Malcolm X Characteristics

Malcolm X converted to the Nation of Islam in 1948 after a lot of correspondence and visitation from his siblings. It was in Norfolk Prison Colony that he was first introduced to the philosophy of the Nation of Islam, which touched so close to home because of the Black Nationalist message of racial pride that he had once heard when he was a little boy. Malcolm X was one of the last members of family to join the Nation of Islam, but his dedication to the NOI and to Muhammed was like no other person. Malcolm experienced a transformation when he immersed and dedicated himself to the NOI. Equally important was the transformation that the Nation of Islam experienced from Malcolm’s leadership. From 1948 to 1964, Malcolm X increased the membership
of Nation of Islam by thousands, as a minister he spread Muhammed’s message to the entire congregation, he generate money for the movement, and was even able to get the NOI involved in the civil rights movement.
Malcolm X portrayed several characteristics that made him a good leader: he had vision, self-direction, as well as the ability to motivate people.
Malcolm wrote, “Right there, in prison, debating, speaking to a crowd, was as exhilarating to me as the discovery of knowledge through reading” (Marable 91). During his term in prison, Malcolm underwent a process of self-improvement. Throughout his participation in the prison education debate program along with his self-directed study including his exploration of Islam, Malcolm X’s intellectual growth and development prepared him for a career at the NOI. At the Norfolk debate program, the prisoners would engage in weekly exchanges on a variety of issues. He possessed an excellent tenor voice, which helped him attract listeners (Marable 90-91). Malcolm used the public forum of debating to introduce Islam to the African American inmates, which paved the way for their religious conversion. It was these experiences in prison that helped him become a minister of the Nation of Islam. After becoming a member, Malcolm X preached about the vision of the NOI and adhered to the organization's adaptation of Garvey's philosophy of Black Nationalism emphasizing group empowerment and that a self-sustainable, all black capitalist economy was possible through social
separation.
In the years following his release from prison, Malcolm demonstrated his commitment to the nation and helped to build the organization nationwide by spreading Muhammad’s message and recruiting thousands of people. Almost immediately after his release from prison, Malcolm attended Detroit’s Temple No. 1, which barely had one hundred formal members (Marable 101). After his first meeting with Elijah Muhammed, Malcolm was eager to reach new recruits for Detroit’s Nation of Islam. Malcolm started “fishing for converts” in Detroit’s entertainment areas such as nightclubs and pools. “At first, only a trickle of the curious came to temple meetings, but persistence soon paid off. Within a few months temple membership had almost tripled” (Marable 102). In 1953, Malcolm’s efforts were noticed and he was rewarded by being called to be a minister. Malcolm’s career in the NOI took off after this point. It was decided by Muhammed that his protégé would establish a new temple in Boston. The subsequent year, Mr. Muhammed gave Malcolm another assignment, which was to bring order to Philadelphia’s temple. Due to his successful recruitment of new converts in both temples, he was named the minister of Harlem’s Temple No. 7. In 1955, Malcolm played an important role in the growth of the organization:
After two weeks in Lansing, Malcolm X quickly moved on to Joliet, Illinois, then Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio, and from there to Camden, Paterson, and Jersey City, New Jersey. At each stop he opened a new temple. By the end of the year, Malcolm X had established more than twenty-seven temples, up from the barely functional seven temples existing when he left prison three years earlier. (Marable 113)
Malcolm was committed to bringing as many as he could into the movement. So much so that between 1953 and 1955, the Nation of Islam had nearly quadrupled, from approximately twelve hundred members to nearly six thousand members (Marable 123). Muhammed recognized Malcolm’s talent and dedication to the Nation, it wasn’t long until he named him National Representative of the Nation of Islam. Being an international figure as well as the spokesperson for the nation, Malcolm became a prominent leader of the organization. It was under Malcolm’s lieutenancy that the membership of the Nation was growing–¬ between five hundred and one thousand African Americans every month (Marable 135). Between Malcolm’s evangelical efforts, his speaking venues, and his role as a minister of the Nation; he kept members flowing in.
The Nation benefitted economically from the tithing revenues and from subscriptions to Malcolm’s newspaper, Muhammed Speaks. The many followers that were joining the NOI represented additional revenue because of the Nation’s tithing requirements. “All members were expected to donate at minimum one-tenth of their household income to the temple, but many gave significantly more” (Marable 124). Due to the Nation of Islam’s belief in an all-black capitalist economy, most of the tithing revenue went into commercial real estate. The commercial ventures included new temples as well as local establishments such as restaurants, bakeries and laundromats. Apart from Malcolm’s influence in the growing number of members of the NOI, he also contributed immensely to the economic growth of the Nation through other means. “In 1960 Malcolm started printing a monthly newspaper, Muhammad Speaks. Temples began receiving hundreds of copies, and the publication quickly attracted tens of thousands of regular readers, the vast majority of them non-Muslims” (Marable 163). Temples were ordered to sell a specific amount of newspapers per week. NOI laborers sold them on the streets as a fund-raising and drafting technique. One of the purposes that the newspaper served was that it gave the organization control over the image that they wanted to portray. Not only did it promote the NOI and praise Muhammed, but the articles also spoke about black American issues and the Third World. In essence, it gave the organization a voice, a means to reach a larger audience.
Throughout Malcolm’s career in the NOI, he was always looking for ways reach an audience beyond the Muslim community. The incident of May 14, 1958 involving Malcolm’s wife, Betty Shabazz, caused Malcolm to launch himself in front of media and criticize the tactics of the NYPD. What Malcolm learned from this chaotic event was that “when the NOI came out in solidarity with civil rights and civil liberties groups addressing problems like police brutality that affected nearly all black, the NOI was rewarded with favorable media attention and swelling membership” (Marable 154-155). He expressed the frustration of many African Americans during this time. Malcolm’s rising profile and fame in the media helped him broaden his speaking engagements to include the rallies, the streets of Harlem, and even major universities. At these events, Malcolm spoke out about his views regarding what he thought African Americans should do to better their situation. Malcolm believed in the use of violence to help bring about change to African Americans regarding their civil rights. (Malcolm got the NOI involved in the civil rights movement)