What made Malcolm X change his religion to Islam?
Malcolm X has changed religion during his time in prison in 1948. At first when Malcolm had met Elijah he did not like the idea of religion. However after Malcolm received a letter from his brother Reginald he became more interested. The letter said, “Malcolm, don’t eat any more pork, and don’t smoke cigarettes. I’ll show you how to get out of prison.” Malcolm was interested and tried keeping away from food. Malcolm’s actions made him feel proud, especially when he startled his fellow convicts when he refused to eat pork. From here he went on to learn about the religion of Islam. The leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammad had taught Malcolm some of the teachings of Islam. From here Malcolm X began to study Muhammad’s teachings and started to practice the religion faithfully. Muhammad also taught that the white people wanted to keep the African-Americans from empowering among themselves and achieving political, economical and social success. Malcolm was also taught that Christianity was a white persons religion, which was used to overpower the blacks by promising them heaven after death, while enjoying his heaven right here on earth. From here he went on to read about the history of Islam and also the history of how the white people acted towards the other races around the world. As soon as he had been released from prison he declared himself as a Muslim and changed his name from “Little” to “X” as “Little” was known as a slave name.He then also went on to join The Nation of Islam. The Nation of Islam was a black Islamic group who fought to be separated from the white people.
How did Malcolm X get his message across?
Malcolm had use many ways in which he got his message across. The different ways he got his message across was by placing articles in newspaper columns, as well as talking on the radio and coming on TV shows to communicate the message of the Nation Of Islam. Malcolm X had appeared on a television program with Mike Wallace in 1959, called “The Hate That Hate Produced.” This program showed the reason for why the Nation Of Islam existed and how Malcolm X has become one of its most important leaders. Malcolm had raised the number of people in the Nation Of Islam from 500 in 1952 to 30,000 in 1963, this was approximately 2,681 people a year. Malcolm X went to different colleges and universities where he did speeches on the whites and Islam. He also presented the same speeches on tv and on the radio so that he knew that everyone would be able to hear it. Malcolm never took a day away from his work other than the days he went to see Muhammad Ali at his training camp and those odd fights where Muhammad Ali was fighting for the title to give him support so that he could win. Muhammad Ali was another person which Malcolm X had got to join the Nation of Islam, this was when Muhammad Ali known as Casius Clay at the time was taken to the Vietnam war but had refused to fight. Malcolm X had met Ali before the war started and Ali then went on to join the Nation of Islam. ←Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali sitting down.
Why did Malcolm X decide to use Violence instead of peaceful protest?
“If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad. If it is wrong to be violent defending black women, black children, black babies, and black men the it is wrong for America to draft us and make us violent abroad in defence of her…” This is one of Malcolm X’s famous quotes for why he used violence. He is saying that if violence is wrong in America then it is wrong abroad, and if its wrong defending other black people it is wrong for America to take them from their countries and make them violent abroad for their own defence. As you can see the reason for why Malcolm X had decided to use violence instead of peaceful protest like other civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King was purely because Malcolm believed in self-defence against the whites to show that they cannot be taken over without a fight. In another one of his speeches he says, “Violence in the form of self defence, I do not call this violence I call this intelligence”. Here in this quote he also puts a lot of emphasis on self-defence and how violence in the form of self-defence is being intelligent.
When and where was Malcolm X assassinated?
Malcolm X was assassinated at a speaking engagement in the Manhattans Audubon Ballroom on the 21st of February 1965. Three gunmen had rushed onto the stage and shot Malcolm 15 in a close range.
He died at New York Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. He was buried 6 days after he was shot at the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ. The church was placed in Harlem. Fifteen hundred people had attended Malcolm’s funeral.
Malcolm’s assassins were Tallmadge Hayer, Norman Butler and Thomas Johnson. All of these 3 men were members of the Nation of Islam they were all convicted of first-degree murder in March of 1966. No one knows the real reason for why these three members of the Nation of Islam betrayed their friend Malcolm X and assassinated him during the speech.
Some people thought Malcolm’s death was shocking however some people think that Malcolm’s assassination proved his point about the fact that there is struggle for justice for black Americans to be able to live without being hurt.
How did Malcolm X help change the life of the black?
Malcolm X had changed the life of the black in many different ways. Firstly Malcolm X showed the black – Americans that they should stand up for their rights and that they shouldn’t let any other person tell them what to do. He also told the Black – Americans to use self-defence as he had said in one of his speeches “Violence in the form of self-defence I do not call this violence I call this intelligence”. This helped change the life of the blacks as it had given them their rights back when they fought for their freedom against the whites in the 1960’s/1970’s.
He also changed the life of the black Americans as he had got them their freedom and showed the world how much black people in America where hated when he was shot 15 times in Manhattan although his assassins were his former friends of the Nation of Islam.
Malcolm X also changed the life of the black – Americans as he showed them that even when they live in a society where drugs is being sold they can change their lives from being a drug dealer and a criminal to a civil rights leader like himself.
Conclusion
From my project I have found out many things. Firstly I had found out that Malcolm X had used violence instead of peaceful protest as he had believed in self-defence with the black - Americans and how they should stand up for themselves instead of being bossed around.
I also learnt that Malcolm X had changed his name 2 times, which was Malcolm Little to Malcolm X and then Malcolm X to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.
In my research I had also learnt that Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21st, 1965 in Manhattan while doing a speech by his former freiends from the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X was shot 15 times.
The most important thing, which I have found out while doing my project, was the reason for why Malcolm X had decided to use violence instead of peaceful protest.
Malcolm X is relevant today around the world for all the black people since he had changed part of their lifestyle but making them stick up for themselves and back themselves up. He is also relevant to everyone else around the world as he had showed everyone that anyone can change, if you take his life as an example, he started off as a drug dealer which he then went on to become a criminal where he was then sent to prison and then turned into a Muslim, and then went on to become one of the biggest civil rights leader along side Martin Luther King, Muhammad Ali and many others.
Malcolm X is one of the most famous people around the world today. There have been many movies based around him however the most famous one of them all is called “Malcolm X” directed by Spike Lee and Denzel Washington starring as Malcolm X.
Bibliography
http://www.central-mosque.com/biographies/Malcolm.htm
http://www.cmgww.com/historic/malcolm/about/bio.htm
http://www.colostate.edu/Orgs/MSA/find_more/m_x.html
http://www.africawithin.com/bios/malcolm_x.htm
Great African Americans in Civil Rights by Rediger
Book of Black heroes from A to Z By Wales Hudson and Valerie Wilson Wesley
http://www.q-news.com/360.pdf(pages 32-49)
