malcolm x Essays

Malcolm X was one of the most prominent civi right activists at the time. He preached Black Nationalism, where blacks separates themselves from the whites completely. He is often known as the intellectual, charismatic hero. Although, he was not always that faithful. He was a thug. A hustler. He committed crimes. How did a hoodlum, became a historical figure of Malcolm X? There was many events in his life that changed him, and shaped him to be that somebody. If we trace back his footsteps, his life as Malcolm Little, his life as a thug, his life as a inmate, and his life as a national minister of Nation of Islam, all contributed in creating him and his name of Malcolm X.

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.

He started thinking about the world and the society he lives in. He began to question the way things were, and he realized that a change in his life, and in the society was both possible and necessary. Prior to his imprisonment, Malcolm had been enclosed in the world of the hustler, the player, the pimp, the gangster, the parasite, and he couldn¹t imagine him outside of that world. “Reading exposed Malcolm to new worlds; it allowed him to see that there were alternatives to the lifestyle and values of the social parasite” (Shanna). While in prison, Malcolm began to think, and to read. but only after he had been encouraged to do so by someone that he respected and who had taken an unselfish interest in him. “Malcolm was later motivated by a new sense of self-worth and identity and purpose, as his family introduced him to the religious and political philosophy of Islam, as taught by Elijah Muhammad, and practiced by the Nation of Islam (NOI)” (Estate of Malcolm X). Malcolm X converted to the Nation of Islam while in prison, and upon his release in 1952 he abandoned his surname "Little," which he considered a relic of slavery, in favor of the surname "X" a tribute to the unknown name of his African ancestors.

Malcolm X was one of the primary religious leaders and reformers of the 1960, where he fought for and ultimately gave his life for racial equality in the United States. His father was a reverend who believed in self-determination and worked for the unity of black people. Throughout Malcolm’s life he was treated horribly by white people, hence shaping his misconceptions of all white people and developing his strong belief in black separatism. It wasn’t until years later where he embraced his black identity and discovered all races could live and work together for a common goal, brotherhood.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley is an account of Malcolm X’s evolving perspective on racial justice. Malcolm X was a prominent figure in the Nation of Islam who advocated for black nationalism and separatism. The man who became one of America’s most powerful voices for African Americans was deeply affected by the terrors of racism, which shaped his view of social justice and the condemnation of the white man. The way Malcolm X narrates his experiences changes as his views on race change. At first, he wants readers to feel the destructiveness of racism, so he conveys his experiences through provocative language. When he aims to promote universal peace, he takes on a more optimistic tone. As a

Malcolm didn't want to listen to him at first, but Baines's cool style helped Malcolm realize that Islam is for him and that the white man is the devil. While in prison, Malcolm read widely and developed an interest in the Nation of Islam, a Black Nationalist religious movement whose members were known as Black Muslims.

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 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.

Malcolm X was a muslim, black man who cared very much about gaining equal rights. He was, in a way, an extremist. Though only taking action when he felt necessary, when he did take action, it often had drastic effects on the people and events occurring around him. Unlike Martin Luther King or other leading civil rights activists, he did not believe in peaceful protest. He believed in “whatever means necessary” to accomplish his goals. Because of his strong efforts and his unmatched determination, Malcolm X, formally known as Malcolm Little, changed the course of the civil rights movement. If not for him, the events that played out to cause the eventual conclusion of the struggle would have been forever altered.

Despite his dismal upbringing, Malcolm was able to graduate from his junior high school at the top of his class. He was aspiring to become a lawyer, but after one of his teachers told him that trying to be one was, "no realistic goal for a nigger", he decided that school was not for him and moved to Boston for awhile and made a living working a number of jobs, none of which were permanent. Eventually he would find himself working as a waiter at a restaurant called Small's Paradise in Harlem, New York. It was at this time that Malcolm Little began using and then selling drugs and even committing burglary. In 1946 he would be arrested for burglary and sentenced to ten years in prison. It was during his stay at the Charlestown, Mass. Prison that he would make maybe the most significant change of his life. Malcolm would begin studying the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, the leader of a small cult-like Islamic group that called themselves the Nation of Islam, he also began to study the Koran (the Islamic holy book). It was during these long years in prison that Malcolm was able to educate himself fully and came to the conclusion that he wanted to join Elijah and the Nation of Islam and fight for equality between blacks and whites.

Malcolm graduated the eighth grade, but by the age of fifteen he dropped out of school and began running the streets. Malcolm began to make friends with drug dealers, thieves, and pimps. By the age of twenty, Malcolm was convicted of burglary, he then served seven years in prison. While in prison Malcolm, furthered his education. During his prison time, his brother Reginald would visit and discuss his recent encounters with the Muslim religion. His brother Reginald belonged to the religious organization the Nation of Islam. By the time Malcolm was released from prison, he had undergone a transformation from a criminal to a religious priest, for the Nation of Islam. Malcolm had become a student of Elijah Mohammed teachings. Through these teachings Malcolm developed individual views about race in America and around the world. The more Malcolm learned about the teachings, the more he despised white citizens and he blamed them for the struggle of African Americans.

Malcolm X had a lot of different phrase and though post to his hajj. Once he returned from the hajj his views and methods change. The hajj really made Malcolm x a “new Malcom x” according to scholar Imam Abdullah Antepli a Chaplin at Duke University. The hajj just changed Malcolm x’s view on other races and the unity in between races. Before the hajj Malcolm x believed that black and white cannot live in the same place without fighting or having conflicts.

First of all, It is really amazing how he succeed in his life and achieved what he wanted. Malcolm reached his goal despite what he was or what he was doing, if you have a dream you have to work for it. His story is a great example of not giving up on anything you want. His life was in the street selling drugs or in the bars drinking and that was extremely a pointless life. He was well known in the street and when he talks everyone listens to him. As he said he was the most articulate hustler in the street. Talking slang always has been easy for him but he wanted to develop his writings, his simple English words were zero. Malcolm X was not happy with his weakness in reading and writing. A lot of letters came to him but he couldn’t read and reply to those who sent letters to him. After years of crimes he went to jail and began to learn many new English words so he can develop and extend his English words. Another good example of his great story that he learned and expanded his words in the prison. So he used his time there to do many good things to his life. Being in jail is one of many bad things that people does not want to be in. And

I have read The Autobiography of Malcolm X twice, one before watching the movie and one after, but after the second reading, I found out that the style of Malcolm X really is translated well to the page. The narrator maintained his conversational tone without giving up any of the energy and forcefulness that made him such a compelling speaker. After I had finished my second reading, I appreciated Malcolm's choice to leave the big parts of the previous chapters, which relate with Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam as suggested by Alex Haley. In spite of these events have affected negatively on his feeling. I thought it would have been a shame and it would have a less suspenseful narrative if he had revised those parts to reflect his later feeling of betrayal. As Alex mentioned in Epilogue:

Malcolm Little was born in the mid twentieth century, these were difficult times for the black youth. As Little grew older he knew there needed to be change, he was one of the few people that was capable of making that happen for the fellow African-American and African. At a very young age Malcolm grasped the concept that there 's something not right, that there needed to be an alteration and thus is where he started his studies. Malcolm needed to be outspoken he wanted to achieve a certain impact on others. So he began reading into law, that was the only way for him to get some kind of basic education. In the midst of his devotion to start a revolution, Malcolm Little 's father was killed. The rage and anger he had took over him and Malcolm became rebellious. Malcolm let go of all his dreams that he once had and he became a troubled child and started committing felonies targeting white people, such as armed robbery, burglary. In 1946 he was arrested, it was then and there where he sat and the unconscious became conscious once again all because of a great influence. Malcolm Little then changed to Malcolm X, he believed that “X” was his slave name that was lost. Malcolm X was empowering arising the new man that brought hope and awakened influence to those that mered not to have a voice of their own.