Malcolm X

What is a hero? A hero is someone who knows right from wrong and helps out not only themselves, but others too. A hero can be anyone that shows noble qualities. A man who has the title of a hero is Malcolm X. Malcolm X was a brave man and he showed integrity. He had a rough background when he was younger; he got involved with drugs and lived a life of crime. Later, Malcolm Little went to jail because of a robbery. After spending time in jail, Malcolm converted to Islam and helped a man named Elijah Muhammad, organize temples. He then wanted to help make a change when he saw that African Americans were not being treated right. Even though Malcolm X had lived a life of crime, he possessed qualities of a hero, such as bravery and integrity.

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            Malcolm X was known for many reasons; he wanted integration to end he also wanted rights for himself and his fellow African Americans. He fought for those rights by showing bravery; Malcolm knew that if he wanted rights, he would have to fight for them. "Malcolm affirmed fighting back if attacked and felt integration was demeaning and that it would lead only to token accommodation by whites. He essentially concluded integration would have no effect on the urban Black underclass (IMDiversity, INC.)." Malcolm X knew what he wanted, that's why he was fighting for his rights. Not only his rights, but the rights of his fellow African Americans, and he would fight back if he needed to. Malcolm X fought back with words and violence when needed; later he came to realize that violence wasn't the answer and he was brave enough to stand up for what he believed in, even when many people were against him but Malcolm didn't care about his own safety. He also showed bravery by proving to people that not everyone in this world is bad and that everyone is different. "In 1964, after eating and praying with Muslims of all races who had gathered from many countries in the holy sites of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, he gave up his racist views. He no longer believed white people were devils and accepted them as human beings. Now, when he condemned individual white people, it would be because of their actions, not their color. He also came to believe that whites could help the civil rights movement (Taylor, Kimberly)." Bravery doesn't mean fighting, or not being afraid of something. Sometimes, bravery means that someone is willing to give up what they believe in for what's right, even though it could hurt them. Malcolm X changed his beliefs about white people after he traveled to other parts of the world. He knew that racism wasn't only happening with whites vs. blacks, but also with lots of other people around him. He figured out that not all whites were racist and his view on life changed; this made him a stronger person and helped him create equality with many others. In the beginning, Malcolm X told his followers to use violence when needed; he then figured out that violence wasn't necessary in a situation like this. Bravery is about knowing right from wrong and accepting that. Malcolm's bravery proved to be an initial factor in helping him win the rights he wanted. He didn't back out and he showed that quitters never win.

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          Malcolm showed integrity in everything he did. He figured out right from wrong during his time in jail, and he decided to take it out to the open world. One way Malcolm showed his integrity was by figuring out what he was really fighting for, not against. He wanted rights, not domination. "As he passionately spoke to America, Malcolm brazenly challenged white domination and demanded change. In doing so, he struck a nerve with large segments of the Black population and helped many find self -respect and racial pride (IMDiversity, INC.)." Malcolm X showed integrity by showing that everyone had rights. He gave out respect for himself and for others. He wasn't fighting against anyone; he was fighting for the rights of people because it was the right thing to do. Malcolm made speeches that would tell everyone that just because they were white, didn't mean they were the only people with rights. Malcolm X's speeches were moving which helped people find who they were and what they were fighting for. Not only did Malcolm show everyone who he was, he taught people to look within themselves and find who they are. "During his life, and for many years after his death, most people thought of Malcolm X only as the young minister for the Nation of Islam who openly called white people "devils" and said whites were naturally evil. In televised interviews, Malcolm X often called himself "the angriest man in America." But many people today also remember his teachings about racial pride and the contributions of black throughout history (Taylor, Kimberly)." Malcolm knew that what whites were doing and saying to his fellow African Americans was wrong. He showed that he really could fight for their rights and stop being treated badly. Also, Malcolm wanted to stop having to hear racial comments about himself, his followers, and loved ones. All of Malcolm's speeches taught a lesson and they showed everyone that they had rights. They showed that rights couldn't be taken away from people so easily. Malcolm once said,  "we declare our right on this earth to be a man, to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary (Ford, Glen)." This was showing that he really did care about his rights and wanted respect for everyone and everything. People have feelings and rights; and Malcolm X made them realize that. Malcolm's integrity impacted a lot of his followers and his fellow Africa Americans. He didn't just fight for rights, he taught everyone who they really were. Once Mr. X figured out that hurting people was the wrong was to go, he changed his thinking about white people.

            Malcolm X had many heroic qualities which included bravery and integrity. Even though his past was dirty, he decided to brighten his future and the future of others. Malcolm X proved that people can do anything they set their mind to. He knew that if he wanted something, he would have to fight for it. Malcolm X is an inspiration because he showed that it doesn't matter who or what someone is, all that matters is that if they are determined to make a change, they can and they will. He proved to be a real hero and didn't back out during the hardest of times. Everyone can fight for rights, everyone can fight for the right thing, and all it takes is a little courage. Malcolm X had enough courage to fight; he fought until his death, that's what determination and courage truly is.