Malcolm was orphaned at a young age after losing both parents.

Malcolm X, originally named Malcolm Little, was born on May 19, 1925. His father, Reverend Earl Little, was a Baptist preacher who spread the teachings of Marcus Garvey, the leader of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). 

Malcolm was the seventh child in a family of eight siblings. His mother, Louise, had a tough time caring for all of them. Louise was born in the West Indies; her fair skin often caused people to mistake her for a white woman. Due to her mixed ancestry, Malcolm was born with reddish hair and a lighter complexion than his siblings. 

He believed his appearance made his mother treat him more harshly than his brothers and sisters. To her, he was a constant reminder of the white man who had raped her mother in the family's history.

Malcolm X's Childhood Struggles

Malcolm's father, who favored Malcolm over his other children, often took him to UNIA meetings. His father's efforts to instill pride and identity in the Black community ended tragically. One of Malcolm's earliest memories was waking up in fear one night in Lansing, Michigan. 

The family's house had been set on fire by a white supremacist group called The Black Legion, but fortunately, they all escaped unharmed. Things took a darker turn when Malcolm was just six years old: his father was murdered. Despite clear signs of a fatal beating, the police labeled his death as an accident. Louise faced challenges as a single mother after her husband left. 

She was proud and reluctant to ask for government help, but eventually, she had no choice. She had to deal with harsh child welfare officers who treated her unfairly, even trying to turn her children against her. Sadly, they succeeded, and when Malcolm was 12, they placed Louise in a mental hospital and sent her children to live with different families.

Malcolm faced racism, but Boston introduced him to a different environment.

Malcolm had a tough time in school. At 13, he got into trouble for a prank on a teacher who scolded him for wearing a hat in class. When the teacher wasn't looking, Malcolm placed a tack on the chair, leading to his expulsion and transfer to a detention home. The staff treated him well but often used offensive language around him, assuming he didn't understand.

Living with white people for the first time, Malcolm saw how they often underestimated Black intelligence and sensitivity. A year later, he entered junior high, where he faced similar treatment as one of the few Black students. Despite joining the basketball team, he wasn't allowed to dance with white girls at post-game parties.

 Malcolm's Awakening

In school, Malcolm was elected class president, but he felt his classmates saw him more as a symbol than an equal. When asked about his future by a teacher, Malcolm confidently said he wanted to be a lawyer. He was disheartened when the teacher suggested he should think about becoming a carpenter instead.

Things changed when Malcolm visited Boston during the summer after seventh grade. He went to see his half-sister Ella in Roxbury, a neighborhood where Black people proudly embraced their identity without trying to conform to white standards. This experience opened Malcolm's eyes to a new world. When he returned to Lansing, Malcolm could no longer tolerate the racist jokes from teachers and classmates. He realized there was a place where he could truly belong.

Malcolm discovered contemporary Black culture in Roxbury and Harlem.

Malcolm's sister Ella became his legal guardian, allowing him to move to Roxbury. There, he quickly became familiar with street life. By chance, Malcolm met Shorty early on, who happened to be from Lansing, Michigan. Shorty took Malcolm under his wing, showing him the rougher parts of Roxbury. He even helped Malcolm get a job shining shoes at the famous Roseland Ballroom jazz club.

Working there, Malcolm not only polished the shoes of great musicians like Duke Ellington and Count Basie but also learned how to hustle. As a shoeshine boy, he also provided musicians and customers with alcohol, marijuana, or the contact information of local sex workers.

Malcolm's Early Years

During this period, Malcolm enjoyed alcohol, marijuana, stylish clothing, and dancing. Shorty taught Malcolm how to straighten his hair using a painful process called conking, using hot lye to remove curls. However, Malcolm later saw conked hair as a symbol of self-degradation, describing it as an attempt to mimic white appearance. Before turning 18, Malcolm moved from job to job until he found steady work as a porter on trains, where he sold food and drinks to passengers. 

While working on the Boston to New York City route, Malcolm had his first visit to Harlem. One night, he fell in love with the city, particularly the large Savoy nightclub, which was twice the size of the Roseland. Impressed by Harlem, Malcolm decided to relocate. In 1942, he began working as a waiter at Small's Paradise, a famous restaurant and cultural hotspot in Harlem.

Malcolm turned to crime in 1940s Harlem after unemployment.

Working at Small’s Paradise gave Malcolm a crash course in Harlem street life—learning fast about hustling to survive. He figured out who to trust, who to steer clear of, and the details of various illegal activities like theft, pimping, and gambling. When Malcolm lost his job for mistakenly giving a sex worker’s number to an undercover cop, he turned to his friend Sammy the Pimp for advice. Sammy suggested Malcolm could make money selling marijuana.

From his time at the Roseland and Savoy, Malcolm had musician friends who became his reliable customers. On good days, the 17-year-old could earn $50 to $60. When police suspicions in Harlem grew, Malcolm took his business on the road, supplying musicians while on tour.

Malcolm's Turning Point

By 1943, things were becoming harder. The police shut down the Savoy temporarily, and rumors of a Black soldier being shot by a white officer nearly sparked a riot. This stopped the little money that white people brought into Harlem and led to more police presence. Malcolm started "steering," guiding white customers to hidden spots in Harlem where they could fulfill their desires.

Through these experiences, Malcolm realized that Harlem was seen as a place of immorality by white people. It was clear to him that he was on the wrong path, and soon, that path would come to an end.

Malcolm's Imprisonment and Awakening

By 1945, 20-year-old Malcolm found himself trapped in the dangerous world of hustling, where risks grew as he sought quick money and used drugs to boost his confidence. His troubles escalated when a gambling dispute in Harlem forced him out. Accused of cheating by "West Indian Archie" after winning a bet, Malcolm faced a dire ultimatum—repay or face deadly consequences. This threat plunged him deeper into a paranoid haze of opium, cocaine, and Benzedrine. Leaving Harlem for Boston in hopes of safety, Malcolm continued hustling. There, he joined forces with Shorty and two white girlfriends to rob wealthy homes. 

Their crime spree ended abruptly when Malcolm was caught trying to pawn a stolen watch, marking his first criminal offense. Normally, this would mean a two-year sentence, but the judge, angered by Malcolm's collaboration with white women, sentenced him to ten years in prison in February 1946. In prison, Malcolm had a significant change in his life. He admired an older inmate named Bimbi, who taught him the power of speaking well to earn respect. Bimbi encouraged Malcolm to use the prison library, where he became obsessed with reading. 

Malcolm spent entire nights reading books ranging from dictionaries to philosophy and history. Due to poor lighting, he developed astigmatism and needed glasses. During this time, Malcolm received letters from his brothers about the Nation of Islam, a movement aiming to empower Black people by reclaiming their forgotten identity. In prison, Malcolm embraced the Nation of Islam's teachings passionately. He prayed for the first time and delved deeper into the history of African Americans, which deeply affected him.

Malcolm's Path to Public Speaking

Prison became a pivotal time for Malcolm, shaping his ability to speak publicly. He engaged in staged debates where he argued passionately for the Nation of Islam's teachings and denounced the injustices inflicted by white people on nonwhite communities in the name of profit and Christianity. During one memorable debate, Malcolm challenged the common depiction of Jesus as a fair-skinned figure and convinced his opponent to acknowledge that Jesus was actually of darker skin tone.

After his release in 1952, Malcolm moved to Detroit to live with his brother Wilfred. His commitment to the Nation of Islam deepened, fueled by daily letters he had written to Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation. Impressed by Malcolm's dedication, Muhammad invited him to dinner, marking a significant step in Malcolm's journey within the organization. During meals, Malcolm offered to help the Nation of Islam. He quickly started recruiting in Detroit, gaining more followers over time. Other ministers noticed his success and invited him to speak at their services.

Malcolm became skilled at passionately sharing the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and W. D. Fard, the Nation's founder. These teachings included the belief that the "original man" was Black and that African Americans are descendants of African Muslims whose identities were stolen by white men. Malcolm's natural talent as an activist and speaker was becoming evident.

Malcolm X gained widespread fame.

Malcolm quickly became an official minister in the Nation of Islam. Like other ministers, he adopted the surname X, symbolizing his lost ancestral family name. He began establishing new Nation of Islam temples across the country, including in cities like Boston, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. Malcolm attracted new followers by engaging people leaving Christian churches, offering them an alternative to what he called a "white man’s religion." In due course, Malcolm X became the minister of his temple in New York City. 

Returning after nine years away, he had a chance to meet with West Indian Archie and express gratitude for pushing him to leave the city, possibly saving his life. By the late 1950s, the Nation of Islam was making headlines. In 1957, police in Harlem attacked Brother Hinton during a fight he wasn't involved in. When Malcolm X heard about it, he led 50 members to the police station. 

They demanded medical help for Brother Hinton, who was covered in blood. Eventually, the police allowed him to go to a hospital. With help from the Nation of Islam, Brother Hinton successfully sued New York City for more than $70,000. This incident of police brutality gained national attention through television and newspapers, bringing awareness to the Nation of Islam.

Malcolm X's growing fame led to conflicts with the Nation of Islam.

By 1961, the Nation of Islam was thriving. Large gatherings attracted attention, and Malcolm X used interviews to convey his message. Malcolm clarified that the Nation of Islam wasn't about "black supremacy" but aimed to empower Black men, fostering pride and dignity in their identity.

Regarding his use of "the white devil," Malcolm explained it wasn't about spreading hate but highlighting historical injustices by European and American whites against nonwhite races. He questioned why Black people should integrate with such a group. Malcolm emphasized that he spoke for Elijah Muhammad, not himself. He often redirected interview requests to Muhammad for clarification on their teachings.

Malcolm X's Rift with Elijah Muhammad and Its Consequences

To Malcolm, Muhammad was unassailable the man responsible for his salvation. So it came as quite a shock when, in 1963, Malcolm received disturbing news about his mentor. It turned out that two of Elijah Muhammad’s secretaries were filing paternity suits against him for fathering their children. Malcolm felt betrayed. This rift with Elijah Muhammad deepened as Malcolm’s fame increased. To Elijah and the other leaders of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm was now a threat.

Following the assassination of John F. Kennedy at the end of 1963, Malcolm once again made national headlines by calling the event a sign that “the chickens had come home to roost.” Immediately following this remark, the Nation of Islam publicly banned Malcolm from speaking for 90 days. Then people Malcolm knew within the Nation informed him that orders had been given for his death.

Malcolm's Mecca Pilgrimage: Unity Among Muslims

Malcolm X faced a critical moment. The leader he had devoted his life to had betrayed him and now posed a threat to his life. When his assistant revealed a plot to bomb his car, Malcolm knew he had to take drastic steps. To reaffirm his faith and escape danger, Malcolm embarked on a pilgrimage to Mecca. He was eager to deepen his understanding of Islam, particularly the "true Islam" he had heard about, different from Elijah Muhammad's teachings. 

The journey proved enlightening. In Mecca, Malcolm encountered Muslims of diverse races, receiving hospitality even from those who would be considered white in America. He met Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia, who urged him to read and cautioned against false teachings. These experiences profoundly moved Malcolm. He wrote to the US press, expressing astonishment at the brotherhood he witnessed among people of all races, prompting him to reevaluate his beliefs.

Malcolm advocated for African American rights after Mecca and visits to Cairo, Beirut, Nigeria, and Ghana. He spoke at universities and engaged with political leaders, urging support comparable to that given to Black South Africans.

Malcolm X came back to the USA with a fresh mission.

Malcolm X returned to New York on May 21, 1964, just after his 39th birthday. Upon his arrival, the press bombarded him with questions. He quickly explained his changing views. Malcolm now believed that not all white people were inherently racist. However, he still criticized what he called the superiority complex ingrained in white "so-called Christian" society. He saw this mindset as deeply damaging, evident in the riots erupting in American ghettos.

These ghettos, Malcolm argued, were a result of generations of racism and mistreatment by white society. He called this situation "sociological dynamite," warning that without action, it would inevitably explode. To address these issues, Malcolm realized a new inclusive message was necessary. He publicly broke from the Nation of Islam and formed the Muslim Mosque, Inc. He also established the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU), aiming for broader societal change to empower Black communities.

While OAAU didn't accept white members, Malcolm encouraged constructive efforts from white allies. He regretted dismissing a white college girl's question years earlier, advising now that she should start her organization in her community to promote anti-racism and non-violence among white people.

The Tragic Story of Malcolm X

Malcolm X faced constant death threats throughout his life, which drove him to act urgently. His family's safety was a top concern, especially when violence reached their doorstep. In 1965, while fighting a legal battle with the Nation of Islam over their home, Malcolm and his pregnant wife Betty survived a Molotov cocktail attack on their house. 

Tragedy struck again on February 21, 1965, during a meeting of Malcolm's organization at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. Three gunmen from the Nation of Islam shot and killed Malcolm X as he addressed the audience, leaving behind his grieving wife and children. Betty shielded their kids during the gunfire but collapsed beside Malcolm's lifeless body, devastated by his sudden death. 

At Malcolm X's funeral, actor Ossie Davis honored his legacy with a poignant eulogy. Davis emphasized that despite misconceptions, Malcolm X never condoned violence. He urged people to listen to Malcolm's message—a call for justice and empowerment for his community. To Davis, Malcolm X embodied strength and pride as a steadfast advocate for Black rights.