Malcolm X

Malcolm X is the perfect ideal of a hero. He grew up in a poor neighborhood. He didn't have much parental support growing up as a kid. When he was six, his father was killed in an accident in 1931. His father and mother where activists following the teachings of Marcus Garvey. A little after his father's death, his mother was put into a mental hospital. When that happened he spent a few years in a foster home and then at the age of sixteen he moved from his hometown of East Lansing, Michigan to New York.

He moved to Harlem, New York and got caught up in the fast pace life of the city. He became a drug dealer in the Harlem underworld where there are drugs, prostitution, and confidence games. He then gave that up for another way of getting the quick dollar, and that was thieving. Soon he was caught and sentenced to ten years in jail. This is when his tables turned. While in jail, he was introduced to the Nation of Islam. He began reading the Quaran, to learn about the religion and the dictionary, to expand his vocabulary. After he began reading the dictionary, he began memorizing all the words and definitions. He was soon paroled for good behavior and began to start his mission of bringing Islam to America.

He started making a lot of popular speeches for Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. He took his pilgrimage to Mecca, which every Muslim must try to do in their lifetime. This was a very emotional moment for Malcolm. He realized there that blacks and whites could get along. He started making speeches that Elijah felt were against what he was trying to say. Elijah Muhammad wanted the Muslim community to think that all white men are devils and Malcolm wanted his followers to know that all people are created equal and only Allah can judge a man.

After one of his speeches, white people began calling his house making death threats. They had learned about the dispute between Elijah and him and found that he had been banned from the Nation of Islam. On February 21, 1965, while making a speech, Malcolm X's life was taken by three people from the Nation of Islam. Even though his life was taken from this world, his impact is still felt this day.

The reason why I chose Malcolm X as my hero is easy. He turned his whole life around. He went from being a common thief to being a major part of the black power movement and a minister for the Nation of Islam. Then he spoke out for reconciling differences between whites and blacks. That is why he is my hero and should be yours as well. He has touched so many peoples lives and has touched mine.