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Why did Malcolm X move to Harlem? How did he get pulled into the underground crime scene? The Autobiography of Malcolm X chronicles the time Malcolm X spent in Harlem from 1943 to 1945. As a young man in his late teens, Malcolm X got drawn in by a rough crowd on the tough streets of New York City, and he entered adulthood by sliding into a life of crime. Continue reading to learn about Malcolm X in Harlem.
When did Malcolm X start breaking the law, and why? What kind of crimes did he commit? Malcolm X had a rough introduction to the world. He felt the pressure of society pushing him down, and he fought back by doing what he thought he needed to do to survive. When he was a kid, he stole food to eat. As he entered adulthood, he got busted for his involvement in a burglary ring. Read more to learn about Malcolm X’s criminal activities as chronicled in his autobiography.
Why did Malcolm X’s family move frequently when he was a child? What was his experience in school like? How did he get involved in criminal activity? Malcolm X believed that the racism he experienced throughout his childhood to adolescence determined the path he would take as an adult. Racist violence and structural inequality destabilized and discouraged a young Malcolm X—and ultimately led him to spend time in prison. Read more to learn about Malcolm X’s early life, based on his autobiography.
Why was Malcolm X in prison? How did his life change dramatically when he was incarcerated? Malcolm X’s childhood was steeped in adversity, and it didn’t take long for him to turn to crime. When he was just 20 years old, he was sent to prison after being convicted on burglary charges in Boston. Six years later, he emerged a different man than he was when he went in. Keep reading to learn about Malcolm X in prison, as presented in his autobiography.
Why did Malcolm X change his name? What do his name changes tell us about his life? You might know him only as Malcolm X. But, that wasn’t his original name, nor was it his name at the time of his death. The fact is that Malcolm X changed his name twice in his lifetime, and the reasons reflect his evolving beliefs and experiences. Read more to learn why Malcolm X changed his name, as presented in his autobiography.
What’s the Nation of Islam? Why did Malcolm X join it, and how did it impact his life? When he was in prison, Malcolm X embraced the Nation of Islam. It changed his life for the better in many ways, culminating in the beginning of his civil rights career. But, the partnership didn’t last, and Malcolm X eventually went his own way. Continue reading to learn the history of Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam.
How did Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad become allies? Why did they later become enemies? What changed? Malcolm X joined the Nation of Islam when he was in prison in his early 20s. Elijah Muhammad was the leader of the movement at the time, having succeeded founder W. D. Fard. What began as an alliance between Malcolm X and Muhammad eventually turned into a bitter division between these two leaders. Read more to learn about the relationship between Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad.
Why did Malcolm X go to Mecca? What did he learn during his time in the Middle East? Why did he change his name a second time? In his autobiography, Malcolm X explains that he’d heard criticism that the Nation of Islam wasn’t truly Islamic. And, because he was still a firm believer in Islam, he decided he needed to learn more about the religion. What he found put him on a new path both religiously and politically. Keep reading to learn about Malcolm X’s Mecca experience.
What were Malcolm X’s political beliefs? How did his approach differ from that of Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders? Malcolm X was critical of the American civil rights movement and its more moderate leaders. Coming from his perspective of the Nation of Islam (and later Islam), he advocated a different approach through strategies of separatism, self-defense, & pan-Africanism. Continue reading to learn about Malcolm X’s political beliefs in the context of civil rights and Black liberation.
How did Malcolm X become a civil rights activist? Who was Johnson Hinton, and what did he have to do with it? In 1957, New York City police officers severely beat up a Black Muslim man named Johnson Hinton. That incident eventually pushed the Nation of Islam—and Malcolm X—into the spotlight of America’s civil rights movement. Read more to learn about the launch of Malcolm X’s activism.