...Khalen Cumberlander African American Philosophy November 14th, 2013 Malcolm X The life of Malcolm X was a very disturbing and interesting one. I say that, because Malcolm X was criminal, minister, a powerful leader, and an icon to his religious followers. Born Malcolm Little, before converting to the Nation of Islam, young Malcolm grew up around a lot of segregation and racism. Growing up in Omaha, Nebraska he had to deal with the KKK (Ku Klux Klan), especially because his father was a preacher, who preached the word of God and rights for African American. After the mysterious death of his father which was heard that the KKK took him and tied him to the train tracks, as a train killed him. Young Malcolm moved to Boston where he became a petty thief and pimp. He eventually went to jail in February 1946 for breaking and entering, and was sentenced to eight years in prison at the Charlestown State Prison. Manning Marable goes into great detail about ups and downs of Malcolm X’s life. He talks about the highs and low, the disappointments and the great success he had. The two chapters in this book that really caught my eye while reading was chapter three and chapter ten. Both chapters have great detail about the individual, and gave you a vivid picture of how Malcolm X really was. Chapter three is all about him becoming the great leader, speaker, hero, father and husband that will all remember him by, thus name of chapter being titled “Becoming X.” This significant chapter goes...
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...Paper #2 – Origins of Islam in America Trevor Pace A00763129 It seems that when it comes to the first Muslims in America it is a little unclear, however several sources that I found believe that it was first in the 12th century and ties in with the voyage of Columbus. “The Navigator of Columbus, who during the famous voyage, brought along a copy of a travel narrative written by Portuguese Muslims who had sailed to the New World in the 12th century. The narrative by al-Idrisi was called "The Sea of Tears"”. (Ahari, 1998) Next during the 14th century with Muslims that came from the Senegabian region of Africa, “It is believed they were Moors, expelled from Spain, who made their way to the Caribbean and possibly to the Gulf of Mexico” (Cowan, 2006) Then with the 16th century with Istafan, the Arab, “who was a guide for the Spanish that wished to settle the area that would later be called Arizona in 1539”. (Ahari, 1998) The next major instance of Islam in America happened with slavery in the 18th century. This is the first real wave of Muslims in America as it is said that “Historians estimate that between 15 to 30 percent of all enslaved African men, and less than 15 percent of the enslaved African women, were Muslims” (Samuel S. Hill, 2005). Next in the late 19th and early 20th century Muslim immigrants from the Middle East, particularly from Syria and Lebanon, arrived in large numbers. “Many were settling in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and even the Dakotas. Like most other migrants...
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...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 of Islam and its leader Elijah Muhammad. Expressing many regrets about his time with them, which he had come to regard as largely wasted, he embraced Sunni Islam. After a period of travel in Africa and the Middle East, which included completing the Hajj, he repudiated the Nation of Islam, disavowed racism and founded Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity. He continued...
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...1920's, and Wallace D. Fard Muhammad in 1930, hundreds of thousands of African-Americans converted to Islam, many under the guidance of Fard's successor, Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. . It had taken nearly four hundred years for the Black Man to climb from beneath this proverbial rock. Leading the climb during the civil rights movement was the Nation of Islam, the most influential and directional group in the history of Black America. The members got this name because up until the formation of the group, Muslims in America were all immigrants from the Middle East and Southeast Asia. African-Americans did not begin to convert until Drew, Fard, and Elijah Muhammad began to preach. The founding beliefs of the Nation of Islam were that African-Americans had been oppressed for too long, and that the White, Christian-dominated American society was to blame. term "Black Muslim" is the original term for members of the Nation of Islam. The members got this name because up until the formation of the group, Muslims in America were all immigrants from the Middle East and Southeast Asia. African-Americans did not begin to convert until Drew, Fard, and Elijah Muhammad began to preach. The founding beliefs of the Nation of Islam were that African-Americans had been oppressed for too long, and that the White, Christian-dominated American society was to blame. In Fard's eyes, Islam was the religion of the Black Man....
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...Analyzing Religion Diversity and World Cultures | HUM215 Argosy University Abstract Religions have become the structure of many people lives. Religions are practiced over the world by various creeds, colors, races, and ethnicities. For individuals religion gives a feeling of fitting in and showing appreciation to something or someone who has given them the gift of life. This is a topic that can be touchy for some. More awareness of other religions should be spread amongst religions and their members or followers. Religion can divide people instead of bringing them together; everyone should love others equally. This is a very controversial issue that I will discuss in-depth. In today’s society there are so many different religions and beliefs. Most people are a part of a religion they can relate to or that they believe is morally correct. Religion has become one of the top organizations to create structure and balance in ones’ life. Religion can be found across the entire world; some religions are practiced in multiple parts of the world. In this paper it will analyze two monotheist religions, first by describing some of the things they share in common and their differences. In addition each religion’s history, rituals, doctrines, and beliefs will be examined. Jehovah witnesses are a smaller group of people who believes in Christianity but does not believe in the same traditions...
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...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, and was arguably deprived of a normal teenage life like that of the average adolescent. Those years for him included both illegal and immoral activity such as heavy use and distribution of drugs, prostitutes and various other hustling. Malcolm X believed that African Americans had completely lost their sense of identity and he was determined to bring it back...
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...Elijah Poole Muhammad’s Experience Growing up in Cordele, Georgia Shaped the Philosophy of the Most Influential Head of the Nation of Islam By Authur J. Nance African and Middle Eastern Religion Dr. Modeste Nyimi May 1, 2014 How Elijah Poole Muhammad’s Experience Growing up in Cordele, Georgia Shaped the Philosophy of the Most Influential Head of the Nation of Islam Elijah Muhammad, son of a sharecropper, was born into poverty in Sandersville, Georgia, on in 1887. He was one of 13 children of William and Mariah (Hall) Poole; his father was a sharecropper, and his mother was a domestic worker. He grew up in the same town I grew up in as a child and where I was appointed in 2009 as the first African American in history to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, Cordele, Georgia. He attended school only through the fourth grade and dropped out to begin working in sawmills and brickyards. At an early age, Elijah witnessed extreme prejudice and violence toward blacks. He experienced lynchings, racist employers, marginal wages, and other social and economic maladies which all played a role in his exodus from Cordele. This essay will explore how Poole’s early life in Cordele played key role in shaping in role in the Nation of Islam, leadership, and later life and legacy. Elijah Poole Muhammad’s leadership transformed the Nation of Islam. Elijah Poole Muhammad’s early life began when his father, William Poole, Sr. and Mariah Hall joined in holy matrimony on January...
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...after joining the Nation of Islam and subsequently converted to Sunni Islam in 1975. Mr. Ali was not only known for being the world best boxer but also being known for being a familiar face in the civil rights movement. Pre-war struggles and the events of the Second World War set the conditions for a mass civil rights movement, beginning in the early 1950’s, which would last nearly three decades. It brought about a lot of struggles, particularly for African Americans. Although Ali didn't deal with the majority of the issues that most lower class African Americans had to deal with, Ali still felt the need to defend his people using his celebrity status as a way for people to listen. (Pierre) Minority groups within the United States struggled for nearly a century to gain racial equality. In the mid 1940s a movement began assembling that would later bring about change, it was known as the Civil Rights movement. It reached its apex in the mid 1960s, around the same time a heavy-weight fighter named Cassius Clay was making his bid for a belt. In 1964, the young boxer shocked the world, making his conversion to Islam and his new name public. He announced that he had become a member of the Nation of Islam, a group that would influence his ideology and involvement with Civil Rights. (Pierre) It is widely believed that Ali joined the Nation of Islam because of his friendship with another Civil Rights activist of the time, Malcolm X. Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam urged blacks not...
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...The Assassination of Malcolm X To understand the assassination of Malcolm X, you must first understand where it all started… Just six years after Malcolm was born his father was brutally murdered; after that his life continued on a downward slop. Over the next 10 years he was removed from his family, he dropped out of school and, he became more and more involved in criminal activities. At the age of 21, Malcolm was sent to prison. During his six year sentence, he became quite close with Elijah Muhammad (the leader of the Nation of Islam). Upon his release, Malcolm became self-educated and, an effective minister for the Nation of Islam. From 1946 to 1960 he was a loyal member of the group, but after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Elijah Muhammad felt that Malcolm had become to influential and powerful; so he banned him from the Nation of Islam. Shortly after being kicked out of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm changed his last name to X (to symbolize his lost African identity) and started his own organization; the OAAU (Organization of Afro-American Unity). The OAAU was founded to fight for human rights of African Americans and to initiate cooperation among those of African descent living in the Americas. His views were very much in unity with the views of Martin Luther King Jr; the only difference is...
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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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...According to Merriam and Webster the definition of a person who is involved, as an activist is a doctrine or practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action 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...
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...NANA KONADU DARKO-MENSAH TITLE: THE BLACK PANTHER LEADERSHIP 3 SEMINAR: The Political Economy of Leadership and National Transformation LECTURER: DR. LLOYD AMOAH BOOK REVIEW ON THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY MALCOLM X DUE: 27TH APRIL 2011 . "By any means necessary. I'm for freedom. I 'm for a society in which our people are recognized and respected as human beings, and I believe that we have the right to resort to any means necessary to bring that about." -Malcolm X. ABSTRACT As part of the leadership seminar requirements, I was supposed to choose a book from the assigned books to review. This paper seeks to successfully review the leadership approach of Malcolm X. It highlights the main themes of the book and states the arguments of agreement and disagreement with the author. It also seeks to construct the portrait of leadership style of Malcolm X, discusses his strengths and weaknesses. In addition, lessons and personal insights I discovered during my course of reading are included in the review. I chose to review the autobiography of Malcolm X because he was unique revolutionary. He was not afraid to say things that needed to be heard. Also through him, many African Americans were able to stand together and fight for their rights. Another inspiring reason is the fact he continued his struggle for equality despite the numerous death threats on his life and his family. This quality of selflessness, the concern for the welfare of others I believe is essential for leaders to have....
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... He was cared for by state during this time of his life. Malcolm was a great student in middle school, he was very bright and had vision of becoming a lawyer. This dream was vanquish when his favorite teacher told him that he could not become a lawyer due to fact that he was a Negro. Malcolm became very angry and he left school and moved to Boston to live with his half sister. The year of 1946, Malcolm was sent to prison for breaking and entering with some friends he met in Boston. While serving his time in prison, Malcolm was introduced to the Nation of Islam. When he was release from prison, he followed the teaching of Elijah Muhammad once he was release in 1952. Malcolm no longer wanted to be called Malcolm Little, he went by the unknown name, so he changed his last name to X. Malcolm X was reborn again with another mind set, and religion. Under the teaching of Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm became one of the Nation of Islam favorite son. His belief was that blacks were far more superior to whites. The Negro must protect themselves by “any means necessary”. Of course this way of thinking did not set well in the white community or the racist supremacists. Not only did Malcolm anger the whites, he also made enemies in the black community as well. He was quoted for calling Martin Luther King...
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...Malcolm X and his views on white people “For the white man to ask the black man if he hates him, is just like the rapist asking the raped, or the wolf asking the sheep, ‘Do you hate me?’ The white man is in no moral position to accuse anyone else of hate!” (Malcolm X, Autobiography of Malcolm X, 1965) Malcolm X (b.May 19, 1925; d.February 21, 1965) is also known as El-Hjaa Malik El-Shabazz, but he changed his name after he became a Muslim. Malcolm is best known as one of the most influential leaders in the African American liberation movement and a national figure as a human rights activist. He was a spokesman for the Nation of Islam where he was influenced by Elijah Muhammad and Marcus Garvey. Detractors accused him of preaching racism, black supremacy, and violence and today some people still think of him as a racist. In this essay we will look deeper into that particular allegation and answer the question posed, “Was Malcolm X really a racist?” Early on in life Malcolm experienced racism from both white and black people. He was the fourth child of eight and happened to be born with the fairest complexion. Based on his fair skin colour, Malcolm’s father, Earl, treated him better than his other sons. Malcolm had a difficult childhood as his father, Earl, was killed by the KKK and his family was left to suffer in poverty. Malcolm’s mother, Louise, was then institutionalized when suffering a complete breakdown after she was driven crazy by a white welfare agent, and...
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...learned the printing business as well, later became an apprentice His father also had a little library where Benjamin could further his knowledge. The day of May 19, 1925, Malcolm Little was born. Growing up he was never a bad kid, he was smart and quite focused. Malcolm graduated at the top of his class in junior high. Malcolm had dropped out of school and lost interest after a fallout with a teacher. This is when Malcolm had gone to Boston, Massachusetts, and started doing little jobs. In 1946 Malcolm was convicted for larceny and breaking and entering. Eight to ten years in prison Malcolm was sentenced. Prison is where he had found his interest back and started too self-educated himself. Also while in prison he became a member of Nation of Islam. Even after Malcolm...
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