Share

Malcolm X biography

1 photo

Quick Facts

  • PLACE OF DEATH: New York, New York
  • Originally: Malcolm Little
  • AKA: el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz
more about Malcolm

Best Known For

African American leader and prominent figure in the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X articulated concepts of race pride and black nationalism in the early 1960s.


Videos see all videos

Malcolm X - Mini Bio watch more videos (1)

Synopsis

Born May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, this fiery black nationalist leader was a charismatic spokesman for the Nation of Islam until breaking with the group shortly before his 1965 assassination.

Quotes

"Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today."

– Malcolm X

Early Life

Civil Rights Activist. Malcolm X was born as Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, the fourth of eight children born to Louise and Earl Little. Louise was a homemaker and Earl was a preacher who was also an active member of the local chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and avid supporter of the black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Because of Earl Little's civil rights activism, the family faced frequent harassment from white supremacist groups such as the Klu Klux Klan and one of its splinter factions, the Black Legion. In fact, Malcolm X had his first encounter with racism before he was even born. "When my mother was pregnant with me, she told me later," he said, "a party of hooded Klu Klux Klan riders galloped up to our home... Brandishing their shotguns and rifles, they shouted for my father to come out." The harassment continued; when Malcolm X was four years old, local Klan members smashed all of the family's windows, causing Earl Little to decide to move the family from Omaha to East Lansing, Michigan.

However, the racism the family encountered in East Lansing proved even greater than in Omaha. Shortly after the Littles moved in, in 1929, a racist mob set their house on fire, and the town's all-white emergency responders refused to do anything. "The white police and firemen came and stood around watching as the house burned to the ground," Malcolm X remembered.

Two years later, in 1931, things got much, much worse. Earl Little's dead body was discovered laid out on the municipal streetcar tracks. Although Malcolm X's father was very likely murdered by white supremacists, from whom he had received frequent death threats, the police officially ruled his death a suicide, thereby voiding the large life insurance policy he had purchased in order to provide for his family in the event of his death. Malcolm X's mother never recovered from the shock and grief of her husband's death. In 1937, she was committed to a mental institution and Malcolm X left home to live with family friends.

Troubled Youth

Malcolm X attended West Junior High School, where he was the school's only black student. He excelled academically and was well liked by his classmates, who elected him class president. However, he later said that he felt that his classmates treated him more like the class pet than a human being. The turning point in Malcolm X's childhood came in 1939, when his English teacher asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up and he answered that he wanted to be a lawyer. His teacher responded, "One of life's first needs is for us to be realistic… you need to think of something you can be… Why don't you plan on carpentry?" Having thus been told in no uncertain terms that there was no point in a black child pursuing education, Malcolm X dropped out of school the next year at the age of 15.



After quitting school, Malcolm X moved to Boston to live with his

ADVERTISEMENT
9396195 9396195
profile id: 9396195
profile name: Malcolm X
profile occupation:
related profile id: 9396195
related profile name: Malcolm X
related profile occupation:
related profile img: /imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/X/Malcolm-X-9396195-1-402.jpg
related profile URL: /people/malcolm-x-9396195
profile
pop
Your Connections

Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.

specific profile connection
Your Friends' Connections
specific friend connection
Profile Connections
    Show More Connections
    Included In These Groups

    See all related groups

    More from Shmoop
    Shmoop

    Shmoop will make you a better lover (of literature, US history, music, life...) Check out: Lively Learning Guides, Teacher Resources, and Shmoop Biography.

    More from Shmoop.com

    Celebrity Connections

    Show More Connections
    Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!