Malcolm X

Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska. His father, a Baptist minister and follower of Marcus Garvey, was killed when Malcolm was six — likely by white supremacists. His mother was institutionalized, and Malcolm bounced between foster homes before dropping out of school and drifting into crime in Boston and Harlem.

While serving a prison sentence, he discovered the Nation of Islam and transformed himself through voracious reading and study. As Malcolm X, he became the Nation's most powerful spokesman, drawing tens of thousands with his brilliant oratory and unflinching critique of American racism. He advocated for Black self-defense, self-reliance, and pride at a time when the mainstream movement preached integration and nonviolence.

After a transformative pilgrimage to Mecca in 1964, Malcolm embraced a broader vision of human rights and interracial solidarity. He founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity and began building international alliances. He was assassinated on February 21, 1965, at age 39. The Autobiography of Malcolm X, published posthumously, became one of the most important books of the 20th century.