Malcolm X in Society

Born as Malcolm Little, Malcolm X began his real education after prison where he was serving time for robbery. After his release, he joined the Nation of Islam (NOI), whose leader Elijah Muhammad believed that "The black race was superior to the white, and that the white race was evil, and that total separation was the only way to achieve racial equality." Intelligent and articulate, Malcolm was and still is one of the highest recognized American civil rights activists.

Malcolm X grew quickly through the ranks, attracting numerous converters through his specking ability skills, and organizational abilities. Malcolm X was a born leader. Malcolm used newspaper columns, as well as radio and television to communicate the Nation of Islam's message across the United States. His charisma, drive and conviction attracted an astounding number of new members. Malcolm was largely credited with the increasing membership in the Nation of Islam from 500 in 1952 to 30,000 in 1963. In 1964, upset by Elijah Muhammad's interest in just getting money, Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam and started his own organization, the Organization of Afro American Unity, which promised to "promote greater harmony among all nationalities and races."

The crowds and controversy surrounding Malcolm made him a major media magnet. He was featured in a weeklong television special with Mike Wallace in 1959, called "The Hate That Hate Produced." The show showed the fundamentals of the NOI, and showed why Malcolm was a leader of the civil rights movement. After the special, Malcolm was faced with the uncomfortable reality that his fame had hidden his real massage that he wanted to reach during the civil rights movement.

Malcolm went on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The trip proved life altering. For the first time, Malcolm shared his thoughts and beliefs with different cultures, and found the response to be overwhelmingly positive. When he returned, Malcolm said he had met "blonde-haired, blued-eyed men I could call my brothers." He returned to the United States with a new outlook on integration and a new hope for the future. This time when Malcolm spoke, instead of just preaching to African-Americans, he had a message for all races. In February, 1965, he was shot and killed in a public auditorium in New York City. His assassins were vaguely identified as Black Muslims.

Since his death Malcolm X's influence