By: Kiara Wilkerson (’22), Staff Writer
When you hear the name Malcolm X, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
Radical revolutionist or courageous social activist? Anti-white or black nationalist? Black robin hood or ruthless criminal? Whatever the case, Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, is considered to be a cardinal figure when it comes to the fight for the fair treatment of black people.
Malcolm’s story begins after the eighth grade when he dropped out of school and moved to New York with his older sister, Ella. As he grew older he started to partake in illegal activities such as drug dealing and prostitution to support himself financially. A few years later, in 1946 to be exact, he was arrested and sentenced to eight to ten years after police found out he was in charge of a robbery ring. During his sentence, Malcolm decided to give himself a better education and was introduced to the Nation of Islam. Two phrases that he took to heart were: “The white man is the devil” and “The black man is brainwashed.” Completely submerging himself into this newfound religion, Malcolm was told to drop his slave owner last name and replace it with “X,” symbolic of his lost African roots.
Fast forward six years, Malcolm is released on parole and starts a new life as the spokesperson for the Nation of Islam. He was given the nickname “the violent MLK” because he preferred a mass revolution in contrast to MLK’s method of civil disobedience. His charming personality lured the media which quickly gained him more attention. This, in turn, upset Elijah Muhammad, the founder, and leader of the Nation of Islam, because he felt that the true message of Islam was not being conveyed properly. He even went as far as setting Malcolm up with paternity suits from two women. After the growing distance between him and the Nation of Islam became too prominent, Malcolm decided to form his own movement, the Muslim Mosque, Inc., stating “I believe in a religion that believes in freedom. Any time I have to accept a religion that won’t let me fight a battle for my people, I say to hell with that religion.” He also once said that he felt like a ventriloquist being forced to say what Elijah Muhammad told him to.
In 1964, Malcolm did what millions of Muslims do each year, made his pilgrimage to Mecca. The warm welcome he received by various people made him wonder how it only took one god to bring people of so many different races together peacefully. This inspired him as he hoped to do the same in America, but his vision became hindered when he arrived back in the US. Death threats were suddenly increasing in numbers from the bombing of his car to the fire at his home in Queens. In response to this threat, the Ebony magazine published the picture below of Malcolm X holding a rifle in 1964.
This did little to cut back on the number of assassination attempts as Malcolm was met with three shooters at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan. He was pronounced dead at 3:30 pm on February 21, 1965, with the autopsy later revealing 21 gunshot wounds all over his body. All three of the shooters were found to be members of the Nation of Islam and were sentenced to life in prison for his assassination.
The impact Malcolm X had in the U.S., and undoubtedly the world, was warranted. His powerful speeches united many African Americans and even influenced the creation and ideologies of the Black Panther Party in 1966. He is responsible for introducing the religion of Islam to the black community in America and was even said to articulate the needs and inequalities of black people in a profound and unique manner. Even though the education system tries to act like he did not exist, Malcolm X will never be forgotten.
