The Path to Discovering Racial Identity

Before Malcolm X, also known as El-Hajj Malik El Shabazz, became a Black Muslim Minister, National Spokesman for the Nation of Islam and founder of Muslim Mosque, Inc he had humble beginnings in Lansing, Michigan. He was born May 19, 1925 as Malcolm Little to Earl and Louise Little. His mother was born in Grenada and had light skin because her father was a white man. His father Earl Little was a Baptist preacher and a supporter of Marcus Garvey. Malcolm was the fourth of eight children. Earl and Louise Little's children's names were Wilfred, Hilda, Philbert, Malcolm, Reginald, Wesley, Yvonne, and Robert. He had two half sisters and one half brother named Ella, Mary, and Earl, Jr. Malcolm's father was killed by Black Legion members who believed he was too outspoken in the town. Malcolm's mother was denied a large portion of life insurance money because the court ruled that Earl Little's death was suicide and that was the exception to the policy. Eventually her sanity slipped away and social services stepped in and separated her from her children. Malcolm X spent ten years in prison for burglary charges before emerging as a powerful speaker for The Nation of Islam. He taught a message of Black Nationalism, traveled the world to give speeches and opened a mosque before his assassination at Audubon Ballroom in 1965.

The goal of The Autobiography of Malcolm

X is to chronicle Malcolm X's changing understanding of racial identity. Racial Identity is gradually discovered through a combination of life experiences and the negative interactions that he has with white people. When he is a child he is called "nigger" so much that he is desensitized to the term. In his teenage years most of his interactions with white people are attempts to elevate his status. His experiences in exposed him to the pro-black ideas of the Nation of Islam. These experiences allowed him develop a firm understanding of his black identity.

The combination of these experiences caused him to be bitter towards white people.

In order to understand how Malcolm X awakened out of being a brainwashed black man into a powerful leader one must examine his life experiences that helped to shape him into the influential man he became. Malcolm X states "All of our experiences fuse into our personality. Every thing that ever happened to us is an ingredient" (163) His life experiences can be seen as ingredients that made him into who he was. One of these experiences is when he noticed that he had lighter skin than his siblings and he attempted to gain acceptance through integration in his school and community. Malcolm was the forth of eight children and he inherited his light skin from his mother. He was a light skinned boy and early in life he noticed that his "father favored him for being lighter than the other children." (10) But his mother "gave him hell for the same reason. Malcolm noticed that it was easier for people who had lighter complexions because they were readily accepted over darker people. He mentioned the advantages this presented to his mother who looked almost white. His mother was able to get jobs inside of white homes and stores until her dark children came to visit and it was known that she was really black.His mother discouraged him from trying to gain leverage from her color because her mother was raped by a white man and she married Malcolm's father because he was so dark. She saw no advantage in Malcolm being lighter skinned. Eventually he learned to hate "every drop of that white rapist's blood" ( ) that was in him.

Before this realization he tries to blend into his surroundings and do everything in his power to please white people. This issue is brought to the forefront as a result of his mothers crumbling sanity. State welfare authorities put him in a detention home under the care of the Mrs. Swerlin. He was sent to a predominantly white school, had surface interactions with white peers, achieved the best grades, and even was given the position of class president. After this achievement one would think this was the ideal goal of integration and he states "and I was proud; I'm not going to say I wasn't. In fact, by then, I didn't really have much feeling about being a Negro, because I was trying so hard in every way I could, to be white." (36) He announces this because he believes he has overcome racial boundaries and achieved success.

Shortly after this, another event occurs that shapes his racial identity. He voices his aspirations to be a lawyer to his history teacher Mr. Ostrowski and he discourages him by telling him that "a lawyer--that's no realistic goal for a nigger." (41). Mr. Ostrowski supported Malcolm as long as he accepted accolades within a school environment but the pursuit of anything more than was allowed to "a nigger" was almost laughable to this teacher Malcolm admired. This same teacher encourages white students with lower grades than Malcolm to pursue their dreams and this is when Malcolm's life is forever changed. If this event He learns that this society grants success based on skin color and not through academic achievement or skill. After this he becomes less enthusiastic about pleasing white people and expresses an interest to move to Boston with his sister Ella. In response to this event he states, "all praise be to Allah that I went to Boston when I did. If I hadn't, I'd probably still be a brainwashed black Christian." This statement can imply that he believed if he had have continued appeasing the white man in that small town, he would have accepted a medial job in town that was allowed to "well off" Negros." He would have married, settled and adapted the passive Christian existence required of him by the white people and nothing more.

It was important that his interaction occurred because he moves to Boston and begins a new life with his half sister Ella and he continues on his path to discover his black identity. Malcolm develops a disdain for "The Hill Negros of Roxbury" who represented a class of black people who were enthusiastic towards integration and had an air of arrogance because of their jobs with white people. Malcolm's experiences in the city prove that he is still not free from the dominant influences of white society. This is demonstrated by the way he responded when he met Laura, a well educated and beautiful black girl from the Hill. Malcolm likes enjoys Laura's company until Sophia, a white woman interferes. He ultimately loses Laura's attention after he favored Sophia because she was seen was seen as a status symbol to him and his friends. The problem is not just with Malcolm but it is within the black