Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska, but grew up in Lansing, Michigan. Little spent much of his youth in detention centers. In 1946 while in prison for burglary, he discovered the teachings of the Nation of Islam, also known as Black Muslims. Released in 1952, Malcolm met Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Nation of Islam. Little changed his last name to X, a practice among Black Muslims who considered their family names to be the names of slaveholders. Malcolm X soon became an effective speaker and organizer for the Nation of Islam. He preached that African Americans were superior to white people and should not join white society. He also supported the use of violence for self-protection. Malcolm X left the Black Muslims in 1964 and traveled to Mecca, where he modified his views on black separatism. Later that year, he organized the Organization of Afro-American Unity. In February 1965, at a rally for his new organization, Malcolm X was shot to death by Black Muslims. His autobiography, written by author Alex Haley from interviews with Malcolm X, was published shortly after his death.
