Cliffsnotes on Malcolm X's the Autobiography of Malcolm X

by Ray Shepard

This is the story of a man who lived several distinct chapters of a great American life. From petty criminal to defiant race rights fighter to leader of the Black Muslim movement, his life story is provocative and engrossing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Autobiography

56 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 18, 1973

Reviews

[Kaelyn Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is the journey Malcolm little embarked to become El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. Before reading this book I knew very little about Malcolm X; before all I could tell you about him is that he was a civil rights leader. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Malcolm X now is an honest man. This book was extremely insightful in terms of race, religion and the way the American system works. I found it insightful because of the way he evolved mentally from the time he was a small child to adulthood. His thoughts on race, religion and how African American people are treated in America caused me to ponder all throughout the book. I would have never imagined his life being how he described it before he went to prison. I was not even aware he went to prison before reading this book but I was extremely shocked. One thing I noticed about this book was the organization and the titles of the chapters. Before I began reading a chapter I would wonder why it was named whatever it was named. Then somewhere within the chapter Malcolm X would answer my question. For example chapter 15 titled Icarus. After telling the story of Icarus he said “I silently vowed to Allah that I never would forget that any wings I wore had been put on by the religion of Islam”. After reading this book I can definitely say it is the best book I have ever read. Not only is it powerful but it is impactful as well; from the very first page to the last. I found myself wanting to tell everyone around me to go read this book because I felt like everyone should know what I learned from it. His story is amazingly inspiring and what makes this book even better is its real life. Not fiction no fairytale all of this is true. The ending of this book was very touching especially since he died soon after it was written and was spot on describing how he would die. “To speculate about dying doesn’t disturb me as it might some people. I never have felt that I would live to become an old man. Even before I was a Muslim-when I was a hustler in the ghetto jungle, and then a criminal in prison, it always stayed on my mind that I would die a violent death.” I recommend this book to everyone in America and globally. The honesty in this book is remarkable and his story should be heard by everyone.

[Colin .d · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very informative but very violent. I think it deserves a good rating becuase it was a quick book and is very intriguing. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read graphic novels and loves the post-civil war drama. It was very strange how I was always taught about how MLK jr. was such a savior. But Malcolm was all most as important. Schools should teach more about him and his acts of equality but not the parts of violence.

[Nonno Kato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading this autobiography, I had never knew the kind of life Malcom X had experienced, than from learning the significant points in my previous U.S history class.

But still to those who are new, I highly recommend this book to you.

Malcom X is an African American leader who led one of the civil rights movement as same as Martin Luther King, however, his idea was significantly different towards Martin. This was due to his Black nationalism that protect those African Americans from White aggression while Martin's intention was for racial equality.

This autobiography strictly shows the perspective of Malcom's ideal action that he took during the Black Power Movement which emphasizes racial and cultural pride, that doesn't realistically show through what we hear about me.

[کرن گوھر · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am personally very impressed by a man who was thrown into the darkest paths of humanity but he managed yo see the light.
I salute his courage, I accept him as my own blood brother and a fellow Muslim. I pray for his salvation. I pray for his success. He was one of the very few Poe in life who came close to the truth.
He was misguided and used again and again. He was an examplary leader, an admireable academic, he was a loyal husband, a devoted father and trustworthy brother.
Eventhough he lived a long time ago before I was born. I will forever be indebted to his honesty and his courage to save the mankind from sin and oppression.
All in all he was a model Muslim. May Allah grant him highest rewards in Jannah. Amen.

[Simone Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does a great man, justice!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opening and interesting book about racism in white america. The characters show you the nature of humans and how one can change so much by the crowd you meetups in life.

[Massocki Massocki]

The Autobiography of Malcom X is uncompromising and unapologetic and will forever haunt white supremacy.

[jenn marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read.

[Onik Chowdhury · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite historical figures, this book is written so well! It's gripping the different stages of life he goes through, and huge gems of knowledge regularly throughout the book.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

You delve into the origin and transformation of one of the most enigmatic personalities in modern history. Such a great book. One of the best.

[boe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly powerful! Xx

[Cameron Maeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malcolm X is born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska. The Midwest, during this period, is full of discrimination and racial violence. Malcolm’s family moves to Michigan where they continue to experience persecution and violence. White people murder Malcolm’s father and force his mother into a mental hospital. After living in a Michigan detention home and completing the eighth grade, Malcolm moves to Boston, Massachusetts, to live with his half-sister, Ella. In Boston Malcolm quickly becomes involved in urban nightlife. He passes for being much older than he is, wearing flashy clothes, gambling, drinking, doing drugs, and dating an older white woman, Sophia. Malcolm eventually takes a job as a railway porter. He then moves to New York, where he begins working as a hustler in Harlem. Malcolm’s various jobs there include running numbers, selling drugs, and steering white people to black brothels. He also commits armed robberies.
When life in Harlem becomes too dangerous, Malcolm returns to Boston, where he becomes a house burglar and is eventually arrested. In prison, Malcolm transforms himself, converting to the branch of Islam promoted by the Nation of Islam, which has already converted a number of Malcolm’s siblings. Inspired by the faith, Malcolm stops using drugs; he reads voraciously, prays, studies English and Latin, and joins the prison debate team.
The prison releases Malcolm on parole. Malcolm moves in with his brother Wilfred and becomes very active in the Detroit temple of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm receives permission to drop his last name, which a white slave owner gave to one of his ancestors. He adopts the placeholder “X” as his last name, using the letter to represent the lost name of his African ancestors. Malcolm X soon meets the Nation of Islam’s leader, Elijah Muhammad, and rises quickly from the rank of temple assistant in Detroit to the Nation’s first national minister. Malcolm X becomes known throughout the United States, even outside of Muslim circles, as a fiery advocate for black unity and militancy. The Nation of Islam’s leaders resent and fear Malcolm despite his allegiance to their cause, and they suspend him from the organization.
The Nation of Islam’s frustration with Malcolm intensifies, and Malcolm begins receiving death threats. After a divisive argument with Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm leaves the Nation of Islam. He uses his fame to found his own organization, Muslim Mosque, Inc. He sees his organization as more politically active than the Nation of Islam. On a trip to the Middle East and Africa, Malcolm discovers what he sees as true Islam. This version of Islam contrasts with the version of Islam he has been teaching. By the end of his life, Malcolm X is an international figure, welcomed by foreign leaders and committed to Islam as a religion that can alleviate the racial problems of the United States. He is assassinated in 1965.

[Jacob Kennedy]

"The Autobiography of Malcom X" by Ray Shepard showed a great example of the life of an African American during this time period. Malcom is a very good storyteller and this book is vital to understanding the struggle for civil rights and against racism in America. Before reading this book, I had no idea who Malcom X even was; now I know that he was a very strong and unique civil rights leader for many African Americans across the country. This book had a great insight on the religion, race, and inequality within the american system. The book takes place throughout his whole life and it gives every little piece of information that had an impact of the life of an African American.
He had a rough childhood but still managed to do well in school. Moving from Nebraska to Michigan and then eventually all the way to the east coast. Even losing his dad along the way, he still managed to leave Michigan and start of life in New York City. Harlem became the place where Malcom started selling dugs and getting into a lot of mischief. Soon he managed to get locked up in jail for 10 years and decided that it was time to turn his life around. I was completely unaware of this but it really turned his life story around.
Malcom converts to Islam and builds his way to assistant minister. He helps spread the religion to major cities including Chicago, Detroit and NYC. Malcom also realizes his missing name to become El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. He gets so popular, he organizes his own organization of Afro-American. This was huge during this time and it caused so much tension, Malcom X was shot to death. His story is amazingly inspiring and what makes this book even better is its real life. Not fiction no fairytale all of this is true. The ending of this book was very touching especially since he died soon after it was written and was spot on describing how he would die. I would prefer this book to anyone because it's a remarkable story that everyone should be heard by everyone.

[Tre Dabney]

At first when i was reading the intro i didn't like the book but then when i actually began to get into the book it became interesting. His life was so hard but he still managed to do good in school. He was young when everything happened in his life and he thought that white people accepted us but when he got to an older age he understood that they would never accept us.

[Austin Giberson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was a very good book. I didn't think I would enjoy it with the amount of pages it had, but I enjoyed every page of it. The thing I liked most about this book is how the vocabulary was so complex. I enjoy reading books with difficult words.

[Ibrahim Ismail · Rating 5 out of 5]

من اجمل الكتب اللى قرأتها ...هذا الكتاب

[Yewande Oyebo]

couldn't finish it.
not my style of writing...

[Slutty Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Malcom X was an incredible story teller, and this book is vital to understanding the struggle for civil rights and against racism in America.

[Anthony Mayor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book, I wanted to learn about his life and the details of his assasination. What was the black panthers all about?

[Mahin Atiq]

Inspirational.
Strongly recommended.

[Jj]

i read this book very quick. it was very intriguing how many different stages he had in his life. he transformed so fast from his violent illegal way to preacher and follow of the muslim faith. he started out as rebel kid and teen and that followed through his 20's then he got sent to prison for breaking and entering charges and that is where he got introduced into the muslim faith. i loved this non fiction book and would recommend it to people that like the civil right movement and how fast people can change!

[Romone Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romone Vaughn
English
11th
Maloy




Malcolm X Biography

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. His father, Earl Little, was an outspoken Baptist minister and avid supporter of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Earl’s civil rights activism prompted death threats from the white supremacist organization Black Legion, forcing 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 town’s trolley tracks. Police ruled both incidents as accidents, but the Littles were certain that members of the Black Legion were responsible. Louise suffered emotional breakdown several years after the death of her husband and was committed to a mental institution, while her children were split up among various foster homes and orphanages.

Eventually, Malcolm and his long-time friend, Malcolm “Shorty” Jarvis, moved back to Boston. In 1946, they were arrested and convicted on burglary charges, and Malcolm was sentenced to 10 years in prison, although he was granted parole after serving seven years. Recalling his days in school, he used the time to further his education. It was during this period of self-enlightenment that Malcolm’s brother Reginald would visit and discuss his recent conversion to the Muslim religion. Reginald belonged to the religious organization the Nation of Islam .
After repeated attempts on his life, Malcolm rarely traveled anywhere without bodyguards. On February 14, 1965 the home where Malcolm, Betty, and their four daughters lived in East Elmhurst, New York was firebombed. Luckily, the family escaped physical injury.
One week later, however, Malcolm’s enemies were successful in their ruthless attempt. At a speaking engagement in the Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965, three gunmen rushed Malcolm onstage. They shot him 15 times at close range. The 39-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at New York’s Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.


One week later, however, Malcolm’s enemies were successful in their ruthless attempt. At a speaking engagement in the Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965, three gunmen rushed Malcolm onstage. They shot him 15 times at close range. The 39-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at New York’s Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.
Fifteen hundred people attended Malcolm’s funeral in Harlem on February 27, 1965 at the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ (now Child’s Memorial Temple Church of God in Christ). After the ceremony, friends took the shovels away from the waiting gravediggers and buried Malcolm themselves. Later that year, Betty gave birth to their twin daughters. Malcolm’s assassins, Talmadge Hayer, Norman 3X Butler, and Thomas 15X Johnson, were convicted of first-degree murder in March 1966. The three men were all members of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X’s legacy has moved through generations as the subject of numerous documentaries, books, and movies. A tremendous resurgence of interest occurred in 1992 when director Spike Lee released the acclaimed movie, Malcolm X. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Actor (Denzel Washington) and Best Costume Design. Malcolm X is buried at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.