Malcolm X, whose birth name was Malcolm Little, was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1925. Malcolm X became a very controversial figure during the classic years of the American civil rights movement as he preached race separation as opposed to integration. Malcolm X even angered the leaders of Nation of Islam (NOI) and he left the organisation in 1964 and formed his own movement. In 1965, members of NOI murdered Malcolm X.
Malcolm X believed in separatism – blacks living separate from whites in USA. His father was a Baptist minister who had been influenced by Marcus Garvey who believed in separatism and this was inculcated into Malcolm X in his youth. His family was poverty stricken as his father died young. His mother could not cope and white foster parents brought him up. Malcolm X grew up an angry young man. In 1941 he dropped out of school and moved to Boston’s ghetto. He became a shoeshine boy and a railroad waiter. He got involved in drug dealing, burglary and pimping. In 1945 Malcolm X received a 10-year jail sentence for his crimes. While in prison in Massachusetts, Malcolm X became a member of NOI. He was persuaded to do so by his brothers Philbert and Reginald who were both members of NOI. Malcolm X He was released from prison in 1952 and adopted the name Malcolm X, as he believed Malcolm Little represented a slave name. He worked within the NOI movement. He quickly rose in importance within NOI and as Minister of Temple Number 7 in Harlem (NY) he gathered around him a number of devoted followers all from the ghetto. Malcolm X referred to white people as “devils” and he rejected integration in favour of segregation. His verbal attacks against White America became more and more bitter. Malcolm X became a national/international figure between 1959 and 1965. However, members within NOI believed that he was using the organisation for his own benefits – to push his name forward at all costs. Some believed that he was scheming to replace