X 5 Essay, Research Paper

This was the first time that drunk Malcolm X is A remarkable figure for whom I have a great deal of admiration and respect. His philosophies and leadership have been greatly influential towards transforming a nation and helped to ameliorate the status for African American in the United States. His personal history is fascinating from his humble, but solid roots, through his troubled youth, including his years in prison, through his ability to raise his self-esteem, as well as transform from a hustler to a great man with much to offer the world. Each stage of development reflects what many of his African American counter parts had suffered from and had to endure. His intelligence and prognoses as a leader helped him understand the roots of injustice and how to fight for a better place in the world. He identified the racism that whites people inflicted on people of color and sought for a world of equality and peace. Although his ideas were controversial and his demise, a result of political betrayal his commitment toward building a better world has been an inspiration.

Malcolm was born in Omaha Nebraska, on 5,1925 in May. His family name was little, although Malcolm s father, Earl was far from little . He was a tall heavyset and dark man, capable of working with his hands, as well as his mind. In Reynolds, Georgia, there were few opportunities for black men. Mr. Little helped African Americans everywhere to reach their full potential by preaching to them about their self with positive aspect. He

meets Louise Norton in Canada while traveling and married her in 1919. Mr. Little died in prematurely in 1931, when he was accidentally run over by a car. His death left an impression on his children s well as many African Americans in Nebraska, Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana, laces where he had taught and served black people.

Malcolm s father s death was during the middle of the great depression. Men and woman looked for jobs, although often attempts to gain steady employment was futile. Malcolm witnessed the family go though difficult times and by the age of thirteen, he was place with foster family, as his mother became enable to support her children. During junior high school, he began to act out in class, and his misdemeanors caused him to be transferred to a country juvenile home. Malcolm failed a great deal of discrimination by his white classmates and teachers. Although he excelled in school, a teacher told him that Malcolm s ambition of becoming a lawyer was unrealistic. This greatly discouraged Malcolm thus he decided to move to Boston with his half sister to try to raise his esteem. Unfortunately, it was during this period that Malcolm learned to hustles.

While living with his half sister in Boston, Malcolm, became friends with a sharp, stylish, well-contacted, peer, nicknamed Shorty because of

his small stature. Shorty introduced Malcolm to ways of the streets life . Also how to survive and dress well to boot. This period in his life

commenced Malcolm years as a hustler . Malcolm was an astute learner and a quick study. His finesse intelligence and ease without others afforded him to connect with the hustling scene in Harlem, during it s renaissance a period of musical, artistic, and literary creation. Malcolm became persona non grate in the Harlem underworld, after he had an altercation with his boss. Malcolm rehuned to Boston and rekindled his friendship with Shorty. He continued his high paced lifestyle, which including using drugs, robbing house, and dating a white woman. Malcolm, Shorty, and their girlfriends were eventually caught for their illicit activities. The sentencing however reflected the racial injustices of the time. Malcolm and Shorty were committed to eight to ten years prison, while the white women who were equal participants in the robbery, had unequal sentences. They only had to serve six mouths to a year in prison. It is my opinion that the men were net only punished for the robbery but for the crime of dating the white woman. Thus, Malcolm began acquainted with the prison system.

Malcolm X incarcerated in 1946 at the Charlestown State Prison, located in Boston, Massachusetts. This era of life proved to be extremely significant because he became educated thus his politics and ideology toward revolutionizing social injustice. Charlestown State Prison life was substandard and antiquated it had no running wader and inmates were

Identified by numbers. During this time, Malcolm used drugs illegally obtained through the guards. Malcolm met a man named Bimbi became a positive influence on his life. Bimbi was incarcerated for burglary, but was a fine orator and eloquently articulated his opinions and ideas. Normally, white prisoners would not think of listening to Negro opinions on anything, but guards even would wonder over to hear Bimbi on any subject . (Malcolm, pg153)

During this time, Malcolm developed receptivity for learning about new ideas of ways. He was ripe for the powerful messages that the Nation of Islam professed which supported that in order for black people to rise from their relegated social position is to separate from malfeasant white counterparts. Malcolm s brother philbert influenced Malcolm s conversion to The Nation of Islam, which substantially altered the rest of his life.

Malcolm transferred to Norwalk Prison because of its outstanding features, such as the extensive library.

The Nation of Islam had its start in Detroit, Michigan, around the year 1930. Wallace ford Muhammad founded the Nation of Islam. He claimed to have been born in Mecca, the holy city of Islamic people and targeted his teaching to the black population. Muhammad enlightened his followers about the differences between the way the people in Detroit, compared to the people living in Saudi Arabia. Muhammad message was delivered to people who were desperate to ameliorate their social and economic condition. He told students, mostly poor people who had migrated from the south in search of jobs, that they needed to change the way they were living. There was a strong religious element Muhammad teaching. The Nation of Islam differed from most religious organizations in several ways. The first was that the beliefs binding the members had more to do with race than religion. The Nation of Islam had non-whites. They had Arab member, and a few Japanese members, but the membership was predominately black. In Christianity, it is required that one be free from sin. Conversely the nation of Islam accepted those who were actively sinning and tried to reform them. Muhammad claimed that major problems for African-Americans were that whites were constantly attacking blacks physically and psychologically . (Walter Dean Myers, pg72) The Nation of Islam had a counterstrategy against white oppression. They believed that blacks had to educate themselves and learn their history. Knowledge of their rich esteemed African life would alleviate feeling of inferiority. Awareness about world events would help them to maximize their potential. The Nation of Islam promoted the right to use self-defense. They are not randomly aggressive, but insisted that no one could attack a black man, woman or child without suffering retaliation.

Mrs. Betty was a member of the Nation of Islam, which was studying to be a nurse. Going to nursing school and working as much as, she could support herself. Malcolm had seen Sister Betty around the temple, he had spoken to her verybriefly on several occasions. She carried herself with dignity and had seriousness about her that Malcolm found appareling. Being devoted to Islam, she was extremely beautiful woman. Malcolm tired to minimize her beauty as he though of her.

It was arranged that she would go to Chicago and teach there. Mr. Muhammad had the chance to meet her, he told Malcolm that he tough she was a fine woman and would make a good wife. Betty knew that Malcolm major interest was his work. When working he can be stern and uncompromising.

Malcolm finally made the decision to ask her to marry him, she expressed surprise. They both knew that there was something special between them. In January of 1958, Malcolm and Betty made their valves to get married.

Malcolm was disappointed about his about separation from the Nation of Islam. Malcolm made a pilgrimage to Mecca. This trip changed his points of views profoundly. He became less militant and ever admitted that sometimes-white people can help the black movement. He became less militant and ever admitted that sometimes-white people can help the movement. In Mecca, he saw that it was possible for black and from the same cup and eats from the same plate. After the pilgrimage, he adopted to the name El-Hajj-Malik-Shabzz.

Angry members of the Nation of Islam began to threaten to kill him. His home in Queens, New York, which Malcolm X shared with his wife and six children was firebombed in early February 1965. When Malcolm X was delivering a speech in the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem on February 21, 1965, he was shot down by black Muslims. Before he died he heard of the Black Muslim s plot to kill him, he did not feel any fear. He just wanted his family to be safe.

Personality I really honor is his readiness to revise his ideas and change them. Especially in the fields of politics and religion, both of which he was working in, people usually never change their beliefs and policies, ever if they are proved wrong. Nevertheless, Malcolm X was different. He turned all his belief and ways of life upside down when joining the Nation of Islam. He stopped drinking, smoking and abusing drug instantly and dedicated his life to his leader, whereas he had been selfish and greedy his whole life before. Tragically, he trusted Elijah Muhammad too much. Therefore, when they fell apart, he had to alter his belief again. He began to establish his own Afro-American movement, which was to build on the principle of unity among all black people worldwide.

No matter if u agree with Malcolm X opinions, his autobiography is worth reading. What I think is most interesting is his conversion from an antisocial to a charismatic leader and advocate for the Nation of Islam. Such an extreme chage seems to be unbelievable, but after reading his autobiography, everyone can feel how much power this man had.