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24 04 2019

MALCOLM X: A BLACK NATIONALIST

Malcom X, born to a Baptist minister and civil rights activist, had huge contributions to Black

Nationalism and Pan Africanism. He did not get a good education and spent his teenage with

organized crime. But the time he spent in jail changed his life. He became spokesperson of

Nation of Islam and advocated for separate political structure for African Americans. He

became a National figure, and contributed to civil rights movement as well. In last years of his

life, he parted ways with Nation of Islam and travelled to Middle East and Northern Africa. He

then became part of Pan African movement as well, and propagated for rights of people of

African descent all over the world. Malcolm X has huge contributions to civil rights

movements, Black Nationalism, and Pan Africanism.

Family and early Life

Malcolm little was born on 19th May, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska to Louise and Earl Little. His

father, Earl little, was a Baptist minister, civil rights activist and an active member of local

chapter of Universal Negro Improvement Association. Due to which family of Malcolm was

constantly subjected to harassment from White Supremacist organization Ku Klux Klan.

Windows of their house were smashed multiple times and they were threatened very often.

Malcolm’s family moved twice for their protection when he was just a kid. In 1926, they moved

to Wisconsin, and in 1928, to Michigan. But even then, they were not secure ad their house

was burnt down. In 1931, father of Malcolm, Earl Little, was found dead across Municipal

Steer car tracks. His family suspected it as murder by white supremacists. But police ruled it

out, and presented it as a car accident. Death of Earl Little came as a huge shock to the family,
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especially Malcolm’s mother. She never recovered from this shock and got admitted to a

medical institution in 1937, and remained there for next twenty six years. And all her kids were

split up among orphanages and foster homes.

Education and Childhood

Malcolm Little was kicked out of school and sent to juvenile detention home in 1938. He was

treated well in his detention home. He then joined Mason High school. He was a good student,

and well-liked by other kids. He was elected as class president there.

In 1939, while he was in school, behavior of his English teacher put his life on a different path.

His teacher asked him what did he want to be when he would grow up. Malcolm said that he

wanted to become a lawyer. Listening to his answer, teacher ridiculed him and proposed that

he should think of a profession which he was more likely to end up with, like carpentry. This

racial apartheid by that teacher turned his life completely, and he dropped out of school the

following year.

Malcolm, after dropping out of school, went to live in Boston with his older half-sister, Ella.

There, he got involved in drugs. He started selling drugs, and got involved in criminal activities.

He became a drug addict himself as well. He then became part of organized crime in New

York. But all the actions have consequences, and he learnt it when he got arrested and sentenced

for ten years in prison in 1946.

Prison Time and Nation of Islam

When Malcolm Little was in jail, he started studying different books. He personally filled the

void which was left behind because he left education at an early age. He studied about

colonialism and slavery. He became more familiarized with the struggles of Black people.

Moreover, his father was also a vocal of rights of African Americans. And his cousins

frequently visited him in jail who were part of Nation of Islam. He also became very impressed

with Elijah Muhammad who was leader of Nation of Islam.

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Nation of Islam was an organization found in 1930 whose ideology was a combination of

traditional Islam and Black Nationalism. They argued that it was African slaves who brought

Islam to America, and Islam states that Muslims in the whole world are a separate nation. Their

ideology was a separate political and economic structure for African Americans in USA. It

was in a common idea in Nation of Islam that a separate system was needed for African

Americans even if violent means were to be used.

Malcolm joined Nation of Islam in 1949, and became a strong follower of Elijah Muhammad.

By joining this organization, he gave his life a new purpose. He became more enthusiastic

about Black Nationalism. He started believing that African Americans needed a new system of

their own. He spent three more years in jail, and was released from prison in 1952.

Contributions of Malcolm Little for Nation of Islam and Black Nationalism

Malcolm was a naturally gifted speaker. He had excellent speaking skills. After being released

from jail, he became spokesperson of Nation of Islam. He advocated for rights of African

Americans, and demanded for a separate political and economic entity. He also started

recruiting people in NOI. In 1952, there were only four hundred members of NOI, but this

number reached to forty thousand in 1960. He became the face of Nation of Islam and

propagated it to National level. He became a National figure advocating for Black Nationalism.

He also became minister for Temple No. 11 in Boston, and Temple No. 7 in Harlem. He

founded couple of Temples as well. Moreover, he established a National newspaper named as

‘Muhammad Speaks’, to spread the message of Nation of Islam. Malcom became the face of

anger and grievances of African Americans. He became one of the major face of civil rights

movement as well.

It was a tradition of NOI members to change their last names to ‘X’. It was a symbol which

was thought to have been forced upon slaves by their masters. Malcolm Little also changed his

last name to ‘X’ in 1953.

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Views of Malcolm X were that there could be no peaceful revolution. He proliferated the idea

of separate system for African Americans. And he believed that any means possible should be

used to obtain that goal. In this way, his views were also different to that of Martin Luther

King. Malcolm X demanded separate system whereas Martin Luther King talked about

peaceful and equal coexistence. Malcolm X used to criticize Martin Luther King’s views of

non-violence and integration.

Malcolm X parting his ways with Nation of Islam

Malcolm X was one of the key figures of Nation of Islam. Malcolm believed in Black

Nationalism which should’ve been achieved through any means possible. In early 1960’s, there

was a growing rift between Malcolm and NOI leadership over political direction of this

organization. Malcolm wanted NOI to become more active about civil rights movement rather

than just being critic on sidelines. Moreover, when John F. Kennedy was murdered, Elijah

Muhammad instructed all members of his organization not to say anything for at least three

months about that incident. But Malcolm did not follow his instructions and gave a statement

publicly. Malcolm said that “chickens coming home to roost” about the death of President

Kennedy. This caused major backlash in the country and in the organization as well. Another

incident happened which put fuel to the fire. Malcolm got to know about extra marital affairs

of Elijah Muhammad. Malcolm was deeply hurt because he followed Elijah like a mentor, and

the affairs of Elijah were against teachings of Islam. It was in 1964 when Malcolm left Nation

of Islam due to all of above cited reasons. After parting ways with NOI, he went to Mecca and

performed Hajj. He also became traditional Muslim and changed his name to El-Hajj Malik

El-Shabazz.

Malcolm X and Pan Africanism

Pan Africanism was the idea that people of African continent had common interests whether

they were living in Africa or anywhere else in the world. It called for the unification of people
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of African descent all over the world. It proposed that people of African continent were

different and it was in their best interest to live together rather than assimilating with Europeans

or Americans. It was general notion of Pan Africanism that European countries were the main

reason Africa was so underdeveloped. Pan Africanism also protested against colonialism and

imperialism.

Malcolm X went to visit Northern Africa after performing his Hajj. There he visited Nigeria,

Ghana, Senegal, Liberia, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Guinea, and this journey proved to change

his political thoughts. He learnt that apartheid was not only an issue of USA, but of the whole

world. He embraced socialism and pan-Africanism. He became more internationalized, and

expanded his vision of Black Nationalism from USA to Africa and the whole world. After his

visit to Middle East and Africa, he became a transnational vocal for Black Nationalism, anti-

colonialism, and Pan-Africanism.

Assassination of Malcolm X

Malcolm X returned to USA from Africa and after some months he got assassinated on 21st

February, 1965. Three members of Nation of Islam were charged with his murder.

Malcolm X: A Transnational Black Nationalist

Malcolm was a domestic Black Nationalist while he was in Nation of Islam. He advocated a

separate political system for people of African descent living in USA. But when he left NOI

and visited Northern Africa, he became a transnational figure. He then advocated the rights of

Africans all over the world. He became very popular figure against colonialism and

imperialism. He became an exponent of the idea that Europe was the reason Africa was

underdeveloped. It was in his last years that he became a transnational figure to defend the

rights of African people all over the world.

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Conclusion

Malcolm X was a visionary black nationalist and a multinational pan Africanist. He had huge

contributions to civil rights movement as well. He advocated not only for the rights of African

Americans but also for Africans of the whole world. History has remembered him for his

contributions for Black Nationalism, and it always will.

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Works Cited

Books

Rodney, Walter. How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. London: Bogle-L’Ouverture

Publications, 1972.

Barr, Roger. Malcolm X. Lucent Books, 1994.

Articles in a Scholarly Journal

Rucker, Walter. "A Negro within a Nation." The Black Scholar, vol. 32, no. 3, 2002, pp. 37-

46.

Redkey, Edwin, "Bishop Turner’s African Dream." Journal of American History, vol. 54, no.

2, 1967, pp. 271-290. .

Baraka, Imamu Amiri, "Black Nationalism." The Black Scholar, vol. 04, no. 01, 1972, pp. 23-

29.

Gethers, Solomon P., "Black Nationalism and Human Liberation." The Black Scholar, vol. 01,

no. 07, 1970, pp. 43-50.

Anderson, S.E., "Revolutionary Black Nationalism in Pan African." The Black Scholar, vol.

02, no. 07, 1971, pp. 16-22.

Dyson, Michael Eric, "Malcolm X and the revival of Black Nationalism." Tikkun, vol. 31, no.

03, pp. 21-22.