1) Malcolm X grew up facing racism and hardship, with his family experiencing violence from white supremacists. 2) In prison, he became a devoted follower of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam, which taught black separatism. 3) After leaving the Nation of Islam and going on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm realized that Islam promoted brotherhood between all races. He renounced racist views and advocated for racial unity before his assassination.

1. Malcolm X Essay
Americans often say that Malcolm X was ВЎВ°the angriest Negro in AmericaВЎВ± (p. 366). They
assume that Malcolm X emphasized only violence to the white and separation of the black from
the white. However, is this assumption about Malcolm X really true? Not, at all. The image of
Malcolm X as an icon of ВЎВ°black powerВЎВ± is not a truth but a myth made by media.
Although I grant that Malcolm X had been a radical activist who had tried to improve life of the
black and to separate the black from the white before quitting the Nation of Islam, I still argue that
Malcolm X eventually realized that the white and the black could exist together with harmony under
GOD, Allah, after Hajj.
While orthodox Islam is completely a religion, the Nation of Islam is...show more content...
For instance, in ВЎВ°Message to the Blackman in America,ВЎВ± Elijah Muhammad states,
ВЎВ°WE BELIEVE this is the time in history for the separation of the so–called Negroes and the
so–called white Americans.ВЎВ± While working as a minister of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X
was so absorbed in its theology that he often went to TV and radio shows to spread its argument of
the separation. Especially, Malcolm X loved its historical analysis about racial discrimination. The
Nation of Islam states, ВЎВ°WE BELIEVE that the offer of integration is hypocritical and is made
by those who are trying to deceive the black peoples into believing that their 400–year–old open
enemies of freedom, justice and equality are, all of a sudden, their ВЎВ®friends.ВЎВЇВЎВ±
Having suffered from the white, Malcolm X thought that the white had been the evil who always
tried to exploit the black. However, after the scandal of the adultery of Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm
X was disappointed and realized that the Nation of Islam was not different from the white society,
and he finally quit it and decided to go on Hajj.
During Hajj, Malcolm X realized that the Nation of Islam he had believed in without doubt was quite
different from orthodox Islam and that the separation which the Nation of Islam had constantly
argued was unnecessary. Malcolm X states, ВЎВ°Elijah MuhammadВЎВЇs Nation of Islam had a
lawsuit going against me, to force
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2. Essay on Malcolm X
Malcolm X
In the course of human history there will always be change. In order to bring about that change there
must be something that is so controversial that it can break people away from the normal routine
they have been accustomed to. Few people can raise the amount of attention needed to fuel that
controversy. Malcolm X was one of those few that would die trying to achieve that attention. Earl
Little was a black Baptist minister and an avid civil rights activist. On May 19, 1925 in Omaha,
Nebraska Earl and his wife Louise gave birth to Malcolm Little. Malcolm was a victim of prejudice
from day one. Before the time Malcolm was four his family had to relocate twice to avoid death
threats from the Black Legion (White Supremacists)...show more content...
Malcolm used his time in prison to further his education. It was during this time that his brother
Reginald came to visit and told Malcolm about his recent conversion to the Muslim religion.
Intrigued, Malcolm began to study the teachings of the Nation of Islam (NOI) leader Elijah
Muhammad. By the time Malcolm was paroled he was a devoted follower of the NOI, changing
his name to Malcolm X. He decided that Little was a slave name and denoted "X" to signify his lost
tribal name. The NOI taught Muslim beliefs along with the idea that white society actively worked
to keep African– Americans from empowering themselves and achieving political, economic and
social success. Among their many goals they wanted to achieve a state of their own, separate
from one inhabited by white people. Articulate and Intelligent, Malcolm was appointed minister
and national spokesman for the Nation of Islam along with the task of establishing new mosques
in cities such as Detroit, MI and Harlem, NY. Malcolm's great side showed through when he
utilized newspapers, radio, and television in order to bring attention to the NOI and deliver the
message to the public. Malcolm's charisma and conviction were all he needed to largely increase
the size of the NOI. Between the years 1952 and 1963 membership rose from 500 to 30,000.
Crowds and controversy made Malcolm a media magnet. In 1959 Malcolm was featured in a week
long televised series entitled "The Hate That Hate
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3. Malcolm X Essay
Malcolm Little also known as Malcolm X was one of the most inspirational civil rights leader
during the civil rights movement. He was a very powerful person to certain people and change
many people's lives during this time even until this day. Even though his movement was reckless
and not peaceful, what he was saying was very powerful and meant a lot to African–Americans.
Malcolm X will always be known for being one of the best Civil Rights Leaders during the Civil
Rights Movement.
Malcolm X was born May 19, 1925 and was raised in Omaha, Nebraska. Growing up Malcolm and
his family were going through a lot in the area they're living in during the time. It was so bad that
they moved from different states to get away from the racial...show more content...
While in jail, Malcolm read a lot of books to catch up what he had missed out on the year he
dropped out of school. Malcolm turned Islamic while he was in jail. He felt that changing his
religion would change his life around once he was released from jail.
Malcolm now being a free man, he traveled to Detroit, Michigan, where he worked with the leader
of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammad, to expand the movement's following among black
Americans around the nation. Malcolm felt that when he gave speeches around the country, people
would be inspire and want to join the Nation Of Islam. If you didn't know what the Nation Of Islam
is, the Nation Of Islam was an organization of African– Americans, teaching and favoring the
separation of black and white racial groups of the United States. Malcolm became the Minister of
Harlem and in Boston, he was Temple no. 7 in Harlem and Temple no. 11 in Boston. Malcolm X
had emerged as a leading voice of the Civil Rights Movement. Malcolm style of living wasn't as
peaceful as Dr. Martin Luther King. His style was more aggressive, he would want to fight or kill
you rather than having a peaceful march and having everyone come together as one.
Couple of years later, Malcolm became confused about being in the Nation Of Islam. Malcolm
learned that Muhammad his hero and mentor had violated many of his own teachings. Malcolm
ended up leaving the Nation Of Islam in 1964, and left the United States and traveled to
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4. Malcolm X Essay examples
Throughout history there have been many people who have stood out and made an impact in the
way we think and comprehend things. During the late 1950's and early 1960's, Malcolm X was no
exception. His militant views that Western nations were inherently racist and that black people must
join together to build their own society and value system had an important influence on black
nationalist and black separatist movements of the 1950s and 1960s. At the beginning of the movie,
Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little. He was a young child trying to adapt to society's changes. He
was looking so hard that he fell into the wrong crowd.
Malcolm bumped into a man named Archie who was a big time thief. Archie ran a numbers system
in the streets and he...show more content...
Malcolm didn't want to listen to him at first, but Baines's cool style helped Malcolm realize that
Islam is for him and that the white man is the devil. While in prison, Malcolm read widely and
developed an interest in the Nation of Islam, a Black Nationalist religious movement whose
members were known as Black Muslims.
Malcolm studied the teachings of the leader of the Black Muslims, Elijah Muhammad, who
advocated an independent black state. The Nation of Islam was based on a theology adapted from
several models: traditional Islamic teachings principles of Black Nationalism, and economic
self–help programs that addressed the needs of African Americans living in urban ghettoes. Unlike
traditional Islam, which rejects all forms of racism, the Nation of Islam declared that whites were
the "devil by nature," and that God was black. However, the Black Muslims predicted
that in the near future a Great War would take place in which whites would be destroyed andblack
people would rule the world through the benevolence of Allah, their creator. To prepare for this new
order, the Nation of Islam stressed personal self–restraint, opposed the use of drugs and alcohol, and
organized economic self–help enterprises that eventually included farms, food stores, restaurants,
and small businesses.
The Black Muslims recruited heavily among the poorest of urban blacks and in prisons, where
Malcolm Little was converted to the faith. Instead
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5. Essay on Malcolm X
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley was published in 1965. It is national best seller
about the life and times of Malcolm X. On May 19, 1925 Malcolm Little was born in Omaha,
Nebraska. His father was a preacher who spoke out about the unity of black people. This caused
several white racists to strike out against Malcolm's father and his family violently. His family
moved to Lansing, Michigan where Malcolm, his parents, brothers, and sisters were shot at, burned
out of their home, harassed, and threatened. When Malcolm was 6 years old, his father was
murdered by a white man. After his father's death his mother had a nervous breakdown and the
family got split up by welfare agencies. Malcolm was placed in a lot of different schools...show more
content...
He saw that in the Muslim world the white man is brotherly. He met with, talked to, and ate with
people who in America were considered white. He now wanted to unite people of all races under
the power of one God and believed that blacks all over the world should join to combat racism.
Malcolm returned from the pilgrimage as El–Hajj Malik al–Shabazz. His pilgrimage broadened his
outlook on life. During his visit in the Holy Land he saw all races, all colors in true brotherhood
living in unity, living as one, and worshipping as one. He was questioned about this because in the
past he had preached out that whites were the devil and now he said that he will never be guilty
of that again. His friends are now black, brown, red, yellow, and white, which includes capitalists,
socialists, and communists. He now speaks out to his Harlem audience about peace and proclaims
that he is not a racist in any form, and he doesn't believe in any form of discrimination or
segregation. On February 21, 1965 three audience members at a lecture at Harlem's Audubon
Ballroom, which Malcolm had rented for his new organization, shoot and killed Malcolm. Police
arrested three suspects with Muslim affiliations who were later convicted.
Malcolm X relates to our class readings when we discuss the fading dream of racial integration,
white backlash and Black Nationalism in chapter 22. As a growing number of young people become
dissatisfied with the
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6. Essay on Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Outline
"A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."
Thesis Statement: Malcolm X was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man
who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans. Detractors
accused him of preaching racism, black supremacy, anti–Semitism, and violence.
Introduction
I. Malcolm X opposed the mainstream civil rights movement, publicly calling for black separatism
and rejecting nonviolence and integration as effective means of combating racism.
Body
I. Main Point 1: Hard times Malcolm X had growing up. II. Main Point 2: How getting in trouble
with law effect his way of life & how it change him forever. III. Transitional...show more
content...
Lansing did not hold many opportunities of any kind for a young black man then, so without a
particular plan, Malcolm X went to live with his half–sister, Ella, in Boston. Malcolm X looked, and
almost immediately found trouble. He fell in with a group of gamblers and thieves, and began
shining shoes at the Roseland State Ballroom. There he learned the trades that would eventually
take him to jail dealing in bootleg liquor and illegal drugs. Malcolm X characterized his life then as
one completely lacking in self–respect. Many journalists would emphasize Malcolm X's "shady"
past when describing the older man, his clean–cut lifestyle, and the aims of the Nation of Islam. In
some cases, these references were an attempt to damage Malcolm X's credibility, but
economically disadvantaged people have found his early years to be a point of commonality, and
Malcolm X himself was proud of how far he had come. He spared no detail of his youth in his
autobiography, and used his Nation of Islam ideas to interpret them. Dancing, drinking, and even his
hair style were represented by Malcolm X to be marks of shame and self–hatred. Relaxed hair in
particular was an anathema to Malcolm X for the rest of his life; he described his first "conk" in the
autobiography this way: "This was my first really big step toward self–degradation: when I endured
all of that pain of the hair–straightening chemicals, literally burning my flesh to have it
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7. Essay on Malcolm X
Can you recall a memory from your early childhood? Did you think about the first time you fell
off your bike, getting stung by a bee or your big brother teaching you how to get the football to
spiral when you throw it? Can you imagine that your first memory that can come to mind is living
every night in fear, the burning down of your home by the Ku Klux Klan and the "accidental" death
of your father who's head was detached from his own body? This is the only memory that comes to
Malcolm Little from his childhood. Malcolm Little who is famously recognized as Malcolm X was
born into a world of hatred on May 19, 1925 in Omaha Nebraska. His father was a freelance Baptist
Preacher who incorporated the teaching of Black Nationalist leader...show more content...
Five years later in 1946 he was caught for burglary and sentenced to 10 years in prision. During
his sentence he learned the importance of education. He thought himself the works of: history,
politics, literature, reading and copying every word in the dictionary. While in incarcerated
Malcolm family would write to him about a new movement in the outside world with the black
community. He knew of Martin Luther King and his non violence approach but this group was
different. They believed in violence and were under the leadership of a different man named Elijah
Muhammad. Muhammad founded the Black Muslim group who followed by the Islamic faith.
After doing his own research studying, practicing the religion and the continuous convincing by
his family, Malcolm accepted the Islam faith. When he joined the Islamic faith he relinquished his
last name Little to X because he felt that Little was a "slave name" and the X represented the
absence of knowing his real last name (Pendergast). When he was released in 1956 the first plan he
had was to meet Elijah Muhammad. Elijah took to X and he soon became the assistant Minister of
the Detroit mosque, then of Philadelphia a few months later. With Malcolm X's strong personality
being a major asset to the Islam Nation, the community grew to 40,000 members by 1960. The
Islamic faith promoted strict moral purity and the superiority of the black race
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8. Autobiography of malcolm x Essay
"The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Haley
"We're not Americans. We're Africans who happen to be in America. We were kidnapped and
brought here against our will from Africa. We didn't land on Plymouth Rock––that rock landed on
us." (Lord, Thornton, and Bodipo–Memba, 1992)
Words like those above would engrave Malcolm X into the minds of Americans from all racial
backgrounds and socio–economic classes. Malcolm X was certainly not one to mince words.
America would come to remember him as "The Hate That Hate Produced", the title of a 1959 CBS
documentary narrated by Mike Wallace which focused on Malcolm's involvement in what was
perceived as the "rise of black racism" (Lord, Thornton, and Bodipo–Memba, 1992).
In "The Autobiography of...show more content...
His reasoning? The injustices dealt him by white Christians. Leaving the pews of the church he
entered the world of the street hoodlum where he would exist until his arrest and prosecution for
armed robbery at age twenty (Allah, 1995). He recalls the 1946 crime in "The Autobiography of
Malcolm X":
"I had put a stolen watch into a jewelry shop to replace a broken crystal," he said.
"Two days later things fell apart when I went to pick it up." (Allah, 1995, PG).
Malcolm recalls that he was armed when he went into the shop and that an undercover policeman
was waiting in quiet for him. Rather than drawing his gun, Malcolm surrendered it without incident
to the officer. He didn't try to flee or to fight back as he was arrested. He pleaded guilty to
numerous burglaries in the area and was eventually sentenced, along with an accomplice, to six to
eight years in New York's maximum– security prison in Boston's Charlestown district (Allah, 1995).
It would be while he was in prison for this crime that he would join the Nation of Islam. With the
nation of Islam Malcolm X would find a new, or perhaps an old, focus in life: the white man. The
next twelve years of his life would be devoted to righting the wrongs that the whites had dealt to the
blacks throughout the history of the United States.
Malcolm X was paroled in 1952 and it was at that time when he became most active in the
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9. Essay on Malcolm X
"When a person places the proper value on freedom, there is nothing under the sun that he will
not do to acquire that freedom. " – Malcolm X
The Dictionary
When those of us are asked to think of the legacy of a man, who confronted the issues at hand and
pointed the fingers at the root and the existence of the problem, we think of Malcolm X. You begin to
think of the powerful speeches and the passionate remarks made about the pressing issues that were
at hand and you...show more content...
He knew that slang was not the appropriate way to convey himself to Elijah Mohamed and thus
decide to change. Malcolm's ability to read and write were premature, when reading, Malcolm
would skip the words that he didn't know or understand and would end up with a clouded view on
what the book had said.
The day that he got a hold of a dictionary, was the day Malcolm changed. He would sit for
countless hours and with a pencil, he would copy down the words from the dictionary from A to Z.
At the end of the day, Malcolm would read over and over aloud to himself, what he had written on
the tablet, and found himself in awe over the amount of words that existed in the world. After the
experience, Malcolm decided to further his enlightenment by copying every last page in the
dictionary.
The rest of his time in prison was spent copying the pages of the dictionary and writing letters to
further improve his penmanship. Malcolm then went on to broaden his knowledge by reading the
teachings of Mohamed and books by other authors. During his time in prison, Malcolm says that
he had never been more truly free in his life. Prison was the education he needed to meet who he
truly was inside. To Malcolm prison was the best thing that could of ever happened to him. SO for
now on, when you think that the only possible way for someone to have gotten far in life must have
been through some type of
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10. Essay about malcolm x
Malcolm X Malcolm was born on May 19, 1925 in an Omaha hospital. He was born into a world
of hatred and violence toward his kind, and from he was little, he knew that he would die in a
similar manner. Malcolm's father who was a large black man was a Baptist Minister. Though he and
his family on many occasions were threatened by members of the Black legion and the Ku Klux
Klan, that if he did not stop starting preaching of Marcus Garvey, that they would kill him.
Malcolm's father was not a scared man, and he continued to preach. Ever since Malcolm was little,
he never had much respect for the Christian religion or the followers of it. One of Malcolm's earliest
memories was an afternoon in 1921 when he had seen his mother and father...show more content...
He became one of the best students in the school. Despite Malcolm's academic success, his most
memorable occurrence at the school was when his English teacher asked him what he planned to
be when he grew up. Malcolm who had really not given the topic much thought blurted out that he
might become a lawyer. What had hurt Malcolm the most was that this was coming from the
same teacher who encouraged students who hadn't half as good grades as Malcolm to peruse
their goals. This little lecture had discouraged Malcolm, and he began to withdraw himself from
school. And by some miracle his sister Ella was able to have him transferred to Massachusetts as
soon as he had finished the 8th grade. He meets a man named Shorty, and he "schools him on how
to be hip." It turned out that Shorty was also from Lansing. The two hit it off, and Shorty never
knew how young Malcolm was. At first the friends just have fun together going Lidney hopping,
and conking their hair to look white, and "Red" being hooked up by Shorty's many connections.
One night Malcolm decided to take a girl named Laura who he had become friendly with Lidney
hopping. She had a very strict grandmother who she was living with, and she had a big fight with
her about her attending the dance session with Malcolm. Laura was an excellent student, and was
always reading a book. But the first fight with her grandmother had triggered
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11. Essay on Malcolm X
The 1950's and 1960's were a time of racial turmoil throughout most of the United States. Segregation
between blacks and whites was still in full effect, African Americans had to drink from different
water fountains, eat at different restaurants, and even shop at different stores than their Anglo
"neighbors". Many people and organizations fought valiantly for equality in the U.S. such as Rosa
Parks, Martin Luther King jr. and the NAACP. The roles they played were critical in the civil rights
movement were critical, the actions they took included peaceful demonstrations and marches, public
speeches, and boycotts such as the one that took place in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. One man
stands out among all of these leaders though, Malcolm X....show more content...
Not long after the killing Malcolm's mom would have a nervous breakdown and end up in a
mental institution, leaving her eight children scattered about in foster homes. Despite his dismal
upbringing, Malcolm was able to graduate from his junior high school at the top of his class. He
was aspiring to become a lawyer, but after one of his teachers told him that trying to be one was,
"no realistic goal for a nigger", he decided that school was not for him and moved to Boston for
awhile and made a living working a number of jobs, none of which were permanent. Eventually he
would find himself working as a waiter at a restaurant called Small's Paradise in Harlem, New
York. It was at this time that Malcolm Little began using and then selling drugs and even
committing burglary. In 1946 he would be arrested for burglary and sentenced to ten years in prison.
It was during his stay at the Charlestown, Mass. Prison that he would make maybe the most
significant change of his life. Malcolm would begin studying the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, the
leader of a small cult–like Islamic group that called themselves the Nation of Islam, he also began
to study the Koran (the Islamic holy book). It was during these long years in prison that Malcolm
was able to educate himself fully and came to the conclusion that he wanted to join Elijah and the
Nation of Islam and fight for equality between blacks and whites. After his
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12. Malcolm X Ideology
Malcolm X a Black Nationalist leader was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska served as a
spokesmen for the Nation of Islam during the 1950s and 1960s.It is said by historians that he was
the one of the reasons that the nation of Islam went form 400 members to 40,000 members from
1952 to 1960's and continued to grow well into the 1980s and into the 21st century. This was due to
the fact that he gave very articulate and passionate speeches that would lead to bigger and bigger
audiences. He told blacks to end racism "by any means necessary" which included violence.
Malcolm X little grew up with a life of violence, growing up in rural white Nebraska Malcom X
was the middle child of 8 having a mother who was a homemaker and a father who was a preacher.
Because of his family being black he and his family were often harassed by white supremacist
groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the black legion. After an attack on the little household by
the Ku Klux Klan that resulted in the all the houses windows smashed. Which caused the family
to move to East Lansing, Michigan which was worse than Nebraska and ended with his father
dead after 2 years of moving in 1931 with his death being ruled a suicide. Malcom's mother never
accepted his death and was sent to a mental institution in 1937 and left Malcom X with family of
friends. After dropping out of school at 15...show more content...
All three men were sentenced to life in prison. Over 30,000 people attended the public funeral in
Harlem showing the impact that Malcolm X left on the world. even with MLK expressing his
sadness to his wife. Malcolm X legacy can be said by many to be one of the greatest and most
influential African Americans in history. He rose the self–esteem and pride of black Americans and
reconnecting them with their African heritage that many
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13. Malcolm X Philosophy Essay
Malcolm X African American Philosopher Malcolm X first in incident with racism happened at an
early age, his house was broken into by Ku Klux Klan members. Who were looking for his father
Earl Little because he works for the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), that supports
black Americans returning to Africa. Malcolm would occasionally attending the UNIA meetings
with his father learning that life is stacked against blacks. Throughout his life Malcolm goes through
four transformations from the streets, jail, muslim and trip to mecca.
Street Life While working at a local Harlem bar called Small's as a day writer Malcolm X makes a
good impression on his co–workers. Who teaches him hustling techniques. Malcolm then starts to
...show more content...
Incarcerated Malcolm X return to boston was very short lived his white female friend Sophia had
saved his life in harlem by bring him back to boston. Sophia husband is a businessman who stays
on the road, this gave sophia a lot of time to tend and help her friend Malcolm who depends on her
money. To survive malcolm goes back to what he knows best hustling Malcolm, Shorty, Sophia,
Sophia's older sister and a black italian man named Ruby started robbing and burglarising houses.
Malcolm's hustle was going good until he blown his cover with sophia and was hunted down by her
husband who got him arrested. Malcolm emphasize that racism against blacks dehumanizes them.
The white people in malcolm viewed him as something less than human, malcom was ruthless, foul
mouthed, hustler and an uneducated negro. During his trial the convention against him for stealing
was weight evenly as his relationship with a white women. The notes of his cross examination was
mostly his relationship with sophia rather than his conviction of stealing and was sentenced to ten
years in prison. Malcolm's time at the state prison is a period of scholarly development and
religious upheaval. Experiencing drug withdrawal and a furious temper, he is put into solitary and
nicknamed "Satan." Over time he meets a prisoner by the name Bimbi. Bimbi is a confident black
man who commands and respected by all. Being mentored by Bimbi, Malcolm
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14. Essay on Malcolm X
Malcolm X On May 19, 1925 Malcolm Little was born to Louise and Earl Little. He was born in
Omaha, Nebraska. Malcolm was the seventh of eleven children. Malcolm's father, Earl, was a
Baptist minister from Reynolds, Georgia. His mother was raised in Grenada in the British West
Indies. His father was also became an organizer for Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro
Improvement Association. Marcus Garvey and his followers fought for racial separation and more
power for blacks. Growing up, Malcolm's family moved a lot due to violence and prejudices aimed
at his family. They finally decided to settle in Lansing, Michigan in the late 1920's. In 1929, the
Little family's house was firebombed while the whole family was inside sleeping....show more
content...
Instead, he moved to Roxbury, a predominantly black section of Boston, with his sister Ella and her
husband. Malcolm took on his first job in Roxbury as a shoe–shiner. Here, Malcolm learned the role
of a hustler. (Haley) In 1942, Malcolm decided to get a job as a railroad dining car porter and
settle in Harlem. While in Harlem, Malcolm got mixed up in robbery, prostitution, narcotics, and
many other criminal activities. Living the life of a hustler, drug dealer, and pimp made Malcolm
notorious on the streets. Malcolm also became addicted to drugs. He was even given the nickname
"Red" because of his red hair. Malcolm said jail, jobs, and the army were the three things that
worried him the most. (Breitman) After only a year in Harlem, Malcolm moved back to Boston and
continued his life of crime. There he created a house–robbing gang. It all caught up with him in
February of 1946. He was arrested, convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison in Charleston,
Massachusetts for burglary. (Haley) While in prison, Malcolm began educating himself in history,
philosophy, religion, and literature. He read the works of de Bois, who founded the NAACP in
1909, Shakespeare, Socrates, and Esop. He also carefully studied the lives of Ghandi and Net Turner.
After joining the prison debate team, he was given the opportunity to compete against Harvard and
M.I.T. students visiting the prison.
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