Malcolm X Post Mecca Analysis

Malcolm felt that the “March” they had at the white house was a joke even though he was there to support them. Malcolm also spoke about the way “Black Leaders” talked down on the Black Muslims, but he still supported them because they were his own kind. Also, Malcolm spoke about “integrating” and how he believed it would never work. Another point Malcolm spoke about was how sick Mr. Muhammad was getting. His condition began to get worst and Malcolm knew that the “Black Muslims” needed him.

Muhammad spread his teachings. Accordingly, as stated in chapter 13 paragraph 3, “Mr. Muhammad invited me to visit his home in Chicago… while he trained me for months. "Elijah had Malcolm brainwashed, yet Mr. Muhammad wanted to teach him everything he knew. Above all, as stated in chapter 10 page (216), “It means that my worship of him was so awesome that he was the first man whom I had ever feared- not fear as such as one had of the power of the sun.” Malcolm was beginning to see Mr. Muhammad as more like a God not as high as Allah but he knew everything he needed to know to be as high as him. However, as stated chapter 13 page (222), “I began firing Mr. Muhammad’s teaching at the New York members and the few friends they managed to bring in.” Malcolm and Mr. Muhammad felt that Malcolm knew enough to start traveling and reciting Elijah Muhammad’s teachings for him. In fact, as stated in chapter 14 page (241), “Christian love is the white man’s love for himself and for his race.” Once again Malcolm saw the world as Black America and White America each with mostly different religions. Furthermore, as stated in chapter 14 page (241), “Every Muslim happily anticipated that now, through the white man’s powerful communication media, our brainwashed black brother and sisters across the United States… were going to see, hear, and read Mr. Muhammad's teachings…” Malcolm seemed to be excited that everyone would be able to hear about Mr. Muhammad and his teachings of Allah. Also as stated in chapter 14 page (245), “All Mr. Muhammad is doing is trying to uplift the black man’s mentality…” Malcolm thought that Mr. Muhammad only wanted to help people by teaching the muslin lessons. However, as stated in chapter 14 page (246), “Whoever tells you how many Muslims there are doesn’t know, and whoever does know will never tell.” Malcolm and Mr. Muhammad knew how many Muslims there actually

Instead of going to school to get a traditional education, he dropped out of school at fifteen and learned the ways of the streets. Malcolm associated himself with thugs, thieves, dope dealers, and pimps. He was convicted of burglary at age twenty and remained in prison until he was twenty-seven. During his prison sentence, he became a changed man. He educated himself and he learned about and joined the Nation of Islam, studying the teachings of Elijah Muhammed. Elijah taught Malcolm how history had been “whitened by the white man” (p.184) and he echoed “the black convict’s lifelong experience” where “the white man is the devil,” (p. 186). This thought process encouraged many black inmates to discover the Nation of Islam.

Malcolm X on the other hand wanted blacks to have more power than they did, he did not care about equal rights as much as he wanted the black community to rise up into the powerful positions that whites currently had at the time. Malcolm’s approach to achieving his goals were not quite as peaceful as MLK Jr. Malcolm X thought, along with others, that were members of the NOI that the white man were keeping the African Americans, down by not letting them enjoy the same rights as the whites.

Historians have often divided the life of Malcolm X, also referred to as El-Hajj Malik Shabazz, into 3 periods. First, from 1948 to 1964, he was established in the Nation of Islam. Then, in 1964, he went through the Black Nationalist Period of his life. Lastly, prior to his assassination, from 1964 to 1965, Malcolm X evolved through the Universalist Islamic Period. I, however, have chosen to divide his life into two major periods from which his most poignant ideologies were formed. He demonstrated that reading, learning and reason were indispensable qualities for the economic and social development of the masses. Within these two distinctly opposing periods of Malcolm X’s life, his ideologies, prior to and following his holy pilgrimage to

Malcolm X, an African American leader and prominent figure in the Nation of Islam, was a significant individual in the African American fight for justice and equality. In contrast to the mainstream Civil Rights Movement with its nonviolent pursuit of integration, Malcolm X voiced concepts of race pride and Black Nationalism during the 1950s and '60s. Although many argue that Malcolm X did not actually “do” anything for the black community, his nontraditional programs brought a new perspective to the Civil Rights Movement, and this perspective is of relevance today in the black community.

Malcolm X was a man who supported violence in getting equal rights for black citizens. To do this, he assisted the national Muslim leader, Elijah Muhammad by sharing the Black Muslim beliefs throughout the United States. Malcolm X started many Muslim groups and worked hard to develop racial pride in his black listeners by recognizing the suffering whites caused by blacks. With the Black Muslims, Malcolm X practiced a vigorous self-defense against white violence. He also urged blacks to live separately from whites and prevented them from attaining their freedom. He affected his followers so much that when his followers would see white people they would often harass or hurt the white people. Through his travels in the Middle East and Africa, he began to realize and change his views regarding potential brotherhood between black and white Americans and rejected the view that all whites were devils. (Harris 99) He thought that one day his religion could unite people of all races. To do this he formed his own group, The Organization of Afro-American Unity. Many people, both black and whites admired his tireless efforts to build pride in blacks and whoever shared his dreams that someday everyone would be joined in brotherhood. Malcolm X was admired by many people because of his drive to unite the blacks and whites as one, but many people also condemned his as a hypocrite and traitor because of his change in views. Malcolm X

Malcolm studied the teachings of the leader of the Black Muslims, Elijah Muhammad, who advocated an independent black state. The Nation of Islam was based on a theology adapted from several models: traditional Islamic teachings principles of Black Nationalism, and economic self-help programs that addressed the needs of African Americans living in urban ghettoes. Unlike traditional Islam, which rejects all forms of racism, the Nation of Islam declared that whites were the "devil by nature," and that God was black. However, the Black Muslims predicted that in the near future a Great War would take place in which whites would be destroyed and black people would rule the world through the benevolence of Allah, their creator. To prepare for this new order, the Nation of Islam stressed personal self-restraint, opposed the use of drugs and alcohol, and organized economic self-help enterprises that eventually included farms, food stores, restaurants, and small businesses.

Malcolm X was a curious man and a spokesman for the Nation Of Islam, the book “Malcolm X : Rights Activist and Nation of Islam Leader” explains what he went through as a spokesman for the Nation of Islam,“ Malcolm X helped increase the membership of the

Malcolm X grew an intense hatred towards the white people and referred to them as “devils”. He rejected integration in favor of segregation. His actions towards White America became more and more vehemently bitter.

"We didn't land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on us."(Malcolm X).Even though Elijah Muhammad was bad to all these women and had gotten them pregnant. Malcolm X still believed in the thought of Muslims ways and Elijah’s teachings , especially when everything was segregated between whites and blacks adding on, Malcolm X had a bad past with white people. Malcolm X’s trip to Mecca had made him perceive something new. There in Mecca everyone was equal, the white man there were standing side by side and called him brother. As soon as he came back to America he realized instead of the fact of Muslims making things better for blacks and only blacks and Muslims can make it better, he realized things should be better for all people. You can say in a way, his mind started to open up to all viewpoints even with his bad past. Malcolm X had been separated from his brothers and sisters, ridiculed because of what color skin he was, being charged with burglary and sentenced him to 10 in jail. Malcolm X came out a changed man who became successful becoming an inspirational beacon for blacks. He fought for what he believed in being as militant as he was. Devoting his life to achieve something many people were against. He even gave himself a new last name “X”, he believed the last name “little” was a slave name a white man had given, so he chose “X” to represent his unknown tribal name making him what he is known by today as “Malcolm X”.

Malcolm had joined the Nation of Islam and became their spokesman and went to the streets for black converts. His only concern was to change the condition of his people who were victimized by social injustice and

wanted to fight racism with love and Malcolm X wanted blacks to fight back when they were attacked. ?He was one of the most fiery and controversial blacks of the twentieth century? (Discovering 1). ?Malcolm X, was regarded as personifying black nationalism? (Civil 117). ?Malcolm was known for his incisive analysis on the problems of American democracy and the limitations of the intergrationalist Civil Rights Movement? (Civil 116). He believed that black men must reject Western society standards and develop their own society and ethical standards (Colliers 143). He established the Organization of Afro-American Unity. He did this in order to try to unify all the black organizations by fighting white racism (Colliers 143). Malcolm wanted to inform blacks about the cultures that had been taken away from them and the self-hatred the whites had inspired (Discovering 1). He wanted to point them to a better way of life. ?The black power movement to instill pride and a sense of self reliance in the African American community? (Compton's 132).

Unlike King, Malcolm X encouraged his followers to rebel against whites. Malcolm X, for the most part, believed that non-violence and integration was a trick by the whites to keep African Americans oppressed. “Don’t you run around here trying to make friends with somebody who’s depriving you of your rights” (X 1964). He was furious at white racism and encouraged his followers through his speeches to rise up and protest against their white enemies. “They’re not your friends, no, they are your enemy. Treat them like that and fight them”(X 1964). He encouraged African Americans to stand up against the white America that oppressed them.

He developed a hate that tore him apart due to the racism and prejudice him and his family suffered at the hands of white Americans. After all the mess he got himself into, he hit a low point and ended up in jail. That is when he discovered the Nation of Islam. This religion made him pick up all the pieces and start a new life. However, over the years, Muslims began to get a bad name. Just as Islam’s image is misconstrued by the media as well as ignorance in the present time, for Malcolm X and the Muslims in his time, it was no different. In today’s media, Islam is always being accused of being a violent religion and for encouraging hate. Anything and everything related to terrorism is automatically linked to Islam. Many Americans, who do not have knowledge about Islam, see Muslims as violent, unpatriotic, and terrorists. Little do people realize that history is repeating itself. The media exploited Muslims intentions back then as well by calling them “hate-messengers” and “violent-seekers” (Malcolm X, 152). They also painted the same picture of Muslims being “fascist” and “anti-Christ” (Malcolm X, 152). They would display “Mr. Muhammad, me, and others speaking . . . strong-looking, set-faced black men, our Fruit of Islam ... white-scarved, white-gowned Muslim sisters of all ages... Muslims in our restaurants, and other businesses... Muslims and other black people entering and leaving our mosques...” in a television show titled