41st Anniversary of the Assassination of Malcolm X, “The Ballot or the Bullet”

Malcolm X was a leader of the nationalist black movement during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. His father, Earl Little, was an outspoken Baptist minister and avid supporter of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey and became targeted by the KKK. When Malcolm was just six years old, his father's body was found beaten to a pulp.

As a child, Malcolm X excelled in school and graduated from junior high at the top of his class. But he lost interest in school when his favorite teacher told him his idea of becoming a lawyer was "no realistic goal for a nigger." He dropped out and eventually wound up in Harlem, New York, where he became a drug dealer and a thief. At the age of 20, he was caught and sentenced to several years in prison for robbery. In prison, Malcolm renewed his studies and found the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. By the time he got out of prison, Malcolm had converted to Islam and changed his name. He considered "Little" a slave name and chose the surname "X" to symbolize his lost African name.

Malcolm X was appointed a minister and national spokesman for the Nation of Islam. He established new mosques in Detroit, Michigan, Harlem, and other cities. He was largely credited with increasing the Nation of Islam's membership from 500 in 1952 to 30,000 in 1963. As Malcolm X's fame began to supersede Elijah Muhammad's, tensions grew within the Nation of Islam. FBI agents infiltrated the organization. Shortly after learning Elijah Muhammad was betraying his own teachings and having affairs with several women, Malcolm X split with the Nation of Islam. He founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Malcolm X was shot to death on February 21, 1965 in New York City. Many believe the FBI helped to foment the tensions between Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam.

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