Early Life

• Born to a family with 8 other children in Nebraska
• Malcolm’s mother was a homemaker and his father was a Baptist minister and supporter of Marcus Garvey
• Father killed by White Supremacists, when Malcolm was very young
• Mother committed to a mental institution. The children were raised in different foster homes and orphanages

Young Adult

• Graduated from Junior High top of his class
• X had a dream of becoming a lawyer but a teacher told him it was “no realistic goal for a n—–“
• Dropped out of school at age 15
• Eventually became coordinator of several narcotics, prostitution and gambling rings
• Sentenced in Boston to 10 years in jail on burglary charges– served 7 years

Jail Time

• Educated himself in jail
• His brother Reginald talked to him about Islam and the Nation of Islam (NOI)
• Elijah Muhammad believed in a nation-state for African-Americans
• Paroled in 1952, becomes a devoted follower of the NOI and changes his name to X

His Time with NOI

• Appointed Minister and National Spokesman
• Opened sections in Detroit, Michigan and Harlem
• Through his work, the organization grows from 500 members in 1952 to 30,000 n 1963
• Infiltrated and bugged by the FBI
• Marries Betty X and together they have six children (but twins born after his death)

Nation’s Teachings

• Black people are the original people of the world
• White people are “devils”
• Blacks are superior to whites
• The end of the white race is imminent
• Complete separation of black people. US state as transition to definite return to Africa

Issues with NOI

• Chicken coming home to roost statement in response to JFK assassination
• Malcolm is suspended for 90 days — no public speeches
• Elijah Mohammad’s sex life and illegitimate children
• Jealousy by NOI over Malcolm X’s fame and media attraction

Post NOI

• Mosque, Inc.
• Organization of Afro-American Unity (Pan African)
• Forges more connections with civil rights activists (including MLK Jr.)
• The Ballot or the Bullet
• Sunni Muslim
• Pilgrimage to Mecca
• Islam as a way to overcome racism

Appreciation Throughout Africa

• Malcolm X is invited to join governments of Egypt (Nasser), Algeria (Ben Bella), and Ghana (Kwame Nkrumah)

Malcolm X’s Intellectual Changes

• After visiting Africa, he no longer thinks that white and black people cannot collaborate to end racism
• Envisions Islam as a way to end racism
• Sticks to the idea of “by whatever means necessary”

Death Threats and Attempts Against His Life

• Both Elijah Muhammad and Louis Farrakhan (Boston) made public threats against his life
• His house was burned, and another house was bombed
• When giving a speech at the Organization of Afro-American Unity in Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom, X was rushed and gunned down

Theories Around Who Assassinated Him

• FBI (COINTELPRO): John Ali, national secretary of the Nation of Islam, was identified as an undercover FBI agent. He exacerbated tensions with Muhammad
• Ali met with one of the convicted killers the night before the assassination

Malcolm X is Influential to Many Organizations, Namely The Black Panther Party 

• 10,000 members and newspaper circulation of 250,000 (1969)
• Acquired celebrity status
• Free Breakfast for Children Program influenced by Maoist doctrine of serving the people
• Medical Clinics
• Free legal aids and bussing-to-prison programs
• Armed Citizen’s Patrol
• BPP Ten Point Program: Land, Bread, Housing, Education, Clothing, Justice and Peace

The Ballot or the Bullet