Malcolm X

Malcolm X

Born May 19, 1925
Omaha, Nebraska
Died February 21, 1965
Harlem, New York

African American advocate for black nationalism and Nation of Islam minister and spokesman

The life of Malcolm X was a complex journey from rural schoolboy, to convicted felon, to Muslim preacher, to militant political leader. With his gift for fiery oration, Malcolm X inspired African Americans throughout the nation to fight for their rights. He rejected the civil rights movement’s premises of nonviolence and integration and instead stressed the need for African Americans to defend themselves and form their own institutions.

Until the final year of his life, Malcolm X spread the Nation of Islam’s message of hatred toward white America and pride in black America. After a pilgrimage through the Middle East in 1964, however, Malcolm X renounced racial animosity. He ended his association with the Nation of Islam and formed his own black nationalist organization, the Organization of Afro-American Unity.

Malcolm X was gunned down while delivering a speech in 1965. Even in death, however, he continues to inspire activists in the struggle for African American rights.

Early exposure to violence

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Nebraska in 1925.

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