Malcolm chose his Muslim name to be el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz.
When Malcolm converted to the Nation of
Islam he exchanged his family name with an X, because the name had
been received from white slave owners back in the days, and was
therefore unacceptable.
Malcolm X - His Family
In 1958, Malcolm married Betty
Sanders, who had previously also converted to the Nation of
Islam.
On November 10, 1963, Malcolm X delivered his
Message to the Grass Roots speech at the Northern Negro
Grass Roots Leadership Conference in Detroit, Michigan.
This speech
is also known as the You're Afraid to Bleed speech.
Malcolm commented on this event to the
press as follows:
"Chickens come home to roost. Being an old farm
boy myself, chickens coming home to roost never did make me feel
sad; they've always made me feel glad."
On December 2, 1963, the New York Times
reported:
Malcolm X Scores
U.S. and Kennedy; Likens Slaying to "Chickens Coming Home to
Roost" Newspapers Chided - Malcolm X, a leader of the Black
Muslims, yesterday characterized the assassination of President
Kennedy as an instance of "the chickens coming home to roost."
Because of this comment, the
Nation of Islam ordered him to be silent for 90 days. Malcolm
explains:
In March 1964, Malcolm leaves the Nation of
Islam and becomes a Sunnite Muslim.
On April 3, 1964, Malcolm X delivered his
Ballot or Bullet speech at the Cory Methodist Church in
Cleveland, Ohio.
Malcolm receives death threats. One week before his assassination
his home gets firebombed.
The Assassination of Malcolm X
February 21, 1965 - Audubon Ballroom, Harlem, New York.
Civil rights leader Malcolm X delivers a
speech when somebody throws a smoke bomb.
Thomas Hagan shoots Malcolm with
a double-barreled sawed-off shotgun. Malcolm falls to the floor.
Normal Butler and Thomas Johnson approach and shoot
Malcolm several times with a .45 pistol and a 9mm Luger.
Malcolm's bodyguards return fire and hit
Hagan in the leg. The other two shooters escape but were later
captured. All three shooters belonged to the Nation of Islam.
Malcolm died two hours later in surgery.
He suffered 16 bullet wounds.
His wife Betty, while pregnant with
twins, and his four daughters had to witness Malcolm's
assassination. And you think therapists are overpaid.
