Wallace Fard's Tragic Events In The Life Of Malcolm X

"We declare our right on this earth...to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary”(Malcolm X, ). Malcolm X was a very well known civil rights leader and an outspoken public voice for the Muslim faith. Malcolm encountered many events in his early life and throughout his family's battle with racism. We can see these events play out throughout his life, in his views on religion, and in the events that lead to his tragic death. Born on May 19th of 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, Malcolm Little or more widely known as Malcolm X was the fourth of eight children born to Earl and Louise Little. His

Wallace Fard founded the organization Nation Of Islam in the 1930s that Malcolm had joined and soon became a huge name in the organization. (ushistory.org) Fard felt that Christianity was a white man's religion and felt that blacks were forced into it when they were slaves. He believed that Islam was closer to the African roots. Members of the Nation Of Islam read the Quran which is their religious text, believe in one God, Allah, and Muhammad who is considered by them to be the last prophet of God (ushistory.org). When Wallace Fard went missing Elijah Muhammad became the main leader for the Nation Of Islam movement. The Nation Of Islam began to attract many followers due to Malcolm's moving speeches. When Elijah saw Malcolm's potential for the movement he made Malcolm a leading spokesman for the Nation Of Islam. Malcolm became a minister in many Muslim temples. For twelve years Malcolm preached that the white man was the devil and Elijah Muhammad was God's messenger. While Martin Luther King Jr. was giving speeches about peace between whites and blacks Malcolm X was giving speeches against whites saying they can not be trusted. He wanted Africans to stand up and be proud of their heritage, but in a somewhat violent way. One quote by Malcolm X states, “Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you,

Malcolm X was greatly devoted to Islam through all his works and he appeared to be working on a transformation with the potential to change the course of the Civil Rights Movement. Malcolm's Islamic faith opened his eyes to the world and gave him a different look on whites and all races. While he was in Mecca he worshipped with people of all races and he seen how good they could be. Malcolm said in one speech, “...while praying to the same God -- with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white… I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims…”(Malcolm). This motivated Malcolm X to try and change the views and outlooks of the American people. Malcolm's faith took him so far in his movement to change the views on racism, but tragically on February 21st, 1965 while preparing a speech in New York three black men shot and killed Malcolm X. Even though it was clear that the Nation Of Islam had to have had something to do with his assassination, to this day we still don't know the people behind his