Malcolm X was an African American civil rights leader, minister, and human rights activist who became one of the most influential figures in the fight against racial oppression in the United States. Born Malcolm Little in 1925, he faced a tumultuous childhood marked by the murder of his father and the institutionalized racism of the era. After a troubled adolescence that led to time in prison, Malcolm X converted to Islam and joined the Nation of Islam (NOI), where he adopted the name “Malcolm X,” symbolizing his lost ancestral roots. As a spokesperson for the NOI, he gained national prominence with his powerful rhetoric advocating for Black self-determination, empowerment, and separatism, often challenging the civil rights movement’s call for integration.
However, Malcolm X’s views evolved significantly over time. After leaving the Nation of Islam in 1964, he made a pilgrimage to Mecca, where he encountered Muslims of various races, which deeply shifted his perspective on race and solidarity. This led him to adopt a more inclusive approach to the struggle for racial justice, advocating for global human rights and recognizing the importance of unity among oppressed peoples. Tragically, Malcolm X’s life was cut short when he was assassinated in 1965 at the age of 39. His legacy, however, lives on as a symbol of uncompromising resistance to racial inequality and a catalyst for the broader Black power movement.
