Malcolm X was born in Omaha, Nebraska, as Malcolm Little, one of seven children to Earl and Louise Little. His father, Earl, was a Baptist preacher who supported the Back to Africa movement led by Marcus Garvey. The family moved to Lansing, Michigan, where Earl attempted to open a store, but a group of white supremacists, the Black Legion, became hostile towards him.
Tragedy struck when Earl was found dead on the trolley tracks, with the police ruling his death an accident, but Malcolm believed he was murdered by the Black Legion. After his father's death, Malcolm's mother, Louise, struggled to support her eight children, leading to Malcolm being removed from her care and placed with a white couple. Two years later, Louise suffered a nervous breakdown and was committed to a mental hospital, where she remained for 26 years.
Malcolm dropped out of school and moved to Boston, where he became involved in criminal activity, including numbers running and drug dealing. He was eventually sentenced to eight to 10 years in prison, where he learned to read and write and became interested in the Nation of Islam.
After being paroled in 1952, Malcolm committed himself to learning more about the Nation of Islam and became a prominent speaker, attracting thousands of African-Americans to the faith. He married Betty Shabazz, a Muslim nurse, and had four daughters. However, Malcolm's charismatic personality and outspoken views often put him at odds with Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam.
In the early 1960s, Malcolm discovered that Elijah Muhammad had fathered several children with his secretaries, which led to a rift between the two. Malcolm was eventually suspended from his duties as spokesperson and then expelled from the Nation of Islam in 1964.
Malcolm went on to form his own movement, Muslim Mosque, Inc., and continued to speak out against racism and inequality. He made a pilgrimage to Mecca, where he was warmly received by Muslims of many nationalities, leading him to realize the importance of interfaith dialogue and cooperation.
Tragically, Malcolm's life was cut short when he was assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, New York City, in 1965. The exact circumstances of his murder remain unclear, with some blaming the Nation of Islam and others pointing to unknown assailants. Despite his untimely death, Malcolm X's legacy continues to inspire and influence people around the world.
