Biography Of Malcolm X
Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, was an influential American Muslim minister and an activist for civil rights. He was a powerful political leader who expressed what he believed in, in a way that was violent and different to fellow activist, Martin Luther King Jr. He entered into a world full of hate on May 19, 1925, to homemaker Louise Little and a preacher who supported Marcus Garvey (the leader of the black nationalist party), Earl Little. From before he was even born, Malcolm was exposed to the cruel world of racism towards the blacks. Many of the hard struggles of discrimination, faced by Malcolm are what ultimately shaped him into the strong leader he came to be.
His father, Earl Little, being a preacher and a strong supporter of the leader of the Black Nationalist Party, had a target on not only his back, but on the backs of his entire family, from the Ku Klux Klan. The Little family faced numerous threats, physical and racial attacks, resulting in them being forced to move from their home in Nebraska to Michigan. However, …show more content…
However, after landing a job shoe-shining, he started to find himself being drawn into the world of drugs and criminal activity. He gradually became more and more invested in this lifestyle, until 1946, where he was arrested for robbery. He spent the next 10 years in prison. It was during these 10 years, where he decided to convert to the Nation of Islam, alongside his siblings. It was through the Nation of Islam, that a small sect of blacks during this time, could embrace their beliefs of black nationalism. During this time of his life, Malcolm changed his name from Malcolm Little to X. “He took this step to rid himself of the name that his great-grandparents, who were slaves, had been given by their owners,” (Engelbert and Des Chenes, 1999) He changed to ‘X’ as this represented the “unknown name of his fellow African ancestors” (Biography.com,
His father, Earl Little, being a preacher and a strong supporter of the leader of the Black Nationalist Party, had a target on not only his back, but on the backs of his entire family, from the Ku Klux Klan. The Little family faced numerous threats, physical and racial attacks, resulting in them being forced to move from their home in Nebraska to Michigan. However, …show more content…
However, after landing a job shoe-shining, he started to find himself being drawn into the world of drugs and criminal activity. He gradually became more and more invested in this lifestyle, until 1946, where he was arrested for robbery. He spent the next 10 years in prison. It was during these 10 years, where he decided to convert to the Nation of Islam, alongside his siblings. It was through the Nation of Islam, that a small sect of blacks during this time, could embrace their beliefs of black nationalism. During this time of his life, Malcolm changed his name from Malcolm Little to X. “He took this step to rid himself of the name that his great-grandparents, who were slaves, had been given by their owners,” (Engelbert and Des Chenes, 1999) He changed to ‘X’ as this represented the “unknown name of his fellow African ancestors” (Biography.com,