 Louise Little had a nervous breakdown and was declared legally insane. The Little siblings were split up and sent to different... Read more
-
Malcolm X is ordered to register for military
In 1943, the U.S. draft board ordered Little to register for military service.[38] He later recalled that he put on a display to avoid the draft by... Read more
-
Malcolm X is arrested for burglary
In late 1945, Little returned to Boston. With a group of associates, he began a series of elaborate burglaries targeting the residences of wealthy... Read more
-
Malcolm Little changes surname to "X"
In 1952, after his release from prison, Little visited Elijah Muhammad in Chicago, Illinois. Then, like many members of the Nation of Islam, he... Read more
-
Malcolm X is paroled and released from prison
On February 27, Little began serving his sentence at the Massachusetts State Prison in Charlestown. While in prison, Little earned the nickname of... Read more
-
Malcolm X marries Betty Sanders
On January 14, 1958, Malcolm X married Betty X (née Sanders) in Lansing, Michigan. The two had been friends for about a year and—although they had... Read more
-
The Nation of Islam make threats against Malcolm X
After leaving the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X spoke before a wide variety of audiences in the United States. He spoke at regular meetings of Muslim... Read more
-
Malcolm X announces his break from the Nation of Islam
On March 8, 1964, Malcolm X publicly announced his break from the Nation of Islam. He said that he was still a Muslim, but he felt the Nation of... Read more
-
Malcolm X meets with Martin Luther King Jr.
After leaving the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X founded Muslim Mosque, Inc., a religious organization, and the Organization of Afro-American Unity, a... Read more
-
Malcolm X's International Travel
Pilgrimage to Mecca On April 13, 1964, Malcolm X departed JFK Airport in New York for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. His status as an authentic Muslim was... Read more
-
Malcolm X's house is firebombed
In June 1964, the Nation of Islam sued to reclaim Malcolm X's residence in Queens, New York, which they claimed to own. The suit was successful,... Read more
-
Malcolm X Assassinated in Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom
On February 21, 1965, in Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom, Malcolm X began to speak to a meeting of the Organization of Afro-American Unity when a... Read more
-
Malcolm X's Funeral
The number of mourners who came to the public viewing in Harlem's Unity Funeral Home from February 23 through February 26 was estimated to be... Read more