Malcolm X Civil Rights Activist

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother, Louise Norton Little, stayed at home and took care of her eight kids. His father, Earl Little, was a black minister who was a civil rights activist as well. Before Malcolm’s fourth birthday, his family was forced to relocate due to death threats to his father.

Regardless of the Little’s efforts to elude the Legion, in 1929, their Lansing, Michigan home was burned to the ground. Two years later, Earl’s body was found lying across the town’s trolley tracks. Police ruled both incidents as accidents, but the Littles were certain that members of the Black Legion were responsible. Louise could not handle all that was going on and she went mad, being put into a mental

On that trip he saw that his response from those of a different culture were surprisingly positive and full of gratitude. When he returned, Malcolm said he had met “blonde-haired, blued-eyed men I could call my brothers.” He returned to the United States with a new outlook on integration and a new hope for the future. Malcolm would no longer speak only to the coloreds. He had developed a message for the men and women of every race.

Malcolm left the Nation of Islam but all ties were not broken. The Nation did not agree with Malcolm’s decision and they despised his for it. There have been many reports regarding the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X. There have even been reports of bomb threats from the Nation to Malcolm.

After repeated attempts on his life, Malcolm rarely traveled anywhere without bodyguards. On February 14, 1965 the home where Malcolm, Betty, and their four daughters lived in East Elmhurst, New York was firebombed. Luckily, the family escaped physical injury.

One week later, however, Malcolm’s enemies were successful in their ruthless attempt. At a speaking engagement in the Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965, three gunmen rushed Malcolm onstage. They shot him 15 times at close range. The 39-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at New York’s Columbia Presbyterian