Malcolm X Success Story

Malcolm Little with Martin Luther King Jr.

Early Life

His residence in Boston came with an incredible new amount of freedom. Instead of being bound to the rules of his family, Malcolm was free to explore the city. He became an early 'hipster,' wearing a flamboyant purple zoot suit and spending big on credit. After realizing the mistakes of his ways, he vowed never to accept credit again from anyone, swearing that debt turned into a form of slavery.

From odd jobs shining shoes to small acts of criminality, Malcolm eventually turned into a prolific thief. He picked locks and broke into homes, using the proceeds to fund his lifestyle. After moving to New York City in the early 1940s, he took part in a major theft campaign against the city's high society, stealing luxurious watches and jewelry and reselling them to cover his expenses.

This criminal activity eventually resulted in incarceration, with Malcolm serving almost ten years behind bars after being convicted of theft. He spent his time in prison turning his life around, with the majority of his day spent reading and teaching himself about the world. During his later career as a civil rights leader, he claimed that he had no formal alma mater 'aside from his books.'

Malcolm's time in prison also resulted in a new religion, and with it a new identity. From Malcolm Little to Malcolm X, he joined the controversial Nation of Islam and identified with its struggle for an America without prejudice against Africans. His militant approach to race relations earned him a great deal of followers, and an even greater amount of enemies in the United States government.

The future belongs to those who prepare for it today - Malcolm Little 

On February 21^st, 1965, while giving a speech in New York City, Malcolm X was gunned down by a member of the Nation of Islam, the group that Malcolm had split from years earlier. One of the first true leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, he is a perplexing and controversial figure. Some look at him as an enabler of racism and militancy, while others are inspired by his passion and discipline.

Whatever the case, and whatever your views are on Malcolm X, it's tough to deny that he was one of the world's most ambitious figures. A voracious reader, his time behind bars was spent learning, both about himself and about the world as a whole. For self-educators around the world, he serves as a role model, inspiring people to question the value of school and to always educate themselves.

Malcolm X Interview at UC Berkeley