Essay on Malcolm X

He studied hard to get high grades and he was even elected as the class president. He was doing his best, until his teacher went up to him and told him that his dream to be a lawyer, is not possible all because he is black. Instead, he insisted him to become a carpenter. From then, something started to changed within him. Malcolm sees the limit to the white acceptance, and the inevitable truth of what life awaits for the colored. He starts believing that in the white society he was living in, there is no success nor future. Spike Lee never really focused on Malcolm's childhood in the film, except for this particular part. He chose this moment to highlight, because this scene single handedly explains why he hated whites, why he became a hustler, and why he became a civil rights activists. It was the hatred against the whites. From then, he stopped accepting the whites. This was the moment when Malcolm's view on integration between whites and blacks became possible, to impossible. The historical figure of Malcolm X’s philosophy started here, with the hatred of his enemy. Malcolm X in his speech, preached that the black man should have their own power, by separating themselves completely from the white society, similar to what his father was preaching. His childhood tragedy gave him the reason to fight for, and the belief for uniting the black race for separating them from the cruelty. Malcolm X we all know of, would have never existed without

With Malcolm's imprisonment ended the acceptance of the ghetto hustler and gangster life. In prison Malcolm had to find a new place to turn for acceptance. As his father did, Malcolm turned to religion. The religion he turned to, The Nation of Islam or more commonly known as the Black Muslims, were a group of African Americans who believed, among other things, that whites were the roots of evil. Malcolm became immersed in his religion. It seeped into every part of his life. "For the next years I was the nearest thing to a hermit in the Norfolk Prison Colony. I have never been more busy in my life" (173). Malcolm wrote many letters to family and friends about his new found faith and , most importantly, he found the acceptance he longed for with the teachings of Mr. Muhammad. This acceptance gave him purpose and after his release Malcolm became one of the foremost representatives of the Nation of Islam.

Instead of going to school to get a traditional education, he dropped out of school at fifteen and learned the ways of the streets. Malcolm associated himself with thugs, thieves, dope dealers, and pimps. He was convicted of burglary at age twenty and remained in prison until he was twenty-seven. During his prison sentence, he became a changed man. He educated himself and he learned about and joined the Nation of Islam, studying the teachings of Elijah Muhammed. Elijah taught Malcolm how history had been “whitened by the white man” (p.184) and he echoed “the black convict’s lifelong experience” where “the white man is the devil,” (p. 186). This thought process encouraged many black inmates to discover the Nation of Islam.

He is truly one of the symbol 's who helps to promote this change and help black people of America to stop living lives that they are told are less meaningful, and forced to be unsuccessful in. Although many people may disagree with the exact teaching of Malcolm X and his views on the reasons that black people were struggling, his intentions to change the ways that black people were viewed was a strong turning point in the direction of the nation. His autobiography and experiences truly helped many white people and black people to see what had been happening to our society that they had been blinded by for so long, and gave us the opportunity to change this. Some ways our society is helping to change this is by improving welfare programs, providing additional aid for colored people to attend college, and requiring companies to employ a certain amount of minorities. Although racism still exists today, it is much less severe and active as it was back in the days of the life of Malcolm X. Malcolm X is certainly one of the most important catalysts for this change and his works should be known and appreciated by all who have been affected by this, or all who did not realize the extremity of the situation until he brought it to their

     Malcom X was a man known widely for his strong beliefs. His willingness to accept the preaching of Elijah Muhammad and serve him loyaly, was due to his past experiences with the white man. Starting off as a boy in Lansing, next moving to Boston, then living in Harlem, his experinces with various white people shaped his belief system. Towards the end of his life, his interaction with group of very different white people on his pilgrimage brought about a change in his beliefs

Malcolm studied the teachings of the leader of the Black Muslims, Elijah Muhammad, who advocated an independent black state. The Nation of Islam was based on a theology adapted from several models: traditional Islamic teachings principles of Black Nationalism, and economic self-help programs that addressed the needs of African Americans living in urban ghettoes. Unlike traditional Islam, which rejects all forms of racism, the Nation of Islam declared that whites were the "devil by nature," and that God was black. However, the Black Muslims predicted that in the near future a Great War would take place in which whites would be destroyed and black people would rule the world through the benevolence of Allah, their creator. To prepare for this new order, the Nation of Islam stressed personal self-restraint, opposed the use of drugs and alcohol, and organized economic self-help enterprises that eventually included farms, food stores, restaurants, and small businesses.

Americans often say that Malcolm X was ¡°the angriest Negro in America¡± (p. 366). They assume that Malcolm X emphasized only violence to the white and separation of the black from the white. However, is this assumption about Malcolm X really true? Not, at all. The image of Malcolm X as an icon of ¡°black power¡± is not a truth but a myth made by media. Although I grant that Malcolm X had been a radical activist who had tried to improve life of the black and to separate the black from the white before quitting the Nation of Islam, I still argue that Malcolm X eventually realized that the white and the black could exist together with harmony under GOD, Allah, after Hajj.

Malcolm X is an extremely critical figure that contributed in shaping American social life. He was a famous man who articulated the struggle, anger, and beliefs of African Americans. He was a radical man who fought for change despite the situation. His struggle for equality for the black nation landed him in prison. While in prison, Malcolm was able to study, and earned a college degree. However, most importantly while in prison, Malcolm X was introduced to the Islam faith by one of the prisoners. He received teachings from the Muslim faith, which made him realize that, his people were being oppressed and abused by the whites. While out of prison, he went to visit honorable Elijah Muhammad and later on went around preaching Elijah

Malcolm's life is a Horatio Alger story with a twist. His is not a "rags to

Malcolm was bit of a trouble maker early on. He was not for everyone but for those few he argued against, well he was like there worst nightmare. One example of his mischief is that Malcolm X was convicted of larceny and breaking and entering in 1964 at age 20.(Ali, Noaman . "Malcolmx.org.") During Malcolm’s stay he was introduced to the black muslim community, it was then that he changed his last name to X. Malcolm was sentenced to 10 years in prison but he was released after 7 years with probation for 3. After Malcolm got out of prison, he went on to start preaching publicly.

[www.biography.com] Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. Malcolm's dad got threats from a white supremacist group called Black Legion. They relocated twice before Malcolm’s fourth birthday. Even though they relocated, their Michigan home was burnt down in 1929. Malcolm X tried to save black people “By any means necessary.”— Malcolm X He was really devoted to that quote. Malcolm X had a friend named Malcolm Jarvis, and together, they got arrested on burglary charges. While Malcolm X was in prison, he studied the teachings of Nation Of Islam (NOI) leader Elijah Muhammad.

The fifties and sixties were a crazy time to live; riots were happening, many Civil Rights Movement leaders were speaking in the streets, and student sit-ins were held. Many radical activists were preaching their thoughts on racism and things needed for equality. Some people felt it necessary to turn the other cheek to violence while others claimed it to be a right to defend themselves. The major figures in the Civil Rights Movement had their own opinions on how to equalize society. Martin Luther King, Jr. felt that a peaceful movement was the best route to freedom. I discovered after much research that famous African American figures tended to side with Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad on the best approach. Rosa Parks, Maya

He went traveling around and talking at schools and socialist worker parties and addressed meetings and topics. He gave more detail on his thoughts with segregation and leaving the NOI. He began to receive death threats and his past ties with Nation Of Islam began to intensify. It started to become so intense that the Nation Of Islam began attacks on him and the bombing of his vehicle. Malcolm became wary but nevertheless continued to spread his beliefs and continue to show his views on the black oppression by the

Recently my class was given a group project of reading a book, analyzing its content and eventually giving an in depth presentation on what it was about and what the book taught us. The book that my group and I chose was, The Autobiography of Malcolm X. The book details Malcolm X's transitions throughout his life, honing in on his struggles as a youth, a teen and as a man followed by his resolutions and triumphs through it all. My group consisted of myself, Andrew, Carl and Langstan and was quite an adventure. As we set out to accomplish this task we knew it would be a challenge, it being the largest book on the project list and not being used to having a reading project like this. During the time we experienced good times, bad

Malcolm was arrested on January 12, 1946, and convicted of burglary, carrying an illegal firearm, and larceny (Crime and Investigation 1). He was sent to Charlestown State Prison for 8-10 years. While there, he joined the Nation of Islam. He began exchanging letters frequently with Elijah Muhammad, the Nation of Islam’s leader, and changed his name to Malcolm X. He stated the “X” symbolized his lost tribal name, and that he was destroying the surname “Little” that his ancestor’s slave-owners had imposed on his family.