Malcolm X assassinated

Historical Context Note

Lucas Paul Richert (University of Saskatchewan)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 3.2.4: American (US) Writing and Culture: Postwar and Contemporary, 1945-present.
Vol. editors: Emory Elliott (University of California, Riverside), Dale Enggass (University of Utah), Christopher Hugh Gair (University of Glasgow), Matthew Hofer (University of New Mexico), Stephen E. Meats (Pittsburg State University), Kerry Myler (Newman University), Justin Parks (UiT - The Arctic University of Norway), Nick Selby (University of East Anglia)

Domains

Attempts, Assassinations, Executions

Dates

Date of occurrence 1965-02-21

Places

United States (Location)

Malcom X, an African-Muslim leader who preached about racial pride and black nationalism, was assassinated on 21 February 1965 in Harlem. Malcolm Little, aka Malcolm X, grew up in a climate of racial hostility. As a troubled youth, Malcolm ended up in prison for burglary where he subsequently converted to the Black Muslim faith of the Nation of Islam. Thereafter, Malcolm adopted the ‘X', as many Nation of Islam members did. Malcolm soon developed an articulate speaking style, and he grew into the Nation of Islam's most recognizable and effective spokesperson. During his speeches, Malcolm emphasized white exploitation and the necessity for violent action to create a new and better system in which blacks lived separately from whites. …

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233 words

Citation: Richert, Lucas Paul. "Malcolm X assassinated". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 October 2008 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=3440, accessed 26 November 2024.]

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Malcolm X assassinated

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