Malcolm X born Malcolm Little on May 19,1925, in Omaha, Nebraska to Louise and Earl Little. He rose to prominence in the mid-1950’s opposing the mainstream civil rights movement. Publicly calling for black separatism and rejecting non-violence and integration as effective means of combating racism. Malcolm's first twelve years of life, a time he remembers as a "Nightmare." Indeed, the main events of the chapter are all scenes from a nightmare, the Ku Klux Klan attack in Omaha; the burning of the family's home in Lansing; the violent death of Malcolm's father; the harassment of the family by welfare officials; the transfer of Malcolm to the custody of another family; and Mrs. Little's breakdown and committal to the mental hospital. Marcus Garvey was a Black Nationalist leader, originally from Jamaica. He is a significant historical figure, because he was the founder of the modern Pan-African movement (key terms 5). Earl Little committed his life to disseminating Marcus Garvey’s philosophy because he believed, like Garvey that “African Americans would never achieve independence, self-respect, and freedom in the United States” (Haley and X 2). The white supremacist known as the black legion in Omaha were against Earl Little’s spreading his teachings of Marcus Garvey to other negroes that lived there. With the Black Nationalism being spread around town, …show more content…
Malcolm X points out “My fathers skull was crushed on one side… he was attacked, and then laid across some tracks for a street car to run over him” (Shabazz and Haley 10). Earl Little's death was falsely ruled a suicide, thereby enabling Louise Little the large life insurance policy he had purchased in order to provide for his family in the event of his death. Not to mention, three of Malcolm’s uncles were also murdered by the hands of the white