...Malcolm X A Controversial Leader Iris Robinson Central Michigan University PSC 785 Dr. Robert Boggs Abstract This paper is going analyze the leadership traits, behavior and power that made Malcolm X the type of leader that he was. Malcolm X was considered a great leader to some people because of what he believed in. Malcolm X was a very controversial leader because of his views on different subject. This paper will show how Malcolm X went from follower to a leader. Malcolm X possess a lot of good trait that people look for in good leader such as motivator, responsible, assertive, self-confidence, firm and task orientate and most of all honesty. Leadership can be defined as a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. Leadership is also a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent. There are certain trait that a good leader must possessed such as excellent communication skills, be direct, be fair, capable and kind yet firm. Good leader also possess certain personal qualities. A good leader needs to have an exemplary character. A good leader should be enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as leader. A good leader should be confident. A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty. Good leaders...
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...many different types of people. Not only people with different personalities, but people with different types of race and ethnicity. In our present day it is very rare for you to go somewhere and notice that everyone is all one race or ethnicity. Going back many years ago, if one were to use the same bathroom as an African American you were viewed as a traitor and a bad person. Now imagine living that way today, imagine how difficult it would be to find a job or even do your daily routines, it would almost be impossible. The real question is what caused all of the racism to change or who can we thank for all of this? There are a great number of people who came up and made a stand against this which helps us live freely today. Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother, Louise Norton Little, was a homemaker occupied with the family's eight children. Louise father was Scottish which made Louise have a very light complexion, so light she could even pass for white. His father, Earl Little, was an outspoken Baptist minister and avid supporter of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Earl's civil rights activism constantly received death threats from the white supremacist organization Black Legion, which forced the family to relocate twice before Malcolm's fourth birthday. Regardless of the Little's efforts to elude the Legion, in 1929 their Lansing, Michigan home was burned to the ground. Two years later, Earl's body was found lying across the...
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...The Autobiography of Malcolm X Three-hundred and sixty degrees is said to represent the sum total of knowledge in which God has. Consequently, if there was a man that made a 360 degree turn of his life, that man would be: El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, better known as Malcolm X. He was a man who learned early the true meaning of survival of the fittest, actually going from street menace to Minister. The Autobiography of Malcolm X, as told to Alex Haley, reveals the factual story of Malcolm Little and several uneasy transitions through his life that seemed to only make him stronger, emerging as an unlikely leader in America at a time when black leaders of his fiery style and impeccable speaking ability were uncommon. Unfortunately, like other leaders throughout history, Malcolm X was eventually assassinated, but his story lives on. A closer look provides the insight that in a desperate time of need, the trained mind of a street hustler envisioned the advantage of taking on and implementing the right opportunity to make a significant difference in society. While Malcolm X loved the religion of Islam, he still used it, maybe without even knowing it, as a scapegoat to start a movement towards a response to racism and Christianity with the ultimate goal of establishing a new identity for African Americans. Malcolm’s early childhood included constant attacks on his family from the white supremacy group, the KKK. Eventually Malcolm was plucked from his family, sent into foster care...
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...Patrick Brown Mr.Challandes AP Language and Composition 24 February 2015 Malcolm X: Building Up the Fire of the Civil Rights Movement “Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it” (Malcolm X). This quote from one of Malcolm X’s speeches embodies who he was as a person and what he valued. As a civil rights activist, Malcolm learned not to let the hate of others prevent him from living out his life the way he wanted. While others pushed a pacifist movement, Malcolm understood that there would be no peaceful way to resolve the civil rights issues. Malcolm was prepared to fight for his own rights, and even put his own life at risk. The impact that he had on the Civil rights movement was rivaled only by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and all of his ideas were culminated into one speech, called The Ballot or the Bullet. Malcolm X’s speech comes during April of 1963, a critical time during the American Civil rights movement, and Malcolm’s ability to target and rile up the emotions of his African-American audience is what makes his speech so powerful. During the 1960’s, America was a hostile environment for an ambitious African-American citizen. Although executive leaders, such as John F. Kennedy, were promising that they had been doing as much as possible to improve civil rights, not enough actual progress had been made to improve the lives of African-Americans. In 1963 alone, a year in which the civil rights...
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...Malcolm X Malcolm X born Malcolm Little, was an African American Muslim minister, public speaker, and human rights activist. To his admirers, he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans. His detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. He has been described as one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history. Malcolm X was born in Omaha, Nebraska. By the time he was 13, his father had died and his mother had been committed to a mental hospital. His childhood, including his father's lessons concerning black pride and self-reliance and his own experiences concerning race, played a significant role in Malcolm X's adult life. After living in a series of foster homes, Malcolm X became involved in the criminal underworld in Boston and New York. In 1945, Malcolm X was sentenced to eight to ten years in prison. While in prison, Malcolm X became a member of the Nation of Islam. After his parole in 1952, he became one of the Nation's leaders and chief spokesmen. For nearly a dozen years, he was the public face of the Nation of Islam. Tension between Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad, head of the Nation of Islam, led to Malcolm X's departure from the organization in March 1964. After leaving the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X became a Sunni Muslim and made a pilgrimage to Mecca. He traveled extensively throughout Africa and the Middle East. He founded...
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...especially in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue. Malcolm X as a civil rights activist is a man to be thanked by many, because of his courageous actions. By standing up to an issue with such force as a black man in such a color driven society, he shall be among the greats in history. In The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1964), Malcolm X was able to be such an influential man and leader because he learned much from his father’s death, his experiences and time in prison, and also becoming a leader of Islam. Malcolm X’s father’s death had a great significance on his adult life and the way he interacted within societies norms. His father, Earl Little was a man that had strong feelings for black pride among African Americans in his day, and this probably rubbed off onto Malcolm X, also known then as Malcolm Little. One day his father came home and was already irritated with the threats of Black Legion, dinner had to be cooked so Earl grabbed a rabbit out of the pen of which they raised rabbits to be sold, and began to twist the neck off of this rabbit. Malcolm’s mother, Louise Little started to cry and made Earl so upset and angry that he stormed out of the house and marched off up the road. Supposively Louise had a vision of something horrible happening to her husband. So she tried to run after him but Earl just waved her off and kept marching down the road. He was gone all day and Malcolm went to sleep, and then all of a sudden he woke up later that night to...
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...Nicholas K. Marich 2B Malcolm little also known as Malcolm X, was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. Earl and Louis little, his parents, worked hard to support their children of eight. Malcolm’s mother was a homemaker and his father was a Baptist minister and a supporter of the Black National leader. As a result Malcolm’s father received many death threats from white supremacist. They were forced to move to many different places. In 1929 the Littles’ house was burned to the ground due to their strong support of African American advancement. Two years later the body of Earl little was found mutilated lying across the towns railroad track. The police ruled it an accident but the Littles were certain that it was a member of the Black Legion. After Earl’s death Malcolm’s mother had an emotional breakdown and was sent to a mental institution. Her children were separated and sent to different foster homes. Malcolm was smart and had a dream of becoming a lawyer, but he lost his interest in school when his favorite teacher told him, “A lawyer is no realistic goal for a nigger.” Malcolm dropped out of school and spent time in Boston finding different jobs to earn money. By 1942 Malcolm was affiliated with narcotics, prostitution and gambling. Malcolm and his best friend Malcolm Jarvis, also known as Shorty, were arrested and convicted on burglary charges in 1946 and having affairs with white women. He was sentenced to seven years in prison. Malcolm’s whole life changed. His...
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...Malcolm X , I read the book The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alo simply take my old paper, which was research based, and fashion it into an argumentative thesis. I am now more mature as a student and my perspectives and ideas regarding both the man Malcolm X, and his autobiography, have changed. Where I once thought he was a radical, and sought to prove why his earlier ideas were dangerous and violent, I have come to grow from emotionally reacting to his ideas with volatility to accepting them with a more open mind; I now want to examine the philosophical roots and the more psychologically significant events that he underwent during his life that justify his ideas. As one set of events happened, he’d be polarized in the direction of success in c of ma, but Malcolm X underwent sets of events in his life that caused him to bounce back and forth, radically so, between two juxtaposing constants—conformity and non-conformity. Though with most of his later life and political-religious endeavors he is largely rebelliouat I will pay close attention to. I will discuss these instances and how his personality served as proverbial gunpowder to the flames that were the rauses, I will argue that, throughout his life, he has steadily been climbing toward a psychological equilibrium. As each set of events shiftedemonstrated having multiple times throughout the book with every endeavor he sought was conducive to this process of polarization. The first instance of consolidated...
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...Malcolm X Malcolm X in my eyes can be one of the most inspiring human in anyone’s life. When he was young he was adventurous and did not stay tied down to one city or town. He was born in May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. The family had soon moved to Lansing, Michigan where Malcolm spent most of his childhood. Soon after Malcolm dropped out of junior high, his sister Ella opened an opportunity for him to leave Lansing and go to Roxbury, Boston. Ella was a strong independent black woman, who supported Malcolm in any time of need. In Roxbury he meets Shorty, who becomes Malcolm’s best friend; also the man who got him his first job as a shoe shiner. This is when he first gets his experience in dealing with white customers. Slowly but steadily learning street knowledge from Shorty. Later he would move again to Harlem. There he met Sammy, who was a pimp. Sammy was able to read women like a book. Malcolm would learn how and use it to read people later on. He was fast on his feet and adapting and taking in anything he can benefit from to survive in Harlem. Soon after West Indian Archie ran him out of Harlem because of a bet that neither was sure of who lost or won. He was well known gangster who ran the numbers racket. This is the beginning as to where Malcolm’s life would change. He ran away to back to Boston and starting burglarizing the neighborhood. February 1946 Malcolm was sentenced to jail and sent to Charlestown state prison along with shorty. They had an eight to ten...
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...Malcolm X (/ˈmælkəm ˈɛks/; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965), born Malcolm Little and also known as el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz[A] (Arabic: الحاجّ مالك الشباز), was an American Muslim minister and a human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of blacks, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans; detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. He has been called one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history. Malcolm X was effectively orphaned early in life. His father was killed when he was six and his mother was placed in a mental hospital when he was thirteen, after which he lived in a series of foster homes. In 1946, at age 20, he went to prison for larceny and breaking and entering. While in prison, Malcolm X became a member of the Nation of Islam, and after his parole in 1952, quickly rose to become one of the organization's most influential leaders. He served as the public face of the controversial group for a dozen years. In his autobiography, Malcolm X wrote proudly of some of the Nation's social achievements made while he was a member, particularly its free drug rehabilitation program. In keeping with the Nation's teachings, he promoted black supremacy, advocated the separation of black and white Americans, and rejected the civil rights movement for their emphasis on integration. By March 1964, Malcolm X had grown disillusioned with the Nation...
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...2013 Hunter Dixon Mrs. Richardson Term Paper Final Draft 08 December 2013 The Angriest Man In America Without a doubt, Malcolm X is one of the most iconic figures in the history of our country. He is best remembered for the passion and power he displayed during all of his speeches, but his legacy has roots so much deeper than just that. He was the self-proclaimed “angriest man in America,” and he even openly called white people devils. Malcolm spent his whole life preparing himself for an inevitable death (Malcolm X, A Leader of Black Pride). He wanted to get his message out to the world before his time came, and it came much too early for a man like him. Malcolm X will live on throughout history because he was so passionate in his beliefs; though they changed often, he always stood up for what he believed was right, and there is nothing more respectable than that. Even if the man’s beliefs were radical at times. Malcolm’s birth name was Malcolm Little. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925 to parents Rev. Earl and Louise Little, the fourth of eight children (The Autobiography of Malcolm X). When he was about a year and a half old, his parents decided it was best to move out of Omaha after a Klu Klux Klan band warned them to leave, or else face consequences (Malcolm X). After passing through Milwaukee for a short time (Malcolm X, A Leader of Black Pride), they eventually found a place to stay, in Lansing, Michigan. Even though they had a new home, the Little...
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...Kenya Davis Ms. Howard Sociology 02 March 2016 MLK Jr vs Malcolm X Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X had many similarities and differences when it came to their roles in the civil rights movement. A huge similarity of the two is they fought hard for their people with getting treated bad. They both wanted to see black people in the best position possible. Risking their lives everyday for the rights they felt they deserve. They were both assassinated because of their leadership role positions they played during this time. Even though they had different beliefs/religions, both their religions played a significant role in their approaches. They both had the greatest impact on the civil rights movement during the 1960s. One of the main reasons why Malcolm X and MLK Jr is different is their approach to the civil rights movement. While MLK Jr wanted to keep the peace and have a non-violent protest, Malcolm X was very opposite. Malcolm X felt that if they wanted to be violent then so should his people. Also, MLK Jr thought more of people being equal and Malcolm X was more for his people being in high power and being controlled by themselves. Also, their religion was a extremely huge difference and had an impact on the way they went about things. MLK Jr grew up in a Christian home where his parents stressed necessary things such as education and religion. Malcolm X converted to Islam after being arrested for drugs and burglary. His outlook on things were far more violent...
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...Wesley Maschke D. Allen University Writing 28 January 2016 Malcolm X Reading the essay as a whole, I found it very interesting and enlightening to a side of thinking that I have never done before. It's astounding how a man can go from being an almost illiterate convict to a very knowledgeable reader, while in prison. One thing that bothered me about the content was the story about Nat Turner. It seems as if all of the African community applauds Nat for his actions. I believe that Nat’s actions and the commandment of those actions negate any sort of pity that should be felt for the African community. Even if the white people were being outlandishly evil to the blacks, it does not give the blacks any sort of right to retaliate and kill white people out of anger. I believe the ways of Martin Luther King Jr. were the most ethical and respectable ways to go about the civil rights movement. Peace and patience are a lot more respectable than violence when it comes to achieving a goal. On the other hand, I agree with Malcolm X in the fact that what white people have done is completely inexcusable. The writing of this piece is also very interesting. The chronological arrangement of Malcolm’s life adds to the effect of how much being in prison actually changed him. The addition of other outside sources that drove Malcolm for change makes his new lifestyle appear to be very noble. A quote that describes the differences in jail and outside of jail is, “Some were said by many to be...
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...Malcolm X & MLK Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were great ambassadors for the black community in their time spent on this earth. Even though both of their styles differed, they both played a huge role in the fight for African American freedom and segregation. Martin Luther King Jr. took a conservative approach while Malcolm X took a violent approach. Their styles differed so much to the point that Malcolm X spoke out about why he thought Martin Luther Kings’ strategy was not good. Martin Luther King wanted for the world to stay at peace while trying to bring both the blacks and whites together. Meanwhile Malcolm X took the approach of wanting blacks to fight whites for our freedom. Despite how both of these incredible men decided to do what was best for the African American race at the time, it affected it in a special way that has carried on to today’s world and how it is operated differently from how it was before these two men came into existence. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a great black civil rights leader. The spot of his death on April 4, 1968 outside of his room in the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN is still a historic landmark. His birthday, which is January 15, 1929, is a national holiday. When Dr. King was young, he attended segregated public school and graduated from high school when he was 15 years old. After finishing college (in which he received numerous degrees from several universities) he became a pastor in Montgomery, Alabama. Also, he was...
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...of Malcolm X. They were present at a rally in New York City on that tragic day in February 1965. Malcolm X was a grassroots leader, and the stories that my grandparents shared with me was impressed by his honesty and devotion to his idea of self-emancipation (Sales Jr., 1994, p. 207). His charismatic leadership helped him involve street elements in the struggle for Black liberation. My grandparents belonged to that social stratum, as well as their friends who also were present at that rally. From the stories I heard about him, I considered him with all sincerity of my heart to be a great teacher whom I revered for his morality. He did not receive any formal education. He challenged me, a person in his early twenties, with his idea of a better world in which we all were destined to live. He has verbalized some of my thoughts in an open way. His speech was not wordy but very precise. From his speeches, I was able to get a better understanding of the Black history. Whatever he said, he was honest; I believed his words as I read his work and was influenced by his awakening forces; I wanted to transform myself within the framework of Malcolm’s civic movement. I enjoyed learning and reading about Malcolm X because his words were truthful and trustworthy. It felt as if he was talking to me personally. It was a great and unforgettable feeling. He expressed his...
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