Brimbi Thesis

The days of Detroit Red came to an end in 1946 when Malcolm and Shorty Jarvis along with their two white girlfriends went on a robbery spree. Malcolm was convicted of larceny, breaking and entering and carrying a weapon. At age 20, he was given a concurrent eight to ten year sentence and was sent to Charleston State Prison where he was forced to get clean and detox. During his seven years in prison (1946 – 1952), Malcolm underwent a great alteration to his mind set and character. He no longer boasted of himself in crime but took an interest in trying to better himself with knowledge. During his time in Charleston he was greatly influenced by a fellow inmate name Bimbi. Bimbi helped to ease his drug dependency by showing Malcolm that by taking nutmeg (smuggled into the prison), it helped with withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Bimbi was a self-educated man who taught Malcolm the importance of education and self-respect. In the years since Malcolm had left school since grade 8, he had forgotten how to read and write. But with Bimbi’s encouragement and tutelage, Malcolm began devouring books from the prison library on religion, history and philosophy. Malcolm committed himself to a rigorous course of study. In doing so he

He was diligently able to do so and as a reward was sent to Philadelphia to replicate the same task. For his fast speed, he was appointed Minister of Temple 7 based in Harlem, New York.

In the years since Malcolm’s release from prison in 1952, due primarily to the efforts of Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam grew from 400 members to 40,000 by 1960. He established a national newspaper called “Muhammad Speaks”, in order to further promote the messages/teachings. By the 1960’s, Malcolm X had emerged as a leading voice for the Nation of Islam. He utilized newspaper columns and radio/television interviews to further commute the “NOI’s”