Malcolm X's Contribution To The Black Power Movement

“You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.”

Malcom X was a person who argued that African Americans will never get to achieve equality in a society being dominated by whites. So as a result, he pushed black to stand their ground and fight back when they are faced in an armed revolution. He felt as if blacks should all get together to form their own society rather than integrate within a white society. As well as preaching violence, he preached pride, and in the way he contributed greatly to the black power movement of the 1960s. The second domain where Malcolm X’s contribution is felt is that he is one of the first voices to speak of America’s “crisis of representation.” Malcolm X is one of the first to toll the bell in demanding that America’s narrative be represented with as many voices as possible. In his work as a member of the Nation of Islam, he understood this from the position of a Black Man in America.

Malcom X was born on May 19, 1925 as Malcom Little in Omaha, Nebraska. His

mother, Mrs. Louise Norton Little was a homemaker and his father Mr. Earl Little was a Baptist minister. “ Earl Little’s controversial beliefs led to constant trouble for his family, Little was a follower of Marcus Garvey, who believed that the descendants of slaves should return to Africa and forge a new life on their ancestral soil. Garvey’s focus on autonomy and hatred in white racists in Omaha, Nebraska.”(BOOK) Earl’s civil rights activism prompted death threats from the white supremacist organization Black Legion, forcing the family to relocate twice before Malcom’s fourth birthday (The Estate of Malcom X, 2015). So in 1929 their Lansing, Michigan home was burned to the ground just two years later Mr. Earl’s body was found lying across the town’s trolley tracks (The Estate of Malcom X, 2015). Mrs. Louise battled with emotional heartbreak for several years’ right after husband’s death. So much so that she had to get committed into a mental institution. This then resulted in all seven of her kids to be put in foster homes or even orphanages.

After being pushed in and out of foster homes at the age of 17 Malcom spent most of his time in the streets of Detroit, Boston, and New York. Malcom was exposed to a lot of illegal and dangerous things during his time spent on the streets. So much so that Malcom sentenced to ten years in prison for a burglary charge in 1946 (Bracks, 272).During his time spent in prison he started to read up on the Nation of Islam. Malcom loved it so much he changed his last name to “X” and then became a national minister in the Nation of Islam in 1952.He spoke directly to the black community, encouraging them to demand their rights as citizens and ultimately recognize the white man as the “devil.”(Bracks, 272)

Malcom X aggressively advocated for the rights of blacks, spoke on national television, and granted interviews to national publications if the Honorable Elijah Muhammad sanctioned the meeting(Bracks,272-273).Elijah Muhammad taught that white society actively worked to keep African Americans from empowering themselves and achieving political, economic, and social success(The Estate of MX,2015). Muhammad made Malcom establish new mosques in various cities such as Detroit, Michigan, and Harlem. Malcom sent out the message of Nation of Islam through radio and television. Malcom was large credited with increasing membership in the Nation of Islam from 500 in 1952 to 30,000 in 1963(The Estate of MX,2015). From then the media was starting to buzz about Malcom. He was featured in a weeklong television special with Mike Wallace in 1959, called The Hate That Hate Produced (The Estate of MX,2015).

Discovering that his mentor and idol Elijah Muhammad had been committing adultery while judging and teaching other to be faithful (Bracks, 273). “He was shocked that so many people turned out. It was a wake-up call. He thought the Nation of Islam should get active and make a coalition with the Civil Rights Movement. He realized the power that Dr. King had and that he was too boxed in.”(Mekanic, 2004) So after twelve years of serving the Nation of Islam Malcom had to leave and find his own truth of meaning. As membership in the Nation of Islam continued to grow, FBI agents infiltrated the organization and secretly placed bugs, wiretaps, cameras, and other surveillance equipment to monitor the group’s activities(The Estate of MX,2015).Malcom was crushed to pieces and overwhelmed due to the peak of the Civil Rights Movement in 1963.

So Malcom made a plan and traveled to Mecca and started his very own organization of Afro-American Unity in 1964.

Malcom X advocated the condemnation of injustice an inequality and not the condemnation of one group or race (Bracks, 273). From there he had meeting with Civil Rights Leader and which included Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He left Mecca for a while and traveled for months to Egypt, Lebanon, Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana speaking his beliefs. As Malcom was gone he still remained worried about his current decision on leaving the Nation of Islam. He felt as if Muhammad sent mysterious men to watch him. So on December 7, 1964 Malcom was threatened by Captain Raymond Sharrief of the Nation of Islam (Mekanic, 2004). His house on East Elmhurst, Queens, was fire bombed in the early morning of February 14, 1965, and he and his family were evicted four days later since….The Nation of Islam owned his mortgage (Mekanic,

2004).

Ever since that happened Malcom had a ball in his chest ever since. “He knew his enemies included the Nation of Islam, and he was also unpopular among the power structure of New York City and the federal government, which considered him a dangerous rubble-rouser” (BOOK).Right before Malcom went on the stage at the Audubon Ballroom for his biggest speech, he said, “The way I feel, I ought not to go out there today.”(BOOK) So a little after 2 p.m. Benjamin Goodman stepped on the stage to introduce Malcom X to the crowd. Goodman said, “I present…one who is willing to put himself on the line for you…a man who would give his life for you.”(BOOK)

Right after Malcom came out onto the stage he noticed there was two men getting into an argument in the crowed. Malcom from the stage, was telling the men to “Hold it, hold it, brothers, let’s be cool.”(BOOK)As soon as he spoke a dozen double-o buckshot pellets pierced Malcom’s body. “Malcom eyes rolled back in his head. He fell backwards; at first breaking his fall on two empty chairs behind him. Then he crashed on the floor.”(BOOK) On February 21, 1965, at the age of 39, Malcom was widely viewed as a racial demagogue outside of the African American Community. (Marable, 2002) His critics did no examine, or perhaps at the time could not comprehend, the tremendous admiration and respect Malcom X had earned throughout much of the Black world through his speeches and writing. (Marable, 2002)

After it was all said and done Malcom X was a dedicated activist to his African American Community. He did what he was called to do and that was to spread the faith and rights on his society. He had a lot of supporters who believed in his holy word. He spoke the truth on African American Rights on standing their ground in any given situation they may be faced with. He believed that all blacks should stay together as a union and not merge with whites. He fought for everything he felt was right and stood by it. Malcom didn’t let anyone get in head and tell him anything different from what he truly believed in. In my eyes he was played a big part in history. What do you think?

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