Category: African American history

Fifty-five years on, concerns about why Malcolm X was killed by the Nation of Islam are still causing mistrust and tensions between law enforcement agencies and the Black community (Felber 2015). Malcolm X was an American Islamic preacher and human rights activist, assassinated on 21 February 1965. When Malcolm was six years old, his house was burned down, and his father died after being hit by a streetcar. Many suspects that the accidents were caused by white supremacists. After that, his mother, Louise Little, who had a nervous breakdown, was sent to a mental institution, and Malcolm and his siblings were sent to foster homes. An outstanding student at school, Malcolm dropped out and joined a life of crime, after one of his teachers “advised” him to become a carpenter, rather than a lawyer. Soon, Malcolm was imprisoned six years for a robbery. While in prison, he was introduced to the Nation of Islam and soon converted. But there were conflicts and disagreements with Elijah Mohammed, the leader of the movement, after which Malcolm left. Many speculated that Malcolm was killed by the Nation of Islam, because of his articulated concepts. But, the fact remains that many factors played a major role in his assassination.

Living in the shadows of racism and segregation, Malcolm was steered onto a new path in search of meaning and belonging. Malcolm joined the Nation of Islam while in prison for a robbery from 1946 to 1952. One of the wealthiest and most known organizations in Black America, the Nation of Islam had a big impact on eliminating racism. While Malcolm was in jail, he read a lot of books and was introduced to the Nation of Islam. Soon, he converted and changed his last name to X as an indication to his unknown African ancestors. After his release, he immediately became an assistant minister in the Nation of Islam and met his leader, Elijah Mohammed. In just 6 years, Malcolm was able to recruit 40,000 people to the Nation of Islam (History.com Editors 2009). In one of his lectures, Malcolm reassured, “We who are followers of the honorable Elijah Mohammed do not make a choice between integration and segregation, segregation doesn’t enter into the picture at all.” Some criticized Malcolm, including Martin Luther King, for his speech on pacifism and integration. Not one to believe in peaceful integration, Malcolm thought that the only way blacks could gain equality was through separation. He urged his followers to defend themselves when attacked by white racists. Through joining the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X helped change the racial terms used to refer to African Americans.

Malcolm left the Nation of Islam after his leader Elijah Mohammed turned against his teachings and banned him from speaking. Tension started to emerge between Malcolm and Elijah, which went on for years. Malcolm was devastated after he found out that six of Elijah’s children wherefrom his secretaries, who made it public and caused major conflicts (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica 2020). Also, Elijah did nothing after some members of the Nation of Islam were physically abused by the police in South Central, Los Angeles. After Malcolm told the press that John F. Kennedy’s assassination was “chickens coming home to roost”, which meant the society is suffering the consequences of their violence, Elijah banned him from speaking for 90 days (New York Times 1964). Malcolm, infuriated by Elijah’s acts, left the Nation of Islam. It’s suspected that the main reason tensions between the two broke out is that Elijah was aggravated because Malcolm was gaining more money and public attention than he was.

Soon after Malcolm left the Nation of Islam, he traveled to Mecca, Saudi Arabia to make a Muslim pilgrimage and changed his name to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. Renunciating the nation’s racist views, he believed the solution to U.S. racial problems lay in conservative Islam. He created the Organization of African-American Unity in 1965 as a secular platform to internationalize the plight of black Americans and make common cause with people in the developing world to move from civil rights to human rights. Malcolm’s increasing animosity with the Nation of Islam has led to death threats and open violence against him. The Nation of Islam had Malcolm’s car bombed and burned his family’s home. “Right up to the end, Malcolm X remained open to changing his opinions. Three days before his death he said, ‘I’m man enough to tell you that I can’t put my finger on exactly what my philosophy is now.’” . On February 21, 1965, Malcolm was set to give a speech in Manhattan, but shortly after he began speaking, three members of the Nation of Islam approached him and shot him 15 times in the chest. “Three members of the Nation of Islam (NOI) — Talmadge Hayer or Thomas Hagan (a.k.a Mujahid Abdul Halim), Norman Butler (a.k.a Muhammad Abdul Aziz) and Thomas Johnson (a.k.a Khalil Islam) — were convicted of his murder in 1966.”

Malcolm was declared one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history. Through joining the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X helped change the racial terms used to refer to African Americans. But after, the Nation of Islam turned against Malcolm, as a result of him leaving the organization. Tragically, just as Malcolm X appeared to be embarking on an ideological transformation with the potential to dramatically alter the course of the Civil Rights Movement, he was assassinated (Legacy 2020). Malcolm X will be remembered for his contribution to society by demonstrating the great lengths human beings will go to secure their freedom to underscore the value of a genuinely free populace.

Work Cited

1. 2. Bates, Josiah. “The Mystery Surrounding Malcolm X’s Assassination.” Time. Time, February 20, 2020. https://time.com/5778688/malcolm-x-assassination/.
2. Felber, Garrett. “Malcolm X Assassination: 50 Years on, Mystery Still Clouds Details of the Case.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 21 Feb. 2015, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/21/malcolm-x-assassination-records-nypd-investigation.
3. Mamiya, Lawrence A. “Malcolm X.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 5 Sept. 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/Malcolm-X.
4. History.com Editors. “Malcolm X.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/black-history/malcolm-x.
5. Legacy, M. (2020). Biography. [online] Malcolm X Legacy. Available at: https://malcolmxlegacy.com/pages/about-malcolm [Accessed 21 Feb. 2020].
6. “MALCOLM X SPLITS WITH MUHAMMAD; Suspended Muslim Leader Plans Black Nationalist Political Movement.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 Mar. 1964, www.nytimes.com/1964/03/09/archives/malcolm-x-splits-with-muhammad-suspended-muslim-leader-plans-black.html.
7. 1. Pasley, James. “The Life and Assassination of Malcolm X, the Controversial Civil Rights Activist Whose Death Remains a Mystery.” Business Insider. Business Insider, February 19, 2020. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-malcolm-x-lived-died-assassinated-death-reinvestigated-2020-2#they-escaped-unharmed-40.
8. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Black Nationalism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 11 Feb. 2020, www.britannica.com/event/black-nationalism.

Malcolm X is one of the most influential figures in the history of the United States of America (USA) who lived during a period when the American States experienced great racial tension. He assumed a unique political, social, or economic position that disturbed many Americans especially the whites. Being a black American, Malcolm X remains an influential voice in the quest for racial equality following the racial discrimination that the black Americans endured during that period. Malcolm X was committed to resolving the racial tensions that existed between the white Americans and the African Americans where he believed that both groups had responsibilities in correcting the human problems.

Malcolm X dedicated his life in trying to correct the racial divisions that endured between the whites and the blacks Americans because he believed that the problem was not changing people’s consciousness, but the political system that produces the truth (Novak 27). The political leader makes efforts to reveal the truth about the Africa Americans as he argues that they should be involved in the political system rather than be isolated. Malcolm X continues to assert that the problem of segregation against the African Americans impacted them to suffer economic deterioration because they are institutionally oppressed by the majority power and not because of the inability to care for themselves (Tuck 73).

Racial discrimination is an issue that was rampant in the USA during the 1960s despite the nation enacting policies that protect the citizens against any form of segregation (Tuck 70). That element influenced Malcolm X to utilize the activist approach that aims at changing the perception of the whites against the black population by revealing the truth by giving speeches about the elements of concern. Moreover, Malcolm X believed that knowing the truth about the blacks will help the white people understand them thus improves the relations between them. One of his speeches entails the ‘black man’s history’ where Malcolm X attributes his work to Islamic teachings by featuring Elijah Mohammed (Novak 32). The speech critics many of the aspects that were taught to the black people thus serving as a counter narrative of the ideas of that time.

Malcolm X engages the power of speech to pass his message to diverse populations by restating various topics that had already been delivered. He emphasized truth-telling arguing that despite their differences or religion, blacks have a common problem which is racial discrimination. That aspect has impacted the minority populations to experience oppression in different perspectives of life. The truth he reveals in his speeches threatened the white power since Malcolm X critiques most of the central elements of the government, civil, and religious leaders (Novak 36). The political figure demonstrates the relationship between the concept of truth by giving his opinions about the issue of racial discrimination against African Americans.

To conclude, Malcolm X was engaged and determined to use the power of speech to eliminate the problem of racial oppression and attain equality for all populations. The political figure gave various speeches that criticized the white supremacy that oppressed the black people arguing that served as a hindrance to their progress. Malcolm X points his critique to institutions and individuals while showing his willingness to reveal the truth in a democratic society. The individual is portrayed as an influential leader who was committed to impact racial equality among all Americans despite their race. He believed that if people learned the truth about the black population, they will understand them.

Introduction to the Concept of Freedom in American History

Freedom, the foundation of American democracy, functions in various ways throughout American history in terms of its definition. The extent to which there has been an evolution in the concept of American freedom has been debated by historians with a variety of opinions. Some argue that the term’s definition has radically evolved while others believe there has only been a slight change since the founding period. This question induces the debate regarding the degree in which the definition of American freedom has changed over time. Historian Eric Foner analyzes the relationship between freedom and the United State’s identity while also focusing on its ongoing role in democracy. He states that the concept of freedom has been ambiguous and rather than fitting into a fixed definition, its numerous interpretations have sparked conflicts throughout American history. Further, Foner proposes the question of who is allowed to enjoy this freedom and the rights it entails. He also declares that although freedom was founded based on being an inalienable right for all, the United States has openly deprived many different groups of freedom. He acknowledges that the definition of freedom has transformed over time while the concept has been debated and used unfairly consistently. This discriminatory behavior has endured through American history, limiting the rights of groups such as women, lower-classmen, racial minorities, and more. While Foner provides a compelling argument for the radicalism yet on-going centrality of freedom in American culture, he fails to account for the reasons why the interpretation of freedom has encountered a radical evolution since the founding period. When considering this factor, freedom can be seen as a product of the affairs of the time period, which repeatedly reshapes and defines the fluidity of the term. Throughout American history, the United States’ involvement in wars and rights movements has led to a progressive evolution regarding which social/racial groups are allowed the rights entailed with democracy and freedom.

Founding Documents and the Initial Definition of Freedom

After earning their independence movement and the Revolutionary War against Britain, the early Americans and Founding Fathers drafted the new nation’s founding documents, and thus defined the basis of freedom in America. The American Colonists were unfairly stripped of their freedom under British rule. In response, the American Continental Congress officially declared their independence as a new nation leading to a war to legitimize their claims. The Declaration of Independence, written on July 4th, 1776, was the first introduction of freedom’s centrality in the United States of America. The Founding Fathers stated in this historic document, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In the courageous act of declaring independence as a colony from the largest superpower in the world at the time, the Founding Fathers had one idea in mind: Freedom. They wanted freedom for themselves and freedom for all Americans living in the 13 colonies. Their actions defied the norms of the world they lived in. People, especially people living in British colonies, were supposed to be obedient to the King. In defying this expectation, the early Americans gave new meanings to freedom as there had never been a free nation lead by its own people before. Foner analyzes this new American definition of freedom. “Alongside the idea of ‘liberties’ that applied only to some groups arose the notion of the ‘rights of Englishmen’ that applied to all. The famous ‘English liberty’ became central to Anglo-American political culture. It meant that no man was above the law and that all within the realm enjoyed certain basic rights of a person or property that even the king could not abridge.” After victorious in the Revolutionary War against Britain following the Declaration of Independence, early American history continued with the new definition of freedom outlined by the historic document. Although Thomas Jefferson and the Founding Fathers set the definition of freedom as an entitlement for equal rights, they failed to clarify what specific groups these equal rights applied to. Regarding this question and the liberty, the state of being free, during this time, Foner writes that “Liberty also rested on obedience to law. Yet the law applied differently to different people, and liberty came from knowing one’s social place. Within families, male dominance and female submission was the norm. Most men lacked economic freedom that came with the ownership of property. Only a minute portion of the population enjoyed the right to vote.” Here, Foner introduces the weakness of the new American definition of freedom due to the ambiguity of who it applies to. The Revolutionary War following the Declaration of Independence was a war based on a radical idea and after victorious in their full independence from Britain, the Founding Fathers wrote a constitution designed to encapsulate the idea of freedom. The first constitution, known as the “Articles of Confederation,” revealed the emphasis of people’s freedom separated from the power of the government. However, although these articles did not limit the people’s rights, it lead to the federal government being too weak and thus unable to govern. It was then clear that a revised constitution was needed. The goal of the 1787 Constitutional Convention “was to create a new constitution––a new design––for the American government… [There were] 55 delegates representing each state… most delegates were men of property, merchants, or slaveholding planters… There were no artisans, tenants, blacks, or women.” Clearly, only specific people were allowed to determine the new role of freedom in American society. Nevertheless, the constitution was written and redefined the definition of American freedom as it outlined the rights of the people. The Preamble of the Constitution opens with “We the People of the United States.” It is these words that supported the movement of freedom for all citizens in the new, free nation. Laying the foundation of freedom in America, the Constitution continued, yet did not complete, pursuing the idea of rights for all groups of people. Furthermore, Amendment I of the Bill of Rights, ten amendments added to the Constitution in order to further provide and protect certain freedoms to citizens, states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” The Founding Fathers envisioned the guarantee of freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly and by inscribing them in the design of the country’s government, set the basis of freedom for the future. However, they still left ambiguity of what groups are allowed these rights. Ultimately, the founding documents of early American history were the initial steps of the then-young country to redefine the definition of freedom in the world and become the global basis for a free nation.

The Revolutionary War and the Expansion of Freedom

While the question of who the rights entailed with freedom applied to was ever-so present, the growing abolitionist movement pushed back on the acceptance of slavery and thus, continued to redefine the definition of American freedom. Democracy, according to Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, means a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people,” however, Lincoln’s famous speech leaves out information concerning who “the people” are in which democracy applies to. During the colonial era and the nineteenth century, some racial groups were clearly left out of this category and not granted the rights of freedom entailed with democracy. Specifically, the lack of freedom for African-Americans was unambiguous and led to pushback movements from both blacks and whites. Stemming from the ideas of early English colonists, slavery became a central characteristic of America, thus hypocritical to the idea of American freedom for all. Slaves were not allowed rights and were deemed the “property” of their white owners. Soon, however, the opinions of the north and the south divided. “As Southern slavery expanded, many Northerners embraced moral and religious objections to the institution. By the early 1800s, all of the states from New Jersey and Pennsylvania northward had enacted laws to emancipate their resident slaves.” Actions by the government, such as the “Gag Rule,” the Compromise of 1850, and the Dred Scott case, furthered the divide between the two perspectives and soon lead to seven southern states seceding from the nation. The United States was now split. The North continued with the promise outlined in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal” while the South believed that those rights did not apply to African-Americans. Now, just as the early Americans strived for abolition from the British government, the Northerners strived for the abolition of slavery. The two sides engaged in the great American Civil War while the winner would either separate the union or define the next definition of American freedom. Foner characterizes this great war as “the struggle by outcasts and outsiders––the abolitionists, the slaves, and free blacks themselves––[to reinvigorate] the notion of freedom as a universal birthright, a truly human ideal.” Towards the conclusion of the war, President Lincoln issued his “Emancipation Proclamation” where he stated that “all persons held as slaves’ within the previously-seceded states ‘are, and henceforward shall be free.” However, the legitimacy of his statement only existed if the Union was victorious in the war. Still, Lincoln’s declaration was an act of pursuing freedom for all in America and inspired the public while transforming the war from one being mostly fought to preserve the Union, to one being fought to eliminate slavery. After the bloodiest war in American history, the North was victorious and expanded their realm of freedom as the union stayed intact and the freedom movement continued into the Reconstruction era following the war.

Reconstruction Amendments and the Broadening of Freedom

The Reconstruction movement focused on the definition of freedom in the new American society and specifically passed amendments that would allow vulnerable minorities the rights associated with democracy and freedom. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution, known as the “Civil War Amendments,” were all adopted. These amendments were written to ensure the freedom of the now emancipated slaves, and everyone living in America. Amendment Thirteen was the first step in achieving this goal and ending American slavery by declaring that “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Further, Amendment Fourteen continued this progress and stated that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Lastly, the determination of equal rights for African-American continues with Amendment Fifteen as it declares that “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” This time period furthers the question of who American freedom applies to which was first raised by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The inclusion of African-American rights through the Reconstruction era redefined the definition of American freedom once again and highlights how historical events, such as wars, run parallel with the definition as Foner writes that “The Civil War, of course, destroyed slavery and placed the question of black citizenship on the national agenda.” The African-American rights movement went beyond their own minority group and, according to Foner, “inspired other groups, especially women, to stake their own claims to greater freedom in the young republic” thus illuminating the fluidity of the American definition of freedom and the potential for it to be redefined.

Conclusion: The Ongoing Evolution of Freedom in America

The prominent radicalism regarding the definition of American freedom has run parallel with the conflicts and social movements constantly throughout American history. Early Americans fought for their young nation’s freedom from the mighty British and thus defined the foundation of American freedom. However, the specific social and racial groups allowed the rights entailed with freedom were not clarified. Later, various movements focused on this definition of freedom and further redefined to include more minorities. Historian Eric Foner declares that the definition of freedom has been very ambiguous and rather than fitting into a fixed definition, it has been redefined consistently throughout history. While Foner provides a compelling argument, he fails to acknowledge how various wars and social movements have further caused the radicalism of freedom. The parallelism of historical events and the redefinition of freedom suggests its vulnerability for change over time. Although it may seem that the definition has only varied slightly while core aspects of the definition have remained the same, the definition’s ability to be changed by the people supports what a democracy is and provides hope for minorities who may have not been allowed freedom at one time.

Bibliography

1. Despo. Lecture Notes: L1 &L2: Colonial History Review The Founding Period: An American Revolution?, 2019.
2. Foner, Eric. “The Contested History of American Freedom.” Philadelphia, PA: The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 2013.
3. Jefferson, Thomas. ‘The Declaration of Independence.’ 1776. Retrieved from https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/133/historic-american-documents/4957/the-declaration-of-independence/.
4. Lincoln, Abraham. Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. 1862. Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/scsm000950/.
5. Lincoln, Abraham. “Gettysburg Address.” Avalon Project – Gettysburg Address. Accessed December 15, 2019. Retrieved from https://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/gettyb.asp.
6. Madison, James. “U.S. Constitution.” 1787. Retrieved from https://constitutionus.com/
7. Moss, David, and Marc Campasano. ‘A Nation Divided: The United States and the Challenge of Secession.’ Harvard Business School Case 716-048, February 2016. (Revised July 2017.)

After the World Wars when minorities returned from serving their countries, they had realized that nothing change. Minorities veterans still received unequal discriminative treatment triggering a rise of civil rights movements during the time between 1950s – 1965s calling it “The Decade of Prosperity and Protest.” Many historical leaders arose during this decade such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Betty Friedman. Among those leaders was Malcom X who was a civil right activist that advocated black pride and preached the religion of Islam. Malcom was a leader that worked for the goal of all African Americans to be treated with equal respect and dignity from races all over the world.

It always seemed to run in Malcom blood to advocate for black right’s considering his father was also a preacher for black nationalist ideas. When his father was brutally murdered by a white supremacist group called Black Legion its open Malcom eyes to the atrocities among the people compelling him to continue spread his father ideology. Along his journey promoting black rights Malcom came across the teaching of Elijah Muhammad resulting in his membership in The Nation of Islam. Which were an African American organization that preached of racial unity and self-help. During 1964 Malcom X left the Nation of Islam creating his own organization Muslim Mosque (MO) and The Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU). The Muslim Mosque Incorporated was made under the religious base of Islam with the goal to eradicate vices and evil that threatened the black community. This religious organization wanted to have complete separation from anyone who was not black and have the necessity given to them in order to survival. These necessities included food, better jobs, places to sleep, and complete political control in order to prevent outsider’s influences. These beliefs changed when Malcolm embarked on a pilgrimage changing his philosophy on how he perceived white people allowing white people to join the holy city of Mecca. Then there is “The Organization of Afro-American Unity” which concentrated on African Americans to reconnect with their heritage past from Africa itself. The OAAU were strongly focused on repairing the reparations from slavery, lynching, and discrimination they made sure have only African Americans citizens could maintain control over the organization. He established a program called “The Basic Unity Program” which focused on education, restoration, and economic security to encourage pan-African unity. Gifted with a captivating charisma Malcom created a reasonable following bestowing him with the duty of becoming the ringleader for both of his organization including becoming a prime minister for the mosque.

Malcom X was a visionary man concentrated on a radical view to achieve his ambitions of having a complete estrangement from America for all African Americans. While Malcolm was willing to use whatever means necessary to reach his goal other activist seemed to be against his methods. It was well known during the sixties that Martin Luther King Jr and Malcom X did not share the same methods of black equality often speaking of on another with negative animosity. Using a more civil approach Martin Luther form of protest included civil disobedience and boycotts. Some of his notable accomplishments would be his “I have a dream speech” and the Freedom Riders which all advocated for equal rights. Martin Luther ideals seemed to stand on the road encouraging integration and continuing peaceful protest. Often upsetting Malcom because he dislikes his ideals thinking integration is just another form of inferiority to white people. Which is why he would suggest using weapons and violence as a mean of protest for African American separation because they are standing up for their rights instead of allowing white people to control them again. Despite his aggressive form of protest Malcom mostly relied on his charismatic charm and high intelligence as a strategy to influence people on his ideals. He would speak out on street corners gathering rallies along with using his organizations to connect with other African Americans. Malcom X was a man that spoke until everything he needs to say had been said a never-ending restless speaker. Although he was a prominent man does not mean he was without flaws. It had been known for Malcom to fight more on the dirtier side during debates if situation arise. Often using personal information from his opponents to devaluate their capability paving a way for him to get his point across and possibly winning the argument. He was a cunning man that really stuck to his beliefs to do whatever means necessary in order to get the job done creating many enemies for him during this decade.

In the beginning it seemed Malcom was quite successful in his goal for African American separation he had promising number of followers, established two corporations for his movements, and was only growing more recognition. Yes, Malcom was an influential civil rights leader, but he crossed the paths of one too many people that ultimately created his demised resulting in his assassination on February 21, 1965. The first altercation began with a firebombed of his home in the Queens causing his family to be homeless the following week before his speech at Audubon Ballroom he was shot to death. The outcomes from Malcom assassination stopped the spread of his ideals ending the rally of his movements. While many mourned the life of Malcom X touching the lives of fourteen thousand people all who attended his funeral. It simply was not enough to continue the light that Malcom had paved for the people in the black community. After Malcom assassination his two corporation Muslim Mosque and OOAU were still too young to run without their leader so it eventually crumbled losing it value. Although some might strongly believe in his ideals today and possibly preach his way of life it is unfortunately decided that it was ultimately unsuccessful movements. Thus, the core of Malcolm factions was deserted with no-one to continue with what had been left. Since his goal was to separate all African Americans from white people had been defeated by Martin Luther desire for integration. Fast forwarding to the future where African American and white people lives in the same country sharing the same government, education, and justice system everything Malcom advocated against proves how unsuccessful he was in accomplishing his goal. Even though Malcom was not able to follow through with his aspirations he did touch the lives of thousands across the world all who admired him. He was able to bring awareness to what he believed in and in what the thoughts was right for that he was partially successful in achieving his goal.

In conclusion, Malcom X was an influential man that will forever be known in history. Being the first of African American Muslim prime minister who was a know civil right activist with an ambitious goal to separate African Americans from the United States and return to their origins in Africa. He did whatever he can to accomplish this goal if it resorted to violence, protest, or dirty tricks to manifest his aspirations. Even started his own movements to spread more awareness to his cause even if it meant death for him. Leaving Malcom to be a unforgettable man who will continue to inspire for the years to come.

Works Cited

“Biography.” Malcolm X, www.malcolmx.com/biography/.

1. History.com Editors. “Malcolm X.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/black-history/malcolm-x.
2. “Malcolm X Assassinated.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 24 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/malcolm-x-assassinated.
3. “Malcolm X Organization of Afro‐American Unity.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Aug. 1964, www.nytimes.com/1964/08/10/archives/malcolm-x-organization-of-afroamerican-unity.html.
4. “Muslim Mosque Incorporated (MMI) FBI File (1964).” Taylor & Francis, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10999941003784961?journalCode=usou20.
5. Nittle, Nadra Kareem. “How Are Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X Alike?” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 8 May 2019, www.thoughtco.com/similarities-between-mlk-and-malcolm-x-2834881.

The importance of this research paper is to compare and contrast the two speeches made by Malcolm X. The speaker, Malcolm X, constructs himself as a member of the movement. Malcolm X wanted equality among the two races, negroes and caucasians. In the history of the United States, we have had many years of segregation due to race. Unfortunately, we even see race issues in today’s world. For a long time our country has experienced racism and this has caused ethnic groups to be suppressed and forced to deal with unequal opportunity, as well as poverty. Malcolm X is an example of an African American man who worked hard to unite people to promote the advancement of colored people and change. He not only fought for his own people, but other oppressed races also. Malcolm X was well spoken and laid the groundwork for the black power movement in the late 1960’s. The analysis of these two speeches has helped to change the lives of negroes and other oppressed races in that Malcolm X brought attention to the issues his people were facing back in the 1960’s, such as low employment, and poor treatment in general by the white people.The speaker’s treatment of the themes I chose to analyze I find beneficial to achieving social change because I believe all people are created equal, regardless of sex or race.

In the speech `Message to Grassroots,’ Malcolm X is rallying up his people, the black people in America, to put unite together against the American racist and defend themselves so that they may be able to form a black nation. An example of this is when he states “forget our differences and come together,’’ which included putting their religions and conflicts aside. He also calls the black people ‘the same family’, and that they must defend their own people to show a united front against the oppressive white man. When in Bandung back in 1954, this was the first unity of the black people, due to the white man/men not allowed to to attend the Bandung conference. He claimed that the white people were not apart of ‘the family’ and that whites were the ‘enemy to all.’ Malcolm X’s use of the first person helps to engage the listener and grab their attention, therefore his language is quite clever in that it captures the audience and has a profound effect on them. Each of the listeners of his speech feel included and that the speech is directly for them. Malcolm X’s opinions were highly regarded by his people, therefore his opinions were true in their minds. He was a very persuasive speaker in that this speech really did not use facts, but emotions to tug on the heartstrings of his fellow followers regarding the Civil Rights Act. This speech focuses around justice for blacks and not allowing religion to stand in the way. During this time, black people were not as educated as white people and Malcolm X was well aware of this when speaking to his people. Malcolm X uses many language devices and rhetorical devices to engage the reader. His use of alliteration, emotive language, list, rhetorical questions, repetition, short sentences, opinions, and first person style of writing helps to engage the reader and make his speech very effective. My own personal judgment of the speech is that it was very effective in advancing the goals of the social movement, by motivating the people to realize that they need to stand up to the oppressive racists and that they are just as good as a people as any other race regardless of what others think of them. I also feel that the speech was problematic in that it also included violence and Malcolm X believed it was okay to be violent by encouraging the black people to have a real revolution, due to the nature of our country being violent overseas. Malcolm X also believed that if a Negroes master’s house caught fire, that the Negro would work harder than his master in order to put the fire out. He goes on to state that the white man is a wolf and black people are the sheep.

In the speech “The Ballot or the Bullet,’’ Malcolm X addresses his people about equality and how congress was dragging its feet, so to speak, when it came to passing the Cithat. Malcolm X states that he is a Muslim and that his religion is Islam, but states that religion is his personal business, between him and God. Malcolm X felt that religion should stay private and not get in the way of solidarity. Malcolm X talks about `black nationalism’ and how to develop a healthy black community and not whites and relies on black membership in order to find a stable economic society for blacks. Black Nationalism means that the black man should control the politics, as well as the politicians of his own community. Malcolm X called Black Nationalism a self-help philosophy and claimed that the black man could be atheist, be in a civic organization, or be God fearing and still be able to take black nationalism as his/her philosophy. Malcolm goes on to explain how important nationalism is and how other people in other countries brought about independence through nationalism. Malcolm states that black people have become disillusioned due to false promises and lies from the white man for far too long. Malcolm explains that the government at that time is white supremists, racists, who disguise themselves as Dixiecrats. Malcolm wants his people to wake up and realize that they have been “hood-winked’’ by the government and white man. Malcolm does not trust the white man and he wants his people to understand why. Malcolm X wants to let whites know that ‘this doesn’t have to be a bloody revolution if the black man has his country and everything else that is due to him, everything.’ Malcolm believes ‘Uncle Sam’ is a crook and a hypocrite and that Uncle Sam has blood on his hands. Malcolm brings up Billy Graham and how he preaches white nationalism and how the black people need to do the same thing, except they will be preaching black nationalism. “It will be the ballot or it’ll be the bullet. It’ll be liberty or it’ll be death.’’ Malcolm explains that if his people are not willing to pay the price, they should not use the word ‘freedom’ in their vocabulary. He goes on to say he wants black to become politically mature and not buy into politicians that do not have the black person’s interests in mind. Malcolm wants black people to be able to control their own economic wealth. For example, have them spend their own money in the communities where they live, and stop giving money to Whites who own stores because then the blacks are simply making the White men richer. The speech goes on to say that White liberals and the government have failed the Black community and that Blacks need to turn to each other and support each other. The Black people need to open their own stores and develop businesses that can them employ other Blacks. Malcolm does not want Black people to have to go to their oppressors for jobs. Malcolm thinks that the Blacks have not experienced ‘The American Dream’, as the Whites have, and Blacks have not benefited from America’s democracy. Malcolm states that Blacks must vote as a unified group in order to get their people elected. In my opinion, this speech was effective in advancing the goals of this social movement in that it was trying to enlighten Blacks that equality and ‘The American Dream’ can be attained by all regardless of color. Malcolm was motivating his people to unify together and make some serious changes so they were not oppressed by other races and could live the life that all people should be able to attain. Malcolm wanted every man to be equal regardless of race and wanted his people to be given the freedom that others had in order to give them better lives.

My analysis of both speeches is significant because it shows how far Black people have come from the 1960’s to secure equal rights. Malcolm X fought hard for his people to stand up and take control of their lives and not allow other races to oppress them like in the past. We have learned that we are stronger together and self-esteem is a huge part of who we are as a people. His people took action, and did not allow others to order them around or suppress them. Malcolm X turned his race around by letting them know that they are just as good as anyone else and they can also attain ‘The American Dream’, which encompasses owning their own businesses, land, freedom, justice, equality, and running their own lives. We have benefited by this in that I believe there is more peace racially now than there ever was in the past. Of course, we are still dealing with racial issues, but not like we did in the 1950’s and 1960’s. I do not agree with all of Malcolm X’s ideas, such as turning to violence and saying to his people that is okay because America goes to other countries and turns violent on them. Malcolm X believed that no revolution is non-bloody, but explained that in America revolutions can be non-bloody, as America is in a position to get into a non-bloody revolution. This is much different from the revolutions of the Chinese, French, Cuban revolutions which were nothing but bloodshed. However, Malcolm X did have a lot of positives for his people and wanted the Blacks to see that they can be in control and stand up for themselves. I also think we have all benefited from this social movement in that there is much more peace and harmony now between races than there ever was years ago. I also believe we will keep striving to teach our children not to hate and to embrace others that do not look or sound like themselves. In today’s world, we are more of a melting pot than we ever have been, especially here in the United States. In our schools, we strive for equality, respect and understanding more than ever when it comes to our differences as people. Social divisions are not as deep as they were back in the 1960’s, so therefore, I think we have come a long way to overcoming hate and allowing acceptance. I am not saying there is no room for improvement, but it could be a lot worse racially then it is. Racism is taught, not inherited or instinct. It is important to teach the ones that will at one time rule this country that learning to work with others and accept others is the only way we will survive as a nation.

By the end of the Autobiography of Malcolm X, Malcolm is made out to seem like a saint, when in reality that doesn’t seem to be the case. At the time that the book was being viewed as a bad guy, especially compared to Martin Luther King Jr, so maybe this book was written as an attempt to show him in a better light and this book being written by Alex Haley through interviews with Malcolm X. Through his change from Atheism to Islam, he’s made to seem like a good, positive role model, when at the time he was described as violent and dangerous.

The structure of the story makes it seem like he goes from bad to good with his change from Atheism to Islam. Back when Malcolm was in jail, he was an atheist and called Satan but when he converted to Islam he quickly turned his life around to be good. At the beginning of chapter 10, Malcolm is introduced as an atheist and earned himself the nickname “Satan”, “In eight to ten seconds, Shorty had turned as atheist as I had been to start with… Eventually, the men in the cellblock had a name for me: ‘Satan’. Because of my antireligious attitude.” At this point in the book, he is referred to as the devil by the other prisoners, which would make you think bad of him, so later he and Alex Haley would have to shed that name. His transition from bad to good is almost literal in this chapter. Later in jail, Malcolm has a letter sent to him from Reginald that his first steps to becoming were to stop eating pork and smoking, and the second he does people start seeing him in a more positive light, which made him proud. In chapter 10 it says, “Reginald’s letter was newsy and it also contained instructions: ‘Malcolm don’t eat pork and don’t smoke anymore cigarettes’… I said to him, ‘I don’t eat pork’… It was the funniest thing and the way it spread… It was being mentioned all over the cell block by night, that Satan didn’t eat pork. It made me very proud in some odd way.” At this point in the chapter, it seems that Malcolm is turning his life around, but it’s obvious that it’s for all the wrong reasons because right before he takes his first steps to convert to Islam, he was told it would help him get out of jail and he enjoyed the good attention that he got from it. These examples show that Malcolm’s entire conversion to Islam was built on something other than redemption, which would explain why Alex Haley decided to write and publish the book centering around what a hero he was and his pure intentions.

The fact that Alex Haley chose to surround the plot Malcolm being a fantastic guy after his change to Islam makes him seem almost exaggerated like he did no wrong after. At the beginning of his time as a Muslim, he believes that all white men are the devil, but after his trip to the Mecca the book makes it seem like he wants everyone to be unified and like he has such a positive outlook on life, but that clearly wasn’t the case as in real life he was known for violence, especially compared to Martin Luther King Jr. In chapter 13, Malcolm believes that white people are the devil. According to chapter 13, “I want you when you leave this room to start to see all this devil white man. Oh, yes he’s a devil!… Every time you see a white man think about the devil you’re seeing! Think of how it was on your slave foreparents’ bloody, sweaty backs that he built this empire that’s today the richest of all nations…” At this point, Malcolm is following a leader who preaches about how awful white people are, so of course, he believes it too and later when we see him travel to and from Mecca, was led to believe his beliefs did a complete 180. After he takes his trip to Mecca, the plot of the book makes it seem like he changed his view on white people, but I don’t think this is completely accurate. In chapter 17, Malcolm preaches about all races being good and equal. According to chapter 17, “I said, ‘the brotherhood! The people of all races, colors, from all over the world coming together as one! It has proved to me the power of one God.’” As the plot progresses, Malcolm goes from a hypocrite, who wanted equality but hated white people to someone who preached about loving everyone, which in my opinion doesn’t seem very accurate.

By the end of the book, Malcolm seems to preach to everyone about how important equality is and how everyone should make an effort to change their ways. By the end of the book, though, he holds meetings for an African American based organization and claims that everyone from every religion is welcome but doesn’t include white people. According to chapter 19, “The American white man has so thoroughly brainwashed the black man to see himself as only a domestic ‘civil rights’ problem that it will probably take longer than I live before the Negro sees that the struggle of the American black man is international.” Even toward the end of the book, he says he stands with the non-racist whites but even then, that doesn’t promote the equality that he wants to be spread across the world. According to chapter 19, ‘I am for violence if non-violence means we continue postponing a solution to the American black man’s problem just to avoid violence. I don’t go for non-violence if it also means a delayed solution.” This quote helps us to see the real Malcolm, and how he doesn’t care what it takes to get what he wants for the black community. I feel that the point of this chapter is to try to get people to understand where Malcolm was coming from and why he did what he did. If anything, it just proves that this book was written to show Malcolm in a better light.

Alex Haley and Malcolm X used this book to get rid of some of the negativity behind his name and the fact that it was associated with violence, especially when being compared to someone like Martin Luther King Jr. Malcolm went from being in prison and being called Satan by other prisoners, to someone who lived a Muslim lifestyle. That Muslim lifestyle included traveling to and from Mecca, giving up pork and cigarettes, and trying to better himself. The book makes it seem like after this transition, Malcolm is a great example of the ideal American, which would be someone who cared about making everyone feel involved, but in reality, he seemed to be doing the opposite. While this is an interesting book that dives into what Malcolm X is like and why he is the way he is, shouldn’t it be more real than what we want him to be? Shouldn’t he be more real with how he acts in real life in the book instead of trying to come off as someone completely different so he doesn’t have to look like a bad guy compared to Martin Luther King Jr.?

The infamous Malcolm X receives a tribute by a movie that came out in the year of 1992 admiring his achievements. The movie was named, of course, Malcolm X. He stated multiple speeches that was within this movie, but there was one speech that stood out and had a strong stand to it. The name of the speech was: Address to the People of Harlem on the ‘White Man’. Malcolm had this speech in Harlem during the Civil Rights era. Malcolm purpose of having this speech was to alarm the black people about what was going on within our society, and how the white man is trying to destroy the black people. Through this movie, the speech steps out to the modern crowd of today. It is to grasp the attention of today’s generation and to persuade them that there is a change that needs to be done within the black communities today. Malcolm X completes this task by showing credibility but primarily using logic within this speech.

Malcolm Little, later known as Malcolm X, was born on May 19, 1925 in the city of Omaha, Nebraska. Later, he was forced to move out of town because the continuous intimidation by the Ku Klux Klan happening to his family, to East Lansing, Michigan (Editor, 1). His parents were convinced that moving out of town was going to lessen their chances, but actually, things for them had gotten worse. Malcolm X father, Earl Little, was killed which caused his mother, Louise Norton, to fall into deep depression; she never recovered from the tragedy (Editor, 2). This caused Malcolm X to move out and move on with his life. Despite the childhood he had, he turned to the great Elijah Muhammad. He became part of the Nation of Islam and was known as the best minister in the corporation. He was introduced to the struggle of African American freedom in America and the white supremacy. He later on went from the name Malcolm Little to Malcolm X due to the respect of all his ancestors during slavery (Editors, 2). From that point on, Malcolm X had become known for his robust word usage, and his importance of ideas on African American power.

The magnificent African American, Malcolm X, in his modernized movie speech, touches on the topic of black people being robbed blind of their freedom. This speech was of course simplified or in a less complicated version of one of his speeches because it is being made into a movie. He primarily used logic within the speech, but he also to gained credibility at the beginning of the powerful speech:

I’m not here this afternoon as a Republication, nor as a Democrat; not as a Mason, nor as an Elk; not as an Protestant, nor a Catholic; not as a Christian, nor a Jew; not as a Baptist, nor a Methodist; in fact, not even as an American, because if I was an American, the problem that confronts our people today wouldn’t even exist (Malcolm X, 1).

Malcolm X started this speech very concisely with a sturdy statement that would grasp the audience attention on what would he said next. This part of the speech is initializing that he was not there to preach to the audience about wrong and rights. He was there to make the audience realize what is exactly happening in their own eyes. He was there as him. He there as the brother of his people. He was there as a trustworthy friend of his people. He was there as an African American. Malcolm X was there to inform the people of Harlem on the reality of their situation. The beginning of the speech is the most important part. That exact part of the speech determines whether not the audience would take him seriously. This is the part of the speech when Malcolm decided to get to the point. There was no climax, no rising action, no resolution; it was just at the point. In addition, that is what pulled the audience in. Unlike this part of the speech, the rest of his speech was on the very much so on the logical side.

Malcolm X used logic so intelligently within this speech. He would make a statement, and then he would give an explanation on exactly why that particular statement was made. In addition, it would not be just any kind of statement. It would be a statement the modern world can connect to. The speech was put in such way that we are suppose or able to relate to that specific statement. That is helpful to the modern generation because they can adjust to what Malcolm is trying to say and make changes. For example, Malcolm X states in the movie:

They send drugs in Harlem down here to pacify us! They send alcohol down here to pacify us! They send prostitution down here to pacify us! Why you can’t even get drugs in Harlem without the White Man’s permission! You can’t get prostitution in Harlem without the White Man’s permission! You can’t get gambling in Harlem without the White Man’s permission! Every time you break the seal on that liquor bottle, that’s a Government seal you’re breaking (Malcolm 1-2).

A prime example of making a statement and explaining it. Malcolm implies that the White Man sends all this confusion into the black culture to keep us caged and prisoned. He also implies the White Man is the reason why the black culture has been injected with the confusion. The confusion would be the prostitution, drugs, and gambling in the black culture. He specifically argued that there would never be disruption in our black communities if the White Man did not agreed to it. This is how the black culture been robbed of the freedom blindly. You are still not freed from being under controlled from the White Man. The only difference between the 1960s freedom and the 2000s freedom is the physical appearance, but we are mentally enslaved.

On the day of February 21, 1965, the “X” was assassinated. It was just because he was trying to do the right thing for his people and be a different leader. Even though Malcolm had a rough child hood, he did no let that get in the way of his next day goals. He fought for the black culture. He took a stand in what he believed in. His legacy goes on. There are still people in the world that still wears the “X” clothing to represent him. Malcolm X did all that he could do while he was alive. The movie industry didn’t make this movie about Malcolm X for just entertainment. It was for us to realize that it is time for a change in our culture. The change is way overdue and something needs to take action now.

Work Cited

1. Carson, Clayborne. ‘Malcolm X.’ American National Biography (From Oxford University Press) (2010): Research Starters. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.
2. Editors, Biography.com. ‘Malcolm X.’ Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
3. Malcolm X, “Address to the People of Harlem on the ‘White Man’”. November 1992, American Rhetoric, 200. 20 Mar. 2016.

Malcolm X is viewed as quite a questionable person. His followers see him as a fearless human rights activist who fought for the rights of African Americans, a righteous leader who showed white America how racist it was (YouTube). His enemies see him as a racist, anti-Semitic and savage person. El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, better known as “Malcolm X” has been watched by the FBI for his whole life as a civil rights activist. Malcolm was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha Nebraska (History.com). He was the son of Louise Norton and Earl Little and lived with seven brothers and sisters(Youtube). His father was a preacher who spoke out about the unity of black people (History.com Editors).

Malcolm was orphaned very early in life. At the age of six, his father was killed and it has been rumored that white racists were responsible(YouTube). Seven years later, his mother passed away after which he lived in multiple foster homes. At the age of 20 in 1946, he was sentenced to prison for larceny and also breaking and entering(History.com Editors). While Malcolm was in prison, he met a man by the name of John Bembry, a self-educated man who Malcolm would later describe as “The first man I had ever seen demand total respect with words”. While under Bembry’s influence, Malcolm started heavily reading. Meanwhile, multiple of his siblings wrote to him about the Nation of Islam, a brand new religious movement preaching black self-reliance and the return of the African diaspora to Africa, where they would be free from white American and European domination(History.com). He showed very little interest at first, but after his brother, Reginald wrote him a letter in 1948, ‘Malcolm, don’t eat any more pork and don’t smoke any more cigarettes. I’ll show you how to get out of prison’. He quit smoking and began to refuse pork shortly after the letter(YouTube). After a visit in which Reginald described the group’s teachings, including the belief that white people are devils, Malcolm stated that every relationship he’d had with whites had been tainted by fraud, injustice, greed, and hatred. Malcolm, whose hostility to religion had earned him the prison nickname ‘Satan'(Malcolm X.).

In late 1948, Malcolm wrote to Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. Muhammad told him to renounce his past, humbly bow in prayer to God, and promise never to involve himself in destructive behavior again(YouTube). Malcolm soon became a member of the Nation of Islam, becoming close to Muhammad. In 1950, the FBI opened a file on Malcolm after he wrote a letter from prison to President Truman stating he disagreed with the Korean War and declaring himself a Communist. That year, Malcolm also began signing his name ‘Malcolm X’.Muhammad instructed his followers to leave their family names behind when they joined the Nation of Islam and use ‘X’ instead. When the time was right, after they had proven their sincerity, he said, he would reveal the Muslim’s ‘original name’.In his autobiography, Malcolm explained that the ‘X’ symbolized the true African family name that he could never know. ‘For me, my ‘X’ replaced the white slavemaster name of ‘Little’ which some blue-eyed devil named Little had imposed upon my paternal forebears.'(Malcolm X.). After his parole in August 1952, Malcolm visited Elijah Muhammed in Chicago. In June 1953 he was titled assistant minister of the Nation’s Temple in Detroit. Later that year he started Boston’s Temple; in March 1954, he expanded Temple in Philadelphia; and two months later he was selected to lead Temple in Harlem, where he rapidly expanded its membership(Mamiya, Lawrence A).

In 1953, the FBI began closely watching him, turning its attention from Malcolm’s possible communist associations to his very fast ascent in the Nation of Islam. In 1955, Malcolm continued his thriving recruitment of members for the Nation of Islam. He established temples in Springfield, Massachusetts; Hartford, Connecticut; and Atlanta, Georgia. Hundreds of African Americans were joining the Nation of Islam every month(YouTube). Besides his skill as a speaker, Malcolm had an impressive physical presence. He stood 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed about 180 pounds (82 kg). One writer described him as ‘powerfully built’, and another as ‘mesmerizingly handsome … and always spotlessly well-groomed'(Mamiya, Lawrence A). In 1955, Betty Sanders met Malcolm after one of his lectures, then again at a dinner party; soon she was constantly showing up to his lectures. In 1956 she joined the Nation of Islam, changing her name to “Betty X” instead of Betty Dean Sanders. One-on-one dates were against the Nation’s teachings, so the couple courted at social events with plenty of others, and Malcolm frequently invited her to group visits he led at New York City’s museums and libraries. Malcolm proposed to her during a telephone call from Detroit in January 1958, and they married two days later(YouTube).

The American public first started to know of Malcolm in 1957, after Hinton Johnson, a Nation of Islam member, was beaten by two New York City police officers. On April 26, Johnson and two other passersby‍—‌also Nation of Islam members‍—‌saw the officers beating a Black man with nightsticks(Malcolm X Legacy). When they attempted to step in, shouting, ‘You’re not in Alabama … this is New York!’, one of the officers turned on Johnson and started viciously beating him so severely that he suffered brain contusions and subdural hemorrhaging. All four African-American men were arrested. Informed by a witness, Malcolm and a small group of Muslims arrived at the police station and wanted to see Johnson. Police initially opposed that any Muslims were being held, but when the crowd grew to about five hundred, they allowed Malcolm to speak with Johnson. Afterward, Malcolm insisted on getting an ambulance to take Johnson to the Hospital. Johnson’s injuries were treated and by the time he was returned to the police station, roughly four thousand people had appeared outside. Inside the station, Malcolm and an attorney were trying to make bail arrangements for two of the Muslims. Johnson was not bailed, and the police said he could not go back to the hospital until after his arraignment the following day. Considering the situation to be at an impasse, Malcolm stepped outside the station house and gave a hand signal to the crowd. Nation members silently left, after which the rest of the crowd also dispersed. One police officer told the New York Amsterdam News: ‘No one man should have that much power.’ Within a month the New York City Police Department organized to keep Malcolm under surveillance; it also made inquiries with authorities in other cities in which he had lived and prisons in which he had served time. A grand jury opposed indicting the officers who beat Johnson. In October, Malcolm sent a bitter telegram to the police commissioner. Soon the police department appointed undercover officers to infiltrate the Nation of Islam(Malcolm X Legacy). By the late 1950s, Malcolm was using a new name, Malcolm Shabazz or Malik el-Shabazz, although he was still generally referred to as Malcolm X. His judgments on issues and events were being extensively reported in print, on radio, and on television, and he was featured in a 1959 New York City television broadcast about the Nation of Islam(YouTube).

While the civil rights movement challenged racial segregation, Malcolm advocated the complete disengagement of African Americans from whites. He recommended that African Americans should return to Africa and that, in the interim, an independent country for black people in America should be created. He rejected the civil rights movement’s strategy of nonviolence, explaining that black people should defend and progress themselves ‘by any means necessary’ (Youtube). His speeches had an influential effect on his audience, who were generally African Americans in northern and western cities. Many of them‍—‌tired of being told to wait for freedom, justice, equality, and respect—‌felt that he articulated their complaints better than he did the civil rights movement. During 1962 and 1963, events caused Malcolm X to reevaluate his relationship with the Nation of Islam, and especially its leader, Elijah Muhammad (Malcolm X Legacy).

Even though Malcolm X was looked at by some as a racist, anti-semitic, and overall bad person, I see him as a hero, a person not afraid to speak his mind, a person not afraid to stand up for his own. He was the voice that all black Muslims wanted to hear in the U.S. Malcolm X will always be the most real Black Activist Leader.

Malcolm X

Malcolm X once said, “If you’re not ready to die for it, put the word ‘freedom’ out of your vocabulary”. This quote describes one of the ideologies that he would preach about. This essay will go on to talk about his early childhood and jail experience like how his father died and when he converted to the Nation of Islam, Some of the things he preached about like black empowerment, forming groups like the Organization for Afro-American Unity, and his assassination like who killed him. Malcolm X was the most influential civil rights movement leader during the peak of the movement in the 1950s and after his death, many people were influenced as the civil rights movement continued.

Malcolm X, originally named Malcolm Little, was born in Omaha Nebraska on May 19, 1925. His parents were named Earl Little and Louise Little. Earl was a Baptist pastor while Lousie had several jobs like a secretary. During, Malcolm’s early childhood the family was forced to move from Omaha to Lansing, Michigan because his family received threats from the Ku Klux Klan. The particular reason behind this was because his father was a follower of Marcus Garvey, a Black Nationalist, and leader of the Pan-Africanism movement. Although they thought the movement would get them away from the threats, they would receive the same amount of harassment and threats at their new home. “In 1931, Malcolm’s father was allegedly murdered by a white supremacist group called the Black Legionaries, though the authorities claimed his death was an accident” (History.com). Following the death of his father, Malcolm was put into the foster care system. This was because Louise Little would go on to have a nervous breakdown and would end up being put in a mental hospital. This would go on to cause Malcolm X to go on to drop out of school after the eighth grade and sell drugs. This was surprising because he was always very smart and knowledgeable. He would end up getting arrested.

At the age of 21, Malcolm X would go on to serve six years in prison for larceny and breaking. While in jail, he would hear the teachings from Elijah Muhammad, head of the Lost-Found Nation of Islam Black Muslims. The Nation of Islam was formed “to improve the economic and spiritual conditions of the African American community in the United States” (Bates). After hearing these teachings he would join the group. This awoke something in Malcolm, “Soon after, Malcolm adopted the last name “X” to represent his rejection of his “slave” name” (History.com). Honestly, this jail time would flip Malcolm’s life all the way around, he became engrossed with learning about his new faith. With his newfound obsession with learning more about his faith, he would improve his reading and writing skills by studying an entire dictionary and reading every book the prison would provide.

These books would include philosophy, history, literature, and science (Haley). Malcolm himself would go on to say that he found his life calling while serving his sentence. Malcolm would be released in 1952 and would go on to be one of the most important and influential people in the civil rights movement for the next decade.

Following his release, now known as Malcolm X, he went on to start to heavily preach and give speeches and he was able to gain a following. “Ali says that Malcolm stood out from other black leaders at the time in large part because of his complicated background” (Bates). Initially, Malcolm joined the group known as The Nation of Islam, he would get so popular that within eight years the group itself would go from roughly four hundred members to having forty thousand members. His preachings were the complete opposite of what Americans had been used to seeing because he was trying to empower Black America. “He would focus on black people creating their power, structure, and wealth, and dismissed the then-dominant ideas of integration and racial acceptance” (Bates). Malcolm would also preach about self-defense, trying to ignite the African Americans to finally fight back or to protect themselves from the violence white America had provoked. These ideas were completely different from fellow popular civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. One of the things Malcolm X is most known for is talking about King’s “I Have A Dream Speech” “Whoever heard of angry revolutionists all harmonizing ‘We Shall Overcome’….while tripping and swaying along arm-in-arm with the very people they were supposed to be angrily revolting against?” (Bates). One of his most famous speeches is known as Ballots or the Bullets. This speech was given in 1964 while President Lydon Johnson was running These preachings would gain the following from the African American community and even the FBI, as they would do everything in their power to try to stop him.

One of his most famous speeches is known as Ballots or the Bullets. He would deliver the speech two times once on April 3 1964 and April 12, 1964. This speech was following President Lydon Johnson running for reelection in 1964. He saw it as a fight for racial justice. Up to this point, African Americans were not allowed the same rights as white Americans, he believed that civil rights should become human rights. He would also go on to talk about the idea that he had from the jump that African Americans needed to separate themselves from the white communities and become leaders. This speech would be a cry out for the civil rights movement to become forceful because they were not being forceful enough. This speech was considered his most famous speech because it finally showed how far the African Americans were willing to go to get rights as the name ballot or bullets. The bullet was becoming an option as they had grown tired of the treatment they had been receiving for so many years.

Shortly after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm would publically speak and this would cause him to get suspended from The Nation of Islam. “Disenchanted with corruption in the nation of Islam, which suspended him in December 1963 after he claimed that President John F. Kennedy’s assassination was “the chickens coming home to roost” (History.com). He would ultimately leave the organization which he had been a part of since he was in jail. Many things could have contributed to him leaving the group like his falling out with Elijah Muhammad, his disagreeing with the teachings of the group, etc. After leaving the group, he would essentially do some soul searching as he would go visit the mecca. This experience is where he went and had a spiritual transformation. After this experience, he would come back to the United States and he would no longer go by Malcolm X, but by El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.

After coming back to the United States from his trip to Mecca, he found an organization that would contribute to the Afro-American Unity. The ideology behind this organization would “identify racism, and not the white race, as the enemy of justice” (History.com). The main goal was to “… unify 22 million non-Muslim African Americans with the people of the African Continent” (Burnett). Malcolm at this point in his life still wanted African Americans to have economic freedom and independence. This would allow them to promote self-determination, the process by which a country determines its statehood and forms its allegiances and government. He would go on to try to implement this through The Basic Unity Program, which would call for Restoration, Reorientation, Education, Economic Security, and Self-Defense (Burnett). While those five steps were implemented the most important being education as he saw it as the main way to fix the damages of generations of slavery African Americans had faced. Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, Following his death his half-sister would try to take the organization over, but she could not fill the leadership role that Malcolm X had left, Many people would leave the group, but they would be empowered and influenced by him. He would contribute to the “Black Power” movement.

On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was attending a rally for the Organization of Afro-American Unity. A large number of people would attend the rally that would be held in the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. They were anticipating one of his famous speeches. Malcolm would go onto the stage to give one of his powerful speeches and would be assassinated by three members of the Nation of Islam. The killers would be Mujahid Abdul Halim, Muhammad Abdul Aziz, and Khalil Islam (Bates). Leading up to the assassination, he received death threats and people within the group became upset with Malcolm as many described him as a “Traitor” (Bates).

Malcolm X was the most influential civil rights movement leader during the peak of the movement in the 1950s and after his death, many people were influenced as the civil rights movement continued. Through his powerful speeches, he created groups that were so influential that later empowered African Americans to be influenced by him years later, and Malcolm X was different in general. This would allow him to become the most influential civil rights leader during the movement. Can you think of any ways that he could have contributed to the movement differently?

Malcolm X, a man who stands against the regular and normal civil rights act. He was an activist who fought for people of color. In the US, people of color were restricted and isolated by the Jim Crow Laws which was created to enforce segregation of dark-skinned race from white people.The dark-skinned race did not have the same or nearly close rights as the caucasians this generation (age). However, he was born Malcolm Little on May 19/1925 in Omaha city in the state called Nebraska and he was assassinated or killed on February 21/1965. In US history, he was recognized as a violent person and as a black civil rights advocate.

However, When he was younger, his family had to move multiple times because of racism. They moved from Omaha, Nebraska, after they were being threatened by the Ku Klux Klan, an organization that believes that whites are superior to all other races. Their house was burned down While living in a white neighborhood in Michigan. His father was killed (murdered) when he was 6 years old and three of his four uncles were also killed(murdered) by racist white people.Things were hard for him and his family. At the age of twenty years old, He was sentenced to ten years in prison for stealing, while in prison, he found a new religion (Islam). After his released from prison, he changed his name to X. And then became the voice for the nation of Islam. Though, during this time, a movement was going on, to bring all the people together as one in a peaceful way but Malcolm and his community were only calling for a racial division .

Further, his only belief was that racial division was the unique way to strengthen and help his people’s lives in the US because he had that thought and thinking that only whites controlled the whole society and the country. Hence, he coached and informed the blacks that they need to have things of their own. For example, their own economy, their own community, and society. Of course, he knew he wasn’t the only activist that there were some other black Americans civil Rights activists that also fight for equality but in a peaceful way. However, Malcolm’s approach was different from them because he thought that if blacks wanted to get the same rights as the whites, then the dark-skinned races had to fight against the Caucasians. Thus, He believed that to get freedom in United State, it is necessary to fight against the caucacasians for the blacks to have the same rights as the whites and he thought that the black people should have their own things for example, society, community, and economy.

In fact, he taught his people that caucasians were evils that indoctrinated the blacks. He refused to accept that whites and blacks can live peacefully in the same country. He was not the only civil rights activist during that period of time. There were many other, for example, Martin Luther King Jr. who used peaceable resistance to help his own people.he refused to get himself involved in their peaceful civil rights act. So, he thought that battling against the whites is the only possible way of helping the people of color that live in the United State. But later on, his conception of racial division was changed by his previous life encounters and also what they preach in the NOI . Nevertheless, He later found out that caucasians and people of color can live together in peace. When he visited Mecca, no one discriminate against him. For example, malcolm drank the same water, ate the same food, and slept with whites and colored people.

In conclusion, Jim Crow Laws was one sided laws that promotes white supremacy and prejudiced law against lacks. People of color were discriminated against in most public places, for example, restaurants, restrooms and so on. His prior or early life encounters e.g, the effect of his school life style, his father, and also his life in the prison led him to become the type of person he became. And because of the type of father he had, that always spoke out regarding racism in the US and that’s where he got his views on races and moving to Boston changed his way of living. His early life experience led to become a combative civil rights activist during his lifetime.