Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. His name was really Malcolm Little; he considered "Little" a slave name and chose the "X" to signify his lost tribal name. His mother’s name was Louise Norton Little, who was occupied with a family of eight children. His father, Earl little, was a Baptist minister and passionate supporter of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey.

Malcolm lost interest in school and dropped out in 1940. He then went to Boston, Massachusetts, to work various odd jobs. Eventually he ended up in Harlem, New York, where he committed petty crimes. By 1942, Malcolm was organizing various narcotics, prostitution, and gambling rings. In 1946, he was arrested and convicted on burglary charges.  He was sentenced to ten years in prison but was released on parole after seven years.

After a 1959 television broadcast in New York City about the Nation of Islam, “The Hate That Hate Produced,” Malcolm X became known to Caucasian Americans. The media frequently asked him for comments on issues. By the late 1950s, Malcolm X had acquired a new name, “Malcolm Shabazz” or “Malik el-Shabazz,” although he was still commonly referred to as Malcolm X.   

In prison, Malcolm X became a member of the “Nation of Islam” and after his parole in 1952 he quickly became one of its leaders. For years Malcolm X was the public face of the controversial group. After traveling in Africa and the Middle East, he returned to the United States, where he founded “Muslim Mosque, Inc.” and the “Organization of Afro-American Unity.” In February 1965, less than a year after leaving the Nation of Islam, he was assassinated by three members of the group. One of his most famous speeches is “By Any Means Necessary” on June 28, 1964.