Malcolm X in Civil Rights Movement: "Black Power" Era
Malcolm X (1925–1965) was a Black leader who, as a key spokesman for the Nation of Islam, epitomized the "Black Power" philosophy.
By the early 1960s, he had grown frustrated with the nonviolent, integrated struggle for civil rights and worried that Blacks would ultimately lose control of their own movement. In February 1965, he was killed by members of the Nation of Islam—he'd recently left the organization.
But even in death, his teachings lived on in the rhetoric of other Black Power organizations including the Black Panther Party.
As a young man, Malcolm Little, later renamed Malcolm X, drifted between Boston and New York City, cultivating his image as "Detroit Red," a dapper pimp and a dangerous hustler. While in prison for robbery, he educated himself and converted to the Muslim faith. Upon release, Malcolm became active in the Nation of Islam, a Black Muslim organization committed to Black uplift. He quickly rose to the rank of National Minister, speaking on behalf of the organization in cities across the country.