1. Kendell Whisenton
Eng 99
05/06/14
Malcolm
“The real name of our people were destroyed during slavery.The last name of my
forefather was take from them when they were brought to America and made slaves”. said
Malcolm X. Thought the book and his life Malcolm went by different names. All the names he
went by was significance to him.There were three names that were more significance than other
Malcolm Little, Detroit Red/Red and Malcolm X. Those three names can tell what was doing on
in Malcolm life during those time.
First, Malcolm birth name was Malcolm Little. The name Malcolm Little is significance
because that is his original name. The name is the symbol of his life while he was young and all
the stuff that happen to him during that time. Little was his father last name and Malcolm was
the six kid his father had. The fact Malcolm was lighter than the other kids he was treat different
than the other kids.
Next, his nickname Detroit Red/Red was significance because that was his name when he
start to turn down the wrong path in life. He got the name Red because of the color of his hair.He
got the name Detroit Red because there were to other people in the neighborhood name Red. In
his own words Malcolm said “I began to be called Detroit Red and it stuck. During that time
Malcolm X was committing crimes he was going by the name Detroit Red. The name Detroit
Red is a symbol of Malcolm X past during those dark days in his life. “Well in the streets they
used to call me Detroit Red”. Look at during his days in the streets Malcolm thinking of what
people will call him.

2. Lastly, the name that was the most significance in Malcolm life in when he put the X at
the in of his name. “The Muslim's X symbolized the true African family name that he never
could know”. Malcolm was talking about what it mean when a Muslims put a X at then in of
there name. He also talked about what it mean to him “ For me my “X” replaced the white
slavemaster name of “Little” which some blue-eyed devil name Little had imposed upon my
paternal forebears. During that time in Malcolm life he was all about the Nation of Islam and
Elijah Muhammad teaching. Malcolm X did everything he could to get Islam and Muhammad
teaching to other African American people. Even with all the negative that came along with the
“X” at the end of his name that is the name he most know for.
In conclusion, a person names is their identity and can tell you a look about that person.
Malcolm X had manes but only three was that significance. Hsi birth names Malcolm Little is a
symbol of his identity. Red/Detroit Red symbolize a dark path in Malcolm life. When Malcolm
put the “X” at the in of his name is the symbol of all the things he went through in life to become
the person his is know as.” The receipt of my “X” meant that forever after in the nation of Islam,
I would be know as Malcolm X.