Malcolm X, or Malik el-Shabazz, was a renowned civil rights activist and Muslim minister in America.
He was best known for being a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement and a vocal advocate for Black empowerment.
Until 1964, he was a spokesman for the Nation of Islam when he promoted Islam within the Black community.
Tragically, he was assassinated in 1965, but his legacy lives on through a posthumous autobiography that he worked on with Alex Haley.
The book was published the same year as his death and is an important source of information on his life and teachings.
Overall, Malcolm X’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and the empowerment of the Black community continue to inspire and be celebrated today.
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Who Was His Mother?
Louise Helen Norton Little, also known as Louise Norton Langdon, was a Grenadian-born American activist and the mother of Malcolm X.
She was born in La Digue, Saint Andrew Parish, Grenada, in 1894 or 1897 to Ella Langdon, the daughter of Jupiter and Mary Jane Langdon, who were kidnapped and sold into slavery before being released by the British Royal Navy.
Louise’s birth was surrounded by controversy, as it had been claimed that her mother, Ella, was raped by a “significantly older” Scotsman called Norton, resulting in Louise’s birth.
However, Egerton Langdon, her maternal uncle, once claimed that her father was an English bank teller.
Some local historians also said that Louise had an older brother, Ruford, who died at a young age.
Where Malcolm X’s Mother Was Raised?
Louise was raised in a community where African heritage was celebrated, and the importance of education, self-reliance, and pride was instilled in her from a young age.
Through the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association), she met Earl Little, a craftsman and lay minister from Reynolds, Georgia.
They married on May 10, 1919, and moved to Canada for a better life.
However, in 1920, the couple moved to Philadelphia to find better opportunities and then to Omaha, Nebraska, in 1921.
While in Omaha, Louise became the secretary and “branch reporter” of the UNIA’s local chapter.
Through this role, Louise was able to promote the values of self-reliance and black pride, which she also instilled in her children.
Who Was His Father?
Malcolm X was the son of Earl Little, a Baptist minister and organizer for the Universal Negro Improvement Association, a black nationalist group led by Marcus Garvey.
His father was a strong and confident black man who stood up to white oppression and advocated for the rights of his people.
However, his activism resulted in trouble with the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist teams. His family’s home in Lansing, Michigan, was burned down, and it is believed that these groups were responsible for his murder.
Despite his powerful presence in the family, Earl was not without flaws. He favored his lightest-skinned child, Malcolm, and sometimes was a harsh and violent father and husband.
The Tragic Loss Of Malcolm X’s Father
The tragic loss of his father, racial discrimination, and the poverty the family faced profoundly impacted, Malcolm X.
His experiences with racism and oppression shaped his views and ultimately led him to become a prominent civil rights leader and advocate for black liberation.
He became a powerful voice in the struggle for racial equality and advocated for the rights of black people worldwide.
He stood up against white supremacy and advocated for the rights of his people and their right to self-determination.
Malcolm X remains influential in the history of civil rights and black liberation.
