Malcolm X

Malcolm X (by Jocelyn)

It was 40 years ago in Harlem, New York, 11:30am-12:00noon. The brown-skinned, tall, thin, outspoken, smart and caring young man, Malcolm X was giving a speech to a loud and anxious crowd. Suddenly...BAM, BAM, BAM, the piercing sounds of gunshots came over the room and the panicked audience. The room was filled with the terrified hollering and stomping of the people screaming and running. Little did they know that 16 bullets pierced Malcolm's body. After the sounds of the screaming and running had stopped, police went to investigate. That's when they saw the dead body of Malcolm X. After Malcolm's assassination, police convicted 3 black Muslim followers of the murder. Mourners filled the streets of Harlem for 6 days following Malcolm's assassination, when his body was laid to rest. Ossie Davis, the renowned actor, film director, and screenwriter delivered Malcolm's eulogy. Harlem and the rest of the world bid tearful farewell to one of its brightest civil rights leaders, warriors, activists, hopes, and hero...

Hero, Everyone has their own interpretations of what a hero is or means. Some people think a hero is someone who has superpowers like superman, or a politician. What my interpretation of a hero is is someone who inspires people and makes an impact or change to the world. My idea of a hero is Malcolm X...

Malcolm Little, which will be later known as Malcolm X or Al-Hajj Mali El-Shabazz, was born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925. Malcolm along with his siblings, Reginal, Wesley, and Yvonne were the children of an African American baptist preacher, Earl, and Louise Little. Earl Little was a member of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and a supporter of Marcus Garvey (1887-1990) formed an all black organization, the UNIA. This got him in trouble with the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) a violent terrorist organization dedicated to forcing blacks out of politics and after the family was threatened they moved to Lansing, Michigan. Earl Little continued to make speeches in favor of UNIA and in 1929 the family house was burned down by members of the Black Legion. "In 1931, Earl Little was found dead by a streetcar railway track. Although no one was convicted of the crime, it was generally believed that Earl Little had been murdered by the Black Legionaries."

"Depressed by her husband's death, Malcolm's mother, Louise never recovered and, in 1937, she was sent to the State Mental Hospital at Kalamazoo, where she stayed for the next 26 years." Life for Malcolm after his father's death was diffcult, moving from one foster home to another. However, he continued managing to get good grades in school; in fact, he was one of the best students. Until he left school at the age of 15 because he told one of his teachers that he wanted to be a lawyer when he grew up. But his teacher said that’s not realistic for an African American to be, “No realistic goals for a nigger.”

After Malcolm left school he moved to Boston to live with his sister, Yvonne. He worked a variety of odd jobs in Harlem and after becoming addicted to cocaine, turned to crime. In 1946, he was convicted of burglary and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. While in prison he was converted to the Black Muslim. The Black Muslims (known officially as the Nation of Islam) are a religious faith.

After his release from prison in 1952 he moved to Chicago where he met Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam sect. Malcolm was so fascinated by Elijah Muhammad and his teachings that he converted and dedicated himself to Elijah Muhammad and the Black Muslim faith. He later changed his name to Malcolm X, a custom among Muhammad’s followers who considered their family names to have originated with white slaveholders. Soon after Malcolm became a leading and outspoken figure in the Nation of Islam. He went on several speaking tours and helped establish several new mosques, a Muslim place of worship. Filled with so much enthusiasm, he was eventually assigned to be minister of the mosque in New York’s Harlem’s area.

Everything was going great for him, he met his soon-to-be wife, Betty Shabazz married her on Jan.14, 1958 had 6 children (all daughters) and gave inspirational and powerful speeches. Until he rejected integration and racial equality and instead advocated black power. Malcolm’s beliefs of black power caused his suspension from the Nation of Islam. In March 1964, Malcolm left the Nation of Islam and established his own religious organization, the organization of Afro-American Unity. After a pilgrimage to Mecca and the Muslim Mosque Inc. in order of his new-found religious organization he creates his hajj, was a symbol of religious devotion. Malcolm rejected his former separatist beliefs and advocated world brotherhood, Malcolm now blamed racism on Western culture and urged African Americans to join with sympathetic whites to bring it to an end.

While Malcolm X and his followers believed that this organization was a righteous path to brotherhood, a group of men united for a common purpose. Others thought this was a cult to defeat the white race and enforce black power. This led people to think that Malcolm was a racist, but according to one interview with a reporter, Malcolm set the record straight saying: “ I am not a racist. I am against every form of racism and segregation, every form of discrimation, I believe in human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color”.

After the interview, Malcolm continued to preach on about world brotherhood and continued to inspire and influence others. Despite the on-going controversy of Malcolm being a racist, he continued.

Malcolm X continued to preach on about world brotherhood and equality until his death on February. 21, 1965. Malcolm attended a party meeting in Harlem and was shot dead. Police later convicted 3 black Muslims followers of the murder. However, the people were still saddened even after the capture of the murderers. Malcolm X, a browned skinned, tall, thin, outspoken, caring, smart, young man was gone. But in even in his untimely passing he influenced and inspired not only the African American communities but the whole world with his infectious and dominating personality and beliefs he made people realize that African Americans were an important part of society and that we should have equality among all races.

My idea of a hero is Malcolm X because, even though he was one of the twentieth century’s most controversial figures with his beliefs of racism, he is consider a hero to many. From African Americans to Caucasians to Hispanics (like me). Malcolm made people realize that African Americans have been, and still are, important and have created contributions to society and the world. I one day hope that I can be like him and make the citizens of America see that Mexicans are an important part of America. He was and continues to be an outspoken and powerful leader to many people today. That’s why he’s my hero. My hero is Malcolm X.

THE END