The Assassination of Malcolm X
Stephanie Wright
HIS/145
February 10, 2014
Joseph Pirrelli

The Assassination of Malcolm X
I have been given the privilege to follow the life of Malcolm X. In my entries I will attempt to be as accurate and precise as I follow his life. The days to follow are my thoughts, views and findings. Let me start at the beginning. Born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925 as Malcolm Little. The son of Reverend Earl and Louise Little. Reverend Little was a Baptist minister and an advocate of Marcus Garvey. I guess it is safe to say that Malcolm had the blood of an activist. Rev. Little moved his family to Lansing when their house was burned down mysteriously.
Rev. Little after having an argument with his wife was found dead in 1931. His head was severely bashed and his torso was cut almost in two by a streetcar. His death was reported a suicide but the community felt like it he was murdered. The stress of raising 6 children alone was too much for Louise to bare. She was declared insane and was placed in an institution in 1939.
At 14 years old Malcolm’s life began to take a turn. After working odd job after odd job he finally found a job with the New Haven Railroad. He was fired from this job as well. He began to partake in the life of petty larceny and was eventually caught. After being found guilty he was sentenced to prison. In prison he began to educate himself and he converted to the Islamic faith.
In 1952 Malcolm was released from prison and changed his name from Malcolm Little to Malcolm X. Now a Black Muslim in the Nation of Islam he began to preach about Islam. His work was effortlessly and he spoke to whoever would listen. Elijah Muhammad was impressed with him and made him a minister. He founded many new temples and converted thousands of people to his faith.
Two years later Malcolm became a minister of Temple Number Seven in Harlem, New York. This is when his troubles truly started. Once he left the Nation of Islam he became a marked man.” They can’t afford to let me live ... I know where the bodies are buried. And if they press me, I’ll exhume some” (Bell, 2014)
January 14, 1958 Malcolm X and Betty Sanders were married in Michigan. Just two years prior Betty had changed her surname to X which represented the loss of her African ancestry. To this union 6 daughters were born. April, 1964 Malcolm X and Betty took a journey to Mecca where they converted once again. They were now Sunni Muslims. Once again he changed his name, this time to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. During his pilgrimage he meet many brothers of the faith. Many races, from many nations, of many colors all the sons of Allah to Malcolm.

This is my story, the assassination of Malcolm X……..

It was February 21, 1965, just another extraordinary night as all of our African American brothers and sisters gathered inside the Manhattan's Audubon ballroom. Whispers made a loud roar as the place became overcrowded with excitement, as we were prepping to hear one of the greatest men of all time speak. I've been following Brother Malcolm for quite some time, keeping close admiration with him ever since he went by the street name Red. After doing seven of a ten year sentence, Malcolm had returned to the streets with a different mindset as well as a different name, dropping the Little and replacing it with an X, he now lived his life under the leadership of Elijah Muhammad the leader of the Nation of Islam. Elijah Muhammad teachings were that the White society kept us as Black men, women, and children from empowering ourselves. Malcolm believed this with all his heart and worked hard to enlighten those of us who were blinded within the dark. We all saw the sacrifice he was willing to endure as several attempts of his life were made, still brother Malcolm would continue to spread his word.
The moment has come and the loud crowd has simmered down as we see brother Malcolm’s head peek around the curtains. There was a strong and fearless look in his eyes as he glanced around the room. His head goes back behind the curtains and the whispers began once again. The whispers were broken with the screeching of chairs sliding back as we all stand as the man of the hour approaches the podium. His hands raises to praise over the standing crowd and to also gesture for us to sit.
His words strong and promising as always came to a halt as three men ran towards the stage firing and hitting Brother Malcolm fifteen times. The ballroom was in panic as people were trying to flee out all the exits as the lifeless Malcolm X lie dying on the same stage he had devoted his newly reformed life to. The smell of tears and fear mixed horribly with the scent of gun smoke, my hands were shaking and my knees were buckling so much that I couldn't flee from this horrific scene no matter how hard I tried. Sitting in my seat for what seem to be hours watching the paramedic’s cart off the body of the man that only wanted equal fairness. As the last wheel of the cart is lifted inside of the ambulance and it speed off blazing its sirens, I remember saying to myself that there goes an iconic hero for our people, as the ambulance rode off disappearing down the street.

References
Bell, W. (2014). The Conversion of Ideas and Dreams-The Assassination of Malcolm X-. Retrieved from http://www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists_spies/assassins/malcolm_x?2.html
Biography.com. (2014). Betty Shabazz Biography. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/betty-shabazz-38339?page=2