Biography Born and known as Malcolm Little through his childhood, Malcolm X was brought into the segregated world on May 19, 1925. In Lansing, Michigan, he was raised by his father, J. Early Little and Mother Louise Little in a time of poverty. While Malcolm was a child, his father passed away. This left his mother alone while trying to support all eight of her children during the Great Depression. The stress caused Louise to have a mental breakdown, which meant that her children were separated and put into the custody of various foster families. He received fair treatment from white families but still received subtle discrimination in white schools. Malcolm dropped out and moved to Boston, where he spent time out on the streets experiencing