Malcolm Before X

by Patrick Parr

In February 1946, when 21-year-old Malcolm Little was sentenced to eight to ten years in a maximum-security prison, he was a petty criminal and street hustler in Boston. By the time he was paroled in August 1952, he had transformed into a voracious reader, joined the Black Muslims, and was poised to become Malcolm X, one of the most prominent and important intellectuals of the civil rights era. While scholars and commentators have exhaustively detailed, analyzed, and debated Malcolm X’s post-prison life, they have not explored these six and a half transformative years in any depth.



Paying particular attention to his time in prison, Patrick Parr’s Malcolm Before X provides a comprehensive and groundbreaking examination of the first twenty-seven years of Malcolm X’s life (1925–1965). Parr traces Malcolm’s African lineage, explores his complicated childhood in the Midwest, and follows him as he moves east to live with his sister Ella in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, where he is convicted of burglary and sentenced.



Parr utilizes a trove of previously overlooked documents that include prison files and prison newspapers to immerse the reader into the unique cultures—at times brutal and at times instructional—of Charlestown State Prison, the Concord Reformatory, and the Norfolk Prison Colony. It was at these institutions that Malcolm devoured books, composed poetry, boxed, debated, and joined the Nation of Islam, changing the course of his life and setting the stage for a decade of antiracist activism that would fundamentally reshape American culture.



In this meticulously researched and beautifully written biography, the inspiring story of how Malcolm Little became Malcolm X is finally told. 

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, American History, Audiobook, Memoir, Politics

379 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2024

About the author

Patrick Parr's first book was The Seminarian: Martin Luther King Jr. Comes of Age, a 2019 Washington State Book Award finalist. The book was the culmination of five years of research, which included more than a dozen interviews with friends who'd known King during his years at Crozer Theological Seminary (1948-1951).

For his second book, Parr used newspaper archives and completed interviews with over twenty Notre Dame graduates to write One Week in America: The 1968 Notre Dame Literary Festival and a Changing Nation. Parr also incorporated into the story never-before-published letters from festival authors Joseph Heller (Catch-22), Ralph Ellison (Invisible Man), Kurt Vonnegut (Slaughterhouse-Five), Wright Morris (The Field of Vision) and Norman Mailer (The Naked and the Dead). The book also depicts the last week of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life, and Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency.

Parr's third book is Malcolm Before X, published by the University of Massachusetts Press.

Other work has appeared in The Atlantic, American History Magazine, Politico, History Today, The American Prospect, The New York Daily News and The Boston Globe. In 2014 he was awarded an Artist Trust Fellowship for his literary career. He lives with his wife near Tokyo and teaches writing at Lakeland University Japan.

Reviews

[Darya Silman · Rating 5 out of 5]

(The book will be published on November 26, 2024.)

MALCOLM BEFORE X sees author Patrick Parr compile an engaging account of the formative years of the 'angriest black man in America.'

The first chapter of MALCOLM BEFORE X explores the sequence of crimes that brought Malcolm Little into the prison system. Further down the book, the author masterfully blends prison newspapers' data, memoirs and letters of witnesses, and prisons' official documentation with the analysis of racial and religious prejudices. The racial oppression shaped the lives of Malcolm's ancestors (slavery, poverty, segregation, lynching even in the progressive north) and sealed his fate: three white girls who accompanied him during burglaries got lax punishments. Readers find out what three prisons: Charlestown State Prison, MR-Concord, and Norfolk Prison Colony - looked from the inside. The author goes into detail about what prisoners ate, how their day was organized, and what means of rehabilitation were available. As it is shown in the book, Malcolm Little's path to becoming Malcolm X was not straightforward, partly because of the inaccessibility of religious literature, and partly because he had to rely on letters of Elijah Muhammad and his family for guidance.

MALCOLM BEFORE X also raises questions about what role one can involuntarily play in shaping the character of a future leader. One of the book's merits is that it gives voice and flesh to the names briefly mentioned in AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Ella Little did all in her power to connect Malcolm with his roots while he was living under the care of a white family. Richard A. Kaminska, a Latin and English teacher at Mason Junior High, discouraged bright (yet black) Malcolm from studying for a lawyer, advising instead to know one's place in life. John Elton Bembry gave Malcolm a reason to survive in the harsh conditions of ramshackle Charlestown Prison. Debater Murgo Margeson in Norfork prison provided Malcolm with an opportunity to demonstrate his newfound debate skills. Librarian George F. Magraw encouraged Malcolm's self-education.

All in all, MALCOLM BEFORE X will be interesting to those who have already read something about Malcolm X and newcomers to the topic. It's a highly informative and sympathetic portrait of the African-American man and his surroundings in the first half of the 20th century.

I received an advance review copy from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Margo Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This non-fiction work focuses in detail on the early life of civil rights' campaigner and icon Malcolm X, in particular the years he spent in prison. Patrick Parr's enthusiasm and exhaustive historical research are evident, and make for an engaging read.

My prior reading of 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X' both sparked my interest in 'Malcolm Before X' and slightly overshadowed it. The Autobiography, which has classic status, creates a compelling mythology around Malcolm's transformation in jail. It is a gripping read and incandescent with the talent of both Malcolm X and the writer he worked with on the project, Alex Haley. 'Malcolm Before X' can't match that sense of lightning in a bottle, but it works well as a companion piece: it is interesting to read an alternative rendering of events, based on a variety of historical sources, and with different voices contributing their perspectives.

I found the details of the prison libraries fascinating (the one at Charlestown apparently had over 8000 books, while that at Norfolk included "a large globe and wall maps of the world") - and the importance of prison libraries, as a source of comfort and education, ended up being one of my main 'take-aways' from this book. The epilogue, in which Patrick Parr reflects on the current US prison system, is an interesting coda, and he notes that many modern prisons do not have have libraries or designated library staff. His final argument is a persuasive and poignant one - that while it is Malcolm X's conversion to Islam in prison that is most famous, "it was his dedication to reading that transformed his mindset... without Norfolk's system and extensive library, we might not ever have heard of Malcolm X."

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read the autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley in my 9th grade Social Studies class. We could read either Booker T. Washington's biography or Malcolm X's. I'm pretty sure I chose Malcolm X but it may have been assigned to me. This was before Spike Lee's movie and I knew very little about Brother Malcolm. I now know much more about him as an activist but this filled in many holes about his childhood, life before prison and his transformation in prison into the leader we recognize today. This is truly fascinating and combines letters, articles and interviews seamlessly into an interesting perspective of Malcolm's development. I think this will appeal to scholars of all levels who are interested in how Malcolm was formed into Malcolm X. I loved the juxtaposition this style of biography yielded. I hope to see more important historical figures given this kind of in depth treatment. Most especially those figures who would've been marginalized by the society they lived in. Also I can not stress how intensely thorough this early focus on Malcolm's experiences are. These are the experiences that create Malcolm X the leader and it's a treasure to explore.

This audiobook is narrated by James Fouhey. James voice is rich and his intonation helps to keep the reader interested. This was well matched between narrator and text.

Thank you to Patrick Parr, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

[Jo Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy publication day 🥳🎉🎧

3.75 🌟

I expected to consume this title slowly over the next few days, but I was almost immediately invested, then reluctant to put it down.

Malcolm Before X does exactly what it says in the tin, it’s entirely the most in depth analysis into Malcolm X formative childhood years it’s very clear that the man was in the making from his early years and his time throughout prison. Unfortunately there is some conjecture and assumption that I suppose was unavoidable but it did make me lower the rating very slightly.

All in all a solid and candid reflection.

I really enjoyed the audio narration.

My sincere gratitude to Highbridge Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this alc 🎧

[Andre(Read-A-Lot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting angle to take. Just when you thought that all the words of Malcolm’s life have been exhausted, here comes another work, which gives greater clarity to the years Malcolm spent in prison. Malcolm’s autobiography gives the impression that once his brothers came to him with the idea of Islam, as practiced by Elijah Muhammad that his transformation began henceforth. But, wait a minute. We now have information through prison archives and research, interviews with those who were there, that point to a Malcolm who was very much focused on turning his life around. And through discovering the power of words, became a voracious reader and joined the prison debate team. All of this is pre-Nation of Islam.

It is Malcolm’s will that is most on display through thorough research and examination of the daily grind of prison life. This book ends with the parole of Malcolm X. So it’s not an exhaustive biographical look at Malcolm X. It is like the title says, a biographical sketch of Malcolm before X. For Malcolm lay scholars, there is some new ground here, the importance of which is left to each reader. But any new material on Malcolm X is always excitedly received by those who have come to love him and embrace what his example of life means to the world. Thanks to Edelweiss and University of Massachusetts Press for an advanced DRC. Book will be published on Nov. 26, 2024.

[JazzReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read other books about Malcom X in the past so i am thankfully for this advance reader copy of this book. I found this book to be very informative and interesting especially the part surrounding Malcom education in prison. Overall I really enjoyed the narrator and book.

[Julia Dillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting history, very detailed account of malcolm x's early years and the environments he was in

[Bill Philibin · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.0 Stars)

Thank you to #NetGalley for providing this audiobook for reading and review.

I think Malcolm X was a pivotal person in this country's history, certainly worthy of all the books, essays, movies about him. So I can understand that it must be difficult to write a "new" book about him, or to try and fill any voids where gaps exist. And for me, this book just doesn't do it. Again, this is not the first book I've read about him, so maybe I am not the desired audience?

This book seems to be more about the "people and places" near Malcolm X, and not necessarily about him directly. I think it was about 20% into the book before he was even really mentioned in any great detail.

There are several times when the author adds a disclaimer saying there is no proof Malcolm said/did/whatever about the subject being discussed... but that he could have, probably would have, or maybe would have at least known about it. So it is filled with a lot of hearsay and assumptions, which was a little off putting for me.

Also, there is a lot more information about the people he "might" have come in contact with, the books he "might" have read, and the knowledge he "might" have had.

Don't get me wrong, the book is interesting for the sole fact that is discusses the impacts the American "Machine" has had on marginalized groups in our country, and also about people in those groups and their lives and circumstances.

for me, this book is more about how someone "like" Malcolm X could "become" a Malcolm X Archetype than it is about the actual person. But even the author states there is already a lot of published information about Malcolm X, and even says some good resources you could read.

All-in-all, I do not regret reading this book, I did like it. And the narration is good, although maybe a little slow for my tastes.

[Scrungle Gungle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent biography of Malcolm's life from incarceration to parole. I found the research to be thorough and I found some convincing secondary material at the end of the work to be interesting.

I think besides the biographical portions, which are the major focus of the work, the underlying thread of critique towards imprisonment, racial bias in judicial systems, and theories of reform, is very compelling. Looking towards the vast difference between the three jails Malcolm occupied throughout his time, it's with great ease and concern that one can notice how and why Norfolk managed to be so successful at reform. This isn't to say it was perfect but it managed a level of sophistication that places such as the dreaded Charlestown and the unfulfilling Concord do not achieve.

I would recommend this work most definitely. I do think that sometimes Parr's tone is a little too casual for the subject matter but otherwise, this is a worthwhile read.

Observations such as the price of retaining convicts versus releasing them in 1950 (pg. 270) are staggering, which makes the costs adjusted for today even worse. The cost of keeping convicts is an order of magnitude more than timely release. One need not look very far to see reasons why the American (and Canadian) penal system looks to profit off indentured prison labour to maintain the cost of imprisonment.

The lack of libraries throughout American prisons, as noted in the book, is horrific and deeply revealing about how the judicial system theorizes "reform" for its prisoners. I would be interested in reading more work about this topic, especially as prison abolition and reform becomes more and more a topic of public concern.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and High Bridge Audio for the digital copy of this audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I only know the broad outline of Malcolm X’s life, so I was very interested in listening to this audiobook. As with any subject that has been dissected and written about for many years, it’s hard to find some new angle about the person. Malcolm Before X describes his life before he became an activist and civil rights leader. His childhood and influences are explored, before he became Malcolm X and was simply prisoner #XXXX.

The book was interesting but as it happens with many of these books with “new” angles, it seemed to concentrate more on the people and places surrounding Malcolm’s life, from his childhood to his time in prison. This book seemed more about them than him. And there seems to be a lot of supposition of what Malcolm may have/could have/probably did. The author provides resources where one can read more about Malcolm X’s life and find out more about his overall experiences as a black man in the United States.

Narrated by James Fouhey, this book was a good listen that delves into the influences in Malcolm X’s childhood and what led him down the path to crime. The narrator was credible, had a soothing voice, and generally made the book sound better.

[Ryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Highbridge Audio and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to listen to Malcolm Before X in exchange for a review.

Before Malcolm X, there was Malcolm Little. A boy who had lost his parents to their own individual tragedies and would navigate the foster care system apart from his siblings. A young man who turned to petty crimes on the streets of Boston, only to get caught and sentenced to a ten year prison sentence in 1946. He would enter as an atheist and leave as a devout Muslim in 1952, a decision that would change the course of his life forever.

I approached this book already a fan of The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley. Patrick Parr did an excellent job taking the famous Autobiography and filling in the story with new information, interviews and letters. He provides you with a solid look at Malcolm’s family history and dynamics as well as his time in prison and how it shaped him into the confident man he became.

You are given a glimpse into his time in the Norfolk Prison debate club where he would find his voice and gain the skills that the world would soon see. A quote from a fellow inmate who witnessed Little’s debates, Stanley Jones, said “I don’t care what side of the debate Malcolm was on, he did an excellent job. The way he used to talk, he got a standing ovation all the time. People listened. The issue was not whether they bought what he said or not, the fact was, he was able to get people’s attention.

I highly recommend this book, paired with Alex Haley’s. It did not disappoint.

[Zoltán · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Malcolm Before X by Patrick Parr to be an incredibly enlightening and engaging read. It offers a unique perspective on Malcolm X’s life, focusing on the often-overlooked years before his rise to prominence. What I enjoyed most was how Parr brought Malcolm’s early struggles and influences to life, showing the humanity and complexity behind the icon. The depth of research and the use of primary sources really stood out, making this book both informative and deeply personal. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the full journey of Malcolm X.
Another hobby of mine, when I take a break from reading books, is playing the game Sloterman Immerion kaszinó áttekintése. It helps me relax and even improve my financial balance.

[Umar Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very solid book on the childhood, formative years, entertaining, and street hustling of Malcolm. This was meticulously researched, and there are new tidbits of information within. Like the books of Marable and Payne, this book should be used to gain accurate historical information about the life of Malcolm. The autobiography is narrative and shouldn't be used for that purpose.

Some minor nitpicking. We don't know in what manner Malcolm prayed in 1949, but it most certainly wasn't in a way recognizable to Sunni Muslims and salat wasn't customary for NOI members at the time, but likely learned some things from Abdul-Hameed.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick Parr’s Malcolm Before X is a deeply detailed portrait of Malcolm Little’s years before he became Malcolm X. Parr’s extensive research brings to life the lesser-known period of Malcolm’s young adulthood, exploring the influences and experiences that shaped his later activism. The book is full of anecdotes and historical context, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in understanding the full complexity of Malcolm’s journey. Overall, Malcolm Before X is a good, thorough account that adds important depth to the story of a pivotal American figure.

[Chyanne Diaries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, all I can say is, if you read ‘The Autobiography of Malcom X’, this book is pretty much the same thing. The only difference I noticed was Malcom’s family and friends are quoted in this book talking about the same situations Malcom does but from a different perspective. Also, it’s very statistical and very historical in terms of Malcom’s bloodline and where his ancestors come from.

[Alanah Liora]

good book for the time killer

[Vinny Badolato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic examination of Malcolm’s family roots from slavery through his childhood and incarceration. An unparalleled deep dive into his time in prison. I learned a ton and filled in a lot of gaps. Great read.

[Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good he kinda reminds me of myself

[Michal Berlove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for work

[Ambreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malcolm Little entered prison as a thief and emerged eight years later as Malcolm X, the statesman. What reformed him? Faith and the Norfolk Prison Library. This book explores the events leading to Malcolm’s imprisonment and focuses especially on the years he spent behind bars and the transformation that took place there. A profound sense of injustice moved Malcolm to reform himself and his people. The importance of libraries in the reformation of individuals and society cannot be overstated.

"As Malcolm put it, "I have often reflected upon the new vistas that reading opened to me. I knew right there in prison that reading had changed forever the course of my life. As I see today, the ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive."

"One thing we [as citizens] are apt to forget is that unless a man is in [prison] for life, he goes out again and what you make him in is what he is when he gets out."

Absolutely loved the book.

[C Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first saw this monograph was coming out, I thought "what more could be said about Malcolm X that hasn't already been said?"

I have to say this book definitively adds an extremely important chapter to the biographical history of Malcolm X. He spent seven years in prison for burglary, from age 20-27, and during that time completely transformed his life.

This book gives greater detail on what Malcolm X did while he was in jail, the letters he wrote to siblings and others, and his mentors while incarcerated. There are details what it was like in prison from the decrepit, inhumane Charlestown State Prison, compared to the Norfolk State Prison Colony which took reform seriously and had a real library and classes where he could learn. His discovery of books, reading and getting a deeper understanding of the world and religion dramatically impacted his desire for knowledge and self-improvement. The details about the Norfolk State Prison debating team Malcolm X was a part of was also fascinating, and a venue where he honed his already strong speaking and presentation skills. It also reminded us that his brother Reginald Litte was the one who introduced him to the Nation of Islam.

The first part of the book, before his incarceration, goes into great detail about his early family life and behavior, which is well covered in other books. But it is well done, reasonably short, and critical to setting up his time in prison and his transformation.

I highly recommend this book for those interested in Malcolm X.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

[Shauntelle (shauntellereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography zooms in on Malcolm Little before he became Malcolm X, and it does so with serious research. Court records, letters, newspapers, and prison materials are woven together to show how a young man moved from petty crimes to a relentless pursuit of knowledge. The result feels intimate and grounded, not just a highlight reel.

What struck me most was the detail about carceral life. You see daily routines, education programs, food, rules, and the small privileges that made learning possible. That context makes Malcolm’s intellectual pivot feel earned. The book also shows how racism shaped opportunity at every turn, from uneven punishment to closed doors in school and work. Mentors and challengers appear along the way, each nudging him toward the reader we meet in later years.

It is not a breezy read. The documentation can be dense, and a few sections slow down under the weight of citations. Still, the payoff is worth it. You finish with a fuller picture of the person behind the icon and a better understanding of the systems he had to outthink.

Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[amna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the autobiography maybe four-ish years ago (I forget) and IMO the biggest contrast is that this book focuses more on his prison years, while the autobiography focuses on his NOI years. Both did take me around two months to finish but I think it was a worthwhile read.

[Kiara Kenney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good for what it was. It told the story of how Malcolm ended up in jail and how he spent his time. It provides insight to his mind and actions that we typically don’t discuss.