American History

Malcolm X was born in the year 1925, as Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska but was raised in Michigan. His father was a civil rights activist and his mother a supportive house wife who loved her children. When Malcolms mother was pregnant with him, their home in Nebraska was raided by the Klu Klux Klan, who were strictly against the activism of his father. They escaped that night, but one fateful day in Detroit day after Malcolms mother and father had a heated argument, he stormed into town where he would be killed by a white mob who considered him to be uppity. After his fathers death, Malcolms family started to deteriorate, most significantly his mother. Social Services eventually stepped in as the home literally fell apart, physically and emotionally.

Malcolm and his siblings were placed under the care of some friends of the family while his mother was placed in a mental institution. Shortly thereafter, Malcolm became mischievous getting into trouble at school. Social Services placed him into a home with a white woman known for taking care of troubled children, Malcolm not excluded. He went to all white schools, where he eventually adopted the white culture that he later opposed to be a bad culture.

Formidable changes he made in his life
Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley is about a man who changed the history of America. Malcolm (Little) X preached what he believed about racism, discrimination, and segregation. He went through many changes in his fight for equality. The three transformations that really changed the way Malcolm thought and preached were his transformation in prison in 1946 he was sentenced to 10 years jail term as a result of burglary. In the prison, Malcolm started to transform, his family members were frequent at the jail and gave him articles that were related to Muslim religious movements, that was based on African ideals.

He studied more on Muhammads teaching. Even though Malcolm X was brought up by a white social worker after the death of his father, he had interest to study more on racial integration and new religion based on Mohammad ideals. He began to oppose the white mans rule and perceived the white man to be evil and wished that the black man could have the same perception by ignoring their way of life culturally, socially, politically and even psychologically. Later in 1952, he was released and went to Chicago where he met Elijah Muhammad who supported the Black Muslim movement and later sent him to build a Mosque in Philadelphia despite the fact that he was once a shoeshine boy, soda jerk, busboy, waiter, and railroad dining car waiter however this marked the end of his first transformation.

Like many great figures and history makers, he had a low point in is life. At this time, Malcolm was into drugs, hustling, women and money. He became so dependant on making a lot of money. He and some of his friends decided to rob the house of an old white man.They were caught for this crime and were not only charged with this crime but were also charged with having sex with white women.Malcolm and his friends were sentenced to six years in prison. During the first couple of days in prison, Malcolm was coming off a drug high and was having withdrawals.

These withdrawals led Malcolm into solitary confinement for two months. When he was let out of his chamber, he met the man that would later be responsible for Malcolms transformation. This man was a follower of the nation of Islam and the great Elijah Muhammad.Malcolm learned a great deal from him and he urged Elijah to help him out on how to change the Black Muslim Movement to a political movement

Comparison between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. on Equality
Both of them were activists that fought for equality and racial discrimination in America, they share a lot in common they were all daring, concerned, good orators and religious. They were mentors to many and gave a lot of hope to the oppressed, desperate and the discriminated people in America. Equality is the fair treatment that is awarded to someone despite age or sex it can also be referred to as fair judgment or perception without prejudice.

Equality was not practiced in America in the 19th century as compared to the modern America where equality is becoming relevant. In the past, women in America were not having certain fundamental rights to do certain jobs or to participate in a political race however the activism that was initiated by a great hero and a protestant by the name Martin Luther King Jr. had a lot of impact on the perception of the blacks and the oppressed just like Malcolm X. Just like Martin Luther King, Malcolm X viewed people equal though he felt that the whites were discriminating the blacks.

Dominant changes that changed the world
Malcolms most important transformation was his pilgrimage to Mecca.Here, he learned that black and white people can coexist in a society without having to be segregated.His viewed the way things should be changed while he was in Mecca.He went from wanting separated states for blacks and whites to wanting to be together and to think of each other as equals.While in Mecca, he witnessed blacks and whites together in communities where color was not an issue.This is where he found the way he wanted things to be in the United States.When Malcolm returned to the states and presented his followers with his new idea and was breaking away from the beliefs of the Nation of Islam, his followers seemed to grow. Malcolm was at his high point in his life. He was in control of what he believed and what he did.At this point in his life, he gained most of his respect.

Conclusion
 Malcolm really showed a lot of character to push away his hatred of the white people and realize that people need to be one in the community.This transformation is the one that impacted the life we live today. Just like Luther King, Malcolm had a lot of respect from those who believed in what he was preaching. He was a man who new what he wanted and was going to change the way things were. Malcolm did not have the odds to make something of himself.He overcame those odds and became one of the most inspiring and important people in the struggle for equality.