Letter To Malcolm X

1142 Words3 Pages

Like many, I often wonder what it would be like to talk to an influential political figure. One wants to sit with them, ask questions and find out what they think about things that is going around them today, but they no longer exist to answer. I personally wish that if I could invite Malcolm X a human rights activists for a dinner and have a chat with him about his life. And how he fought for the human rights.
I only have the general background information about Malcolm X. Malcolm X was a prominent figure during the civil rights era. He was effectively orphaned early in life. His father killed in the streetcar accident when he was six and his mother was sent to the mental hospital when he was thirteen. After living in the foster home for …show more content…

Fard Muhammad on July 4, 1930. And I started to study the teachings of nation of Islam (NOI) too when I was in the prison. Elijah Muhammad the leader of the NOI taught that white society actively worked to keep African-Americans from empowering themselves and achieving political, economic, and social success.” It was 8:30 PM and we both went to the dining table to eat dinner. On the dinner table I asked him to tell me more about his journey to Nation of Islam and then later on why he separated from the nation of Islam in 1964 and the same year he embarked on an extended trip through North Africa and the Middle East. He actually laughed and said that “it is a long story but I would just like to say is that I left the NOI because there was growing tension between Elijah Muhammad and I. Perhaps because of the rumors of Elijah’s infidelity. And after I left the NOI I embarked the trip through North Africa and Middle East and that journey proved to be the both political and spiritual turning point in my life. And during that trip I also made the Hajj and converted to traditional Islam. And that is where I changed my name to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. After I came back, in march 1964, I formed the Muslim Mosque, Inc. because I was no longer with the NOI.” We were done eating and came back to the living room and sat there for a while just to have a cup of

Show More
Related

  • Nation of Islam in the Light of Elijah Muhammad

    2034 Words  | 5 Pages

    In 1930 Wallace D. Fard gave birth to the Nation of Islam movement. He began in Detroit going door to door preaching to black families about his remedy for their problems. He tried replacing their beliefs with his own, for solving their problems. Fard had three main ideas that laid the foundation for his “remedy”. He wanted black separatism, everyone to know that white men are evil (which was not hard for African Americans to believe since the idea already lived within their minds), and to show the inadequacy of Christianity to African Americans. During this period Fard recruited Elijah Poole, changed Elijah’s name to Elijah Muhammad and developed him into his Chief Minister. With the mysterious disappearance of Fard in 1934, Elijah took over the movement. Elijah was born in Sandersville, Georgia in 1897 as the seventh of twelve children. He barely finished the third grade before dropping out to work in the fields to help support his family (Muhammad 1+). During his childhood Elijah witnessed a lynching right before his eyes; different accounts vary on whom he actually saw lynched. In Baldwin’s account in “Down at the Cross,” he says he saw his father lynched befo...

    Read More

  • The Enduring Legacy of Malcolm X

    1969 Words  | 4 Pages

    If there was any one man who demonstrated the anger, the struggle, and the beliefs of African Americans in the 1960s, that man was Malcolm X. The African American cultural movement of the 1920s lost momentum in the 1930s because of worldwide economic depression. The Great Depression helped to divert attention from cultural to economic matters. Even before the stock market crash of 1929, unemployment and poverty among blacks was exceptionally high. It was under these difficult conditions that Malcolm X experienced his youth in the South. Malcolm X was a very controversial character in his time. He grew up in a very large family. His father hunted rabbits to sell to the white people for money, and his mother stayed home to take care of all the children. Several times when he was young, his family was forced to relocate due to the racist groups that would burn or run them out of their home like the Ku Klux Klan. One of these groups called the Black Legion killed his father by tying him to the railroad tracks. Malcolm’s father had life insurance but was not given to his family because they said that Earl Little had committed suicide. This was quite impossible because his head was bashed in and he tied himself to the railroad. Without his father’s income, Malcolm's family was forced to get government help and food. Applying for this type of assistance brought many white Social Workers into their home. They asked questions and interrogated the entire family. Malcolm’s mother always refused to talk or let them in.

    Read More

  • Reflection On The Autobiography Of Malcolm X

    1496 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, I would like to say that this book is worthwhile reading although it is a quite thick and might take longer time to finish reading it. I might not good in reviewing a book or giving criticism for something. Reading this autobiography can benefit people in many fields. Different people will see things differently. So does when reading this book, certain people might take the lessons differently and it might benefit differently. For example, as a sociological study, it could provide fascinating insights into ghetto life and the ways which an individual learned to survive in the ghetto. Meanwhile as a religious work, it does tell about how an individual is struggling in order to find his God. And it cannot be denied as it is clear that in political work is the book has had its strongest impact.

    Read More

  • The Life and Legacy of Malcolm X

    522 Words  | 2 Pages

    Malcolm X should be everyone’s hero, someone people like myself should look up to as a human being. Anyone who thinks otherwise is either a racist or is extremely ignorant. Malcolm X wore his heart on his sleeve and whether right or wrong he was never afraid to say what was on his mind to anyone who cared to listen. I personally believe Malcolm X’s beliefs give me strength to do what's right and carry myself with dignity. I remember, as a kid, my parents had tons of books about Black History books. The first book I read was a Malcolm X biography. I realized Malcolm X was truly a powerful, significant, and essential work for all time.

    Read More

  • Biography of Malcolm X: A Famous Civil Rights Activist

    1605 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...e was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam” (Kershaw). Malcolm X discovered that Islam is the religion of peace. After traveling to Africa and doing some soul searching, Malcolm X found his organization, Muslim Mosque, Inc. He had a new peaceful outlook and would say things like, “I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color” (Kershaw). Unfortunately Malcolm X was killed about a year after finding his organization.

    Read More

  • Development Of Malcolm X Essay

    1128 Words  | 3 Pages

    This paper will discuss the different stages of thought processes the former Nation of Islam minister, Malcolm X went through during his lifetime in terms of how he viewed white people, but more specifically “the white man” in America. The reason the focus is on White Americans is because these were the people outside of the Nation of Islam that shaped his life good or bad and put him on the path where he eventually transformed from Malcolm Little to Malcolm X who was one of the most polarizing and controversial figures during his lifetime and even nearly 50 years after his death the name Malcolm X causes certain people to shudder. Malcolm X became a well-known figure during the 50’s and 60’s during the civil rights movement which involved figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. This was a pivotal era in American history because for the first time that there was major push towards full rights for African Americans. When Malcolm X came on the scene he put fear into White people because they weren’t used to hearing the truth about race relations in America and many of them felt that things were just fine because they themselves were living life high on the hog while at the same time exploiting Blacks. Because this type of talk from a black person was new to them they misinterpreted his views as “hate speech” and accused him of trying to incite violence when he was simply trying wake his people up to properly deal with what was happening to them.

    Read More

  • Malcolm X

    1160 Words  | 3 Pages

    Malcolm X was born May 19, 1925, and he was assassinated on February 21, 1965. Malcolm X was a Muslim leader and Civil Rights leader. He was born Malcolm Little to Earl Little and Louise Norton, who were both activists in the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Malcolm X was a bright student but was very bitter towards white authority figures. X quit school after a teacher said that his desire to become a lawyer was not a “realistic goal for a nigger.”

    Read More

  • Malcolm X's Life and Accomplishments

    1413 Words  | 3 Pages

    Malcolm X was an African American minister and civil rights leader. Unlike many activists of his time, he took a different approach to the movement. In his lifetime, from 1925 to 1965, he was known as an advocate for the rights of blacks, and has been named one of the greatest and most influential men in history. Early Life Malcolm was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska to Louise and Earl Little. His Father, Earl, was a Baptist minister and an active member of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (founded by Marcus Garvey).

    Read More

  • Personal Essay: The Autobiography Of Malcolm X

    2067 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Autobiography of Malcolm X is a personal account of one man’s search for truth in a racially charged world. Born Malcolm Little, in Omaha, Nebraska, his life is marred by injustice and violence at a very young age. His father, a tall and extremely black man, with little education, is mysteriously murdered, forcing his mother into a mental hospital. Malcolm, along with his siblings, were placed in foster homes. His beginnings had always included racism; the family firmly believed, though never proven, his father was murdered by a KKK splinter group, after years of harassment. A turning point came when a teacher asked him what he would like to be when he grew up. As he answered he wanted to become a lawyer, his teacher told him, “you’ve got

    Read More

  • Martin Luther King: Letter from Birmingham Jail

    1437 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1963, living in Birmingham, Alabama was tough to live in due to how segregated it was. Everything from businesses, diners, libraries, churches, and even bathrooms were segregated. Martin L. King went to Birmingham because he was called by affiliates from the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights contacted him in aiding them on a nonviolent direct action program. He wanted to help because of the injustices there and was said that anything unjust in Birmingham ultimately affects everyone. King and others paraded around Birmingham protesting against this when he was arrested for doing so after a court ordered that Martin L. King could not protest in that area. While in jail, he wrote a letter that later becomes a big part of history during the struggles of segregation.

    Read More

  • The Black Power Movement vs the Civil Rights Movement

    482 Words  | 1 Pages

    The NOI was founded by Wallace D Ford in 1930, with Elijah Mohammed as the “prophet,” later replaced by the more famous. Malcolm X. The Nation of Islam hated white America as much as white America hated them. They are all a lot. They campaigned for equality but segregation to remain. separate, but to gain the same facilities as white people had and not.

    Read More

  • Free Essays - Autobiography of Malcolm X

    957 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley is about a man who changed the history of America.  Malcolm (Little) X preached what he believed about racism, discrimination, and segregation.  He went through many changes in his fight for equality.  The three transformations that really changed the way Malcolm thought and preached where his transformation in prison, his transformation into the Islamic religion (following Elijah Muhammad), and the biggest transformation of all, his pilgrimage to Mecca.  In all of Malcolm actions, teachings and transformations we learn different points of view and we get a good look at different aspects of events.  The life of Malcolm (Little) X as told in his autobiography should be read by all.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Malcolm X's Message To The Grassroots

    1515 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Message to the Grassroots” was a speech given by Malcolm X shortly after the march on Washington. Malcolm X was always called an extremist when it came to black rights, and he was fed up with the nonviolent message coming from other civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. The goal Malcolm X had in this speech was to convince the black masses to not be content with the pace of change or the way change is going about. In Message to the grassroots, Malcolm X comes off very strong using a barrage of metaphors and imagery to connect with his audience to prove his point of needing a violent path for revolution.

    Read More

  • Malcolm X Thesis Paper

    1375 Words  | 3 Pages

    The history of the United States has in it much separation or segregation due to race. For a long time our country has seen racism as a large problem and this has caused ethnic groups to be looked down upon and forced into a lifestyle of difficulties and suppression. Due to this, races, particularly African-Americans, have been forced to deal with unequal opportunity and poverty, leading to less honorable ways of getting by and also organizations that support change. Malcolm X is one strong example of an African American man who became apart of a group acted against it, uniting people to promote the advancement of colored people and change. Malcolm's thoughts towards race and civil right in the previous years were displayed in a less way to the people and "by any means necessary" perspective. After his pilgrimage in 1964 his view of civil rights had quickly changed into a more complete view of civil rights, and the peoples views towards him. No one really knows what kind of impact Malcolm X would have had on history if he had not been assassinated. His beliefs and philosophy did gain him a place in history as one of the best-known Black Nationalist Leaders. Everyone seems to have known who Malcolm X was, and he ranks high with all other Black leaders. His ideas were radical and he was very out spoken. He was a major force in the development of black history. He fought not only for his people but also for all oppressed people everywhere. He was well spoken and he laid the groundwork for the black power movement of the late l960's.

    Read More

  • Essay On Malcolm X

    2154 Words  | 5 Pages

    and his mother was put in a mental hospital when he was only thirteen, after which he lived in many foster homes, he was never adopted. Around 1946,when he was 20, he ended up in prison for larceny and breaking and entering. While in prison he joined the Nation of Islam, and after his parole in 1952 he rapidly became one of is leaders. For many years he was the public face of the controversial group; in k...

    Read More

More about Letter To Malcolm X

Open Document