Research Guides: Malcolm X: Biography

Malcolm X (May 19, 1925 - February 21, 1965)

The changes in Malcolm X's personal beliefs can be followed somewhat by the changes in his name, from Malcolm Little when he was a young man to Malcolm X when he was a member of the Nation of Islam to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz-Al-Sabann after he returned to the United States from a spiritual pilgrimage to Mecca in 1964. He was a ward of the state, a shoe shine boy in Boston, a street hustler and pimp in New York, and a convicted felon at the age of 20. After embracing Islam in prison and directing his grassroots leadership and speaking skills to recruit members to the Nation of Islam, he ultimately became an influential black nationalist during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Continue . . .

Source: "Malcolm X." West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edited by Shirelle Phelps and Jeffrey Lehman, 2nd ed., vol. 6, Gale, 2005, pp. 401-404. From Gale Virtual Reference database.

eBook Collection

The Night Malcolm X Spoke at the Oxford Union : A Transatlantic Story of Antiracist Protest

Resources

Malcolm X on "The Negro and the American Promise" Malcolm X appears in Boston public television producer Henry Morgenthau III's "The Negro and the American Promise," alongside Martin Luther King and James Baldwin. After watching the segment a viewer wrote that he was shocked "that such a blatant display of racial prejudice could be aired."
Timeline of Malcolm X's Life PBS American Experience: MALCOLM X: MAKE IT PLAIN | TIMELINE
Malcolm X: A Living Icon in His Own Words The Legacy of Malcolm X: Black Nationalism, Internationalism, and Transnationalism.
The Five Faces of Malcolm X Article from Negro American Literature Forum.
Interview with Malcolm X Republishes an interview with Malcolm X, first published in the May 1964 issue of 'Monthly Review.' In it, Malcolm X lays out his ideas on several topics, which include capitalism and racism, blacks and politics, and violence.

From Films On Demand database:

1963: Malcolm X Black protesters face water hoses, snarling dogs, and police violence in Birmingham. In 1963, Civil rights leaders gather in what was to be the biggest march in black history. Malcolm X speaks out in favor of meeting violence with violence.
Malcolm X: Demanding Civil Rights Kareem Abdul-Jabbar admired Malcolm X's tactics. Kenneth B. Clark, who knew him, remembers his character as being more gentle than he allowed the world to know. Distributed by A&E Television Networks.
Malcolm X: Nation of Islam Andrew Young and Mike Wallace remember Malcolm X and his splinter from Elijah Muhammad that resulted in his assassination. Distributed by A&E Television Networks.
Malcolm X: "Democracy is Hypocrisy" Malcolm X's passionate delivery of "Democracy is Hypocrisy" arouses feelings of injustice in his black supporters.
Malcolm X - The Time Has Come 1964–1966: Eyes on the Prize—America’s Civil Rights Movement 1954–1985 Learn how Malcolm Little converted to Islam while in prison and recruited new members at Harlem rallies. He called for black righteousness and self-reliance. Distributed by PBS Distribution.