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Birth
Malcolm Little was born on this day in Omaha, Nebraska. -
Moving
Malcolm's family moved to Lansing, Michigan after his father was threatened by the Ku Klux Klan. HIs father was later murdered by Klan-like Black Legionaries. -
Criminal behavior begins
Malcolm was first sent to a detention home for criminal acts at the age of 13. -
Arrest
At the age of twenty, Malcolm was arrested and charged with burglary. He was sentenced to ten years in prison. -
Prison and release
Malcolm became a follower of the Nation of Islam in prison. He became a loyal disciple to Elijah Muhammad, the leader of Islam. After six years of incarceration, Malcolm was released from prison and changed his last name to X. He immeadiately began speaking his mind about black segregation. He believed in the use of violence to achieve equality and attracted many followers. -
Suspension
Malcolm was suspended from the Black Muslims after talking about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy as a case of "the chickens coming home to roost". -
Mecca
Malcolm traveled to Mecca as a part of Islam and discovered new beliefs and values while there. He became an orthodox Muslim and rescinded his beliefs in violence against whites. He returned to the United States with the name El-Hajj Malik El-Shabbaz -
Death
Malcolm was assassinated while speaking at a rally in Harlem. He was thirty nine at the time.
