The Man Who Changed Black America

Malcolm X was an African-American minister and human rights activist renowned for his courageous moves to protect the rights of black Americans. He is considered as one of the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement against racism in America. His activism, speeches and published work raised the self-esteem of black Americans reviving their African cultural heritage. As a Muslim leader he was popularly known as El Hajj Malik Al- Shabazz. For his relentless anti-racist activism, Malcolm X is considered as one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in the history. We remember this great personality on his 50th death anniversary (February 21, 1965).

Malcolm Little later to be known as Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska
His father was killed when he was six and his mother was placed in a mental hospital when he was thirteen
He later said that violence by whites killed three of his father's brothers and his family home was burnt.
Malcolm was raised in a series of foster homes
 
In 1946, at age 20, he went to prison for burglary and while in prison he became a member of Nation of Islam an organisation working for the rights of African Americans
On March 1962, disillusiuoned by internal jelousy Malcolm left the organisation and embraced Sunni Islam
He performed his hajj in April 1964

Malcolm started his activism soon after he joined Nation of Islam
But after leaving the organisation, he started to address a wide range of audiences in the USA
He participated in the Senate's debate on civil rights bill in 1964
His famous speech “The Ballot or Bullet” made African Americans conscious about their right to vote

After leaving Nation of Islam in 1964, Malcolm founded his own organisation called Muslim Mosque, Inc.
He also formed the Organisation Afro-American Unity, a secular human rights group that advocated Pan-Africanism
At that time Malcolm was the most influencial speaker mostly in the college campuses of the USA
On 21st February, 1965 Malcolm was assassinated while he was preparing for one of his speeches at Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom