During my sophomore year of high school, my English teacher Ms. Cregan, had asked each of us to pick a book for the Christmas and New Year holiday recess, and later author a report on it. I chose the ‘Autobiography of Malcolm X As Told to Alex Haley‘. After finishing the book, I drafted the required report and earned an A+ for it. However, the passage of thirty years left me with faded memories of its contents. Malcolm’s story has been told by others and there are documentaries which discuss the Nation of Islam. However, I wanted to read Malcolm’s words again as told to Alex Haley. My most recent blog post was a review of Robert J. Norrell’s biography of Haley which examined the late author’s life and the books he authored, which had a significant impact on American culture. Sadly, Malcolm never saw the publication of this book which ends in January 1965, a month before his murder at the Audobon Ballroom on February 21, 1965. But that does not diminish the book’s power, importance, and relevance.

In 1992, Warner Bros. released ‘Malcolm X‘ starring Hollywood legend Denzel Washington in the lead role. The film was a hit, and Washington nailed the portrayal of the late civil rights icon. However, the film does have its flaws, notably in the absence of Malcolm’s siblings as the story is told. His widow Dr. Betty Shabazz (1934-1997) was a consultant on the film, but the lack of input from Malcolm’s half-sister Ella Little-Collins (1914-1996) is regrettable. In spite of this, the film is a masterpiece and Spike Lee remains a critical voice in bringing the experiences of Black Americans to the silver screen. If you have seen the film, you will see the portrayal of Malcolm story which line up with what is told here. Hollywood did take some liberties in production, but the movie is fairly accurate.

Malcolm kicks off the story by revisiting his childhood in Lansing, Michigan during the 1920s. What he explains is what one would expect of life for Black Americans in a time where Jim Crow was a real and deadly threat. But for the young Malcolm, there are also issues inside the house where his father Earl (1890-1931) and mother Louise (1894 or 1897 – 1989) do their best to provide for eight children (Earl had previously fathered children before Louise and that union had produced Malcolm’s sister Ella). The family had moved from Omaha, Nebraska but could not escape the poverty Black Americans found themselves in. Malcolm’s descriptions of hunger and tensions between his parents are sobering, and Earl’s untimely demise is a significant blow to Louise who is left to raise eight children as a single-mother. It is not long before the State of Michigan becomes involved leading to separation at home and Louise dealing with life-long psychiatric issues. And though Malcolm found refuge in the home of a couple determined to provide a loving environment, his biological family had been fractured, and it was something he never forgot.

As he grows into a young man, his ethnicity becomes more of an issue, and he discusses race and the views held by those close to him including the family that had taken him in. And an incident with a teacher who gave him advice as to what he should aspire to be as a Black American, was a turning point in his life. Teachers reading this book will be mortified at the instructor’s comments. However, everything changes when Malcolm moves to Boston to live with Ella. As you can imagine, a country boy arriving in the big city has a lot to learn. And Malcolm takes us on that journey as he learns the street life. Added to this are his “zoo suits” and “conked” hair which were common on the street in those times. Speaking frankly about his past self, Malcolm dissects the foolishness of his earlier ways. His stint as a porter on the railroad is also revisited and how his employment opened his eyes to another world: New York City. He could not have known then that New York would be his final resting place.

The story changes gear and the streets become Malcolm’s home. He lived the hustler’s life and readers will take note of his full immersion in a life of destruction. It was a miracle that he was not killed on the streets of Boston or New York. He was flying high and introduced us to the characters we see in the film. There is the sad descent of Laura into a life off debauchery, the romance with Sophia and the fallout with West Indian Archie. As I read the story, I could see his downfall coming, and after a botched robbery, he and his friend “Shorty” find themselves arrested, convicted, and sent to prison. Of course, there is more to the robbery story, and race does play a factor in the ir fates. Reading it today feels surreal, but this was America at that time and the idea of interracial relationships or marriage was illegal in many states. However, for Malcolm, prison would be his savior.

Malcolm’s prison experience, as he tells it, is different from what we see in the film. In fact, the character “Brother Baines” is fictional. The true story of his conversion to Islam is more intricate, and involved several of his siblings who had previously joined the Nation of Islam (“NOI”). His brothers Reginald Little (1927-2001) and Philbert Little (1923-1994) each played a role with the latter having a larger impact to his close relationship with Malcolm. However, their actions after his death left me speechless. The details are in the epilogue by Haley. I was fascinated by Malcolm’s transformation which was nothing short of incredible. His methods to improve himself and ability to digest information are signs of the future iconic figure we know today. But that was still to come and before we reach the streets of Harlem, he goes through his conversion to Islam which involves pledging allegiance to the NOI and its leader Elijah Muhammad (1897-1975). The remainder of the book focuses on the NOI and Malcolm’s fallout and later defection which had deadly consequences.

A full discussion of the NOI and Malcolm’s relationship would be enough to fill several volumes of books. Malcolm condenses the story and touches on the most critical issues. He explains his rise and how Islam began to reach Black Americans. But he could not ignore trouble rumors which turned into factual revelations that Muhammad had fathered children out of wedlock. The crack in the relationship between Malcolm and the NOI had been formed. Curiously, Malcolm does not mention that Muhammad had been having an affair with a woman who he once had been involved with. That information is contained in ‘Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention‘ by the late Manning Marable (1950-2011). Marable died before his book was published but had spent ten years researching and drafting his book which is strongly recommended for readers interested in Malcolm’s life. He discusses the topics which did not make the cut in this book. Malcolm had started to become disillusioned with the NOI but remained loyal. However, that all changed in the wake of the murder of President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963). Malcolm had been asked to comment on the assassination. Elijah Muhammad had given specific orders for no statements to be made by the NOI. While answering the question, Malcolm made the “chicken coming home to roost” statement which went viral in the press and led to a ninety-day suspension. But as we learn from him, the stage was being set for his removal from the NOI.

The gap between Malcolm and the NOI continues to widen as the story progresses. And while he explains the things he learned and noticed about the increasing animosity towards him, we also see that he becomes more fatalistic regarding his own mortality. His eyes had been opened but there is one more crucial event that opens the door for his reinvention: the pilgrimage to Mecca. It should be noted that his trip would not have been possible with his sister Ella who played a monumental role in Malcolm’s life. Her role in helping Malcolm throughout his life cannot be overstated. Moving forward, the trip to Mecca was not without its mishaps but the experience was life changing for him. He revisits the pilgrimage, and it is evident by his words that it changed his life. He was away from America but when he returned, the troubles with the NOI were far from gone. And upon arrival back in New York, the tensions escalated. Malcolm knew he was a marked man, but he makes a couple of statements that caught my attention. The first implies that the order to kill him was no secret and the second implies that forces outside the NOI may have been involved. Regardless, the clock was ticking, and he knew death was waiting. The final weeks of his life were chaotic and the attempts on his life resembled a Hollywood production. But this was no film and killers were after him. And on February 21, 1965, the end came in a hail of bullets.

Haley tells the aftermath of the shooting, but it is a not a full discussion of everything that happened. I do not believe Haley intended it to be either. It is more of a recap before the book concludes. Haley’s epilogue is an added bonus which does discuss events post-assassination. Again, it is not a full discussion of the trials of the three men convicted in Malcolm’s death (two have been exonerated) but a discussion of how the death impacted the NOI and Malcolm’s supporters, including the late actor Ossie Davis (1917-2005), whose eulogy of Malcolm still gives me chills. After I finished the book, I saw quietly for several minutes and thought about Malcolm’s life and its tragic end. I asked myself if any of us fully understood him. Today in 2024, wisdom can be found in his words. We will not agree with everything he said, and Malcolm himself stated that what he learned in the NOI was not the true Islam. Following his pilgrimage to Mecca, he had come to see what Islam should mean and wanted the gift of love and peace to confront the racism plaguing America. However, the forces against him were determined to prevail and America was not ready for the change he envisioned. There will never be another Malcolm X, and these words by him are a summation of all the things he experienced and did in his short life:

“Yes, I have cherished my “demagogue” role. I know that societies often have killed the people who have helped to change those societies. And if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help to destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of America—then, all of the credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes have been mine.” – Malcolm X 

This book is a gift that keeps on giving. Highly recommended.

ASIN :‎ B013ZNNX5C
Publisher :‎ Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (August 25, 2015)