Malcom X and Nation of Islam

• • The Nation of Islam is a religious and political movement in USA founded in 1930
  • The NOI began as a black separatist organisation that shares some beliefs with other denominations of Islam
  • Black separatism is the belief that black people should live in a society completely separate from white people
• • The NOI has many teachings that are not shared by majority of Islam
  • They believe that white people are devils, but Muslims believe all races are equal
  • This idea started the belief of black supremacism
  • The NOI wanted to create a new country in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, which would only contain black citizens
• • Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little and was a NOI campaigner who was frustrated with the lack of progress non-violent protest had gained.
  • He became a member of the NOI while in prison and when released, became an NOI spokesman
  • He changed his surname from Little to X, as he said the name 'Little' came from his slave anscentors owners
  • The surname X symbolised his unknown African family name
• To increase membership, he:

  • Rejected integration of blacks into white society as pointless, as he thought whites would never accept black equality
  • Wanted black people to have separate but equal facilities
  • Believed in black nationalism - the idea that black people needed their own nation.
  • NOI membership rose from 500 members in 1952 to 30,000 in 1963
• To increase membership of the NOI, he:

  • Accepted the possibility of using violence to gain equality, but only in self-defence
  • Understood frustration many had with civil rights progress, particularly young men in ghettos
• • Malcolm X's views were different to the CRM, he believed that black people's rights should be obtained "by any means necessary"
  • His views on violent resistance did not appeal to white people as MLK's peacefulness did
  • Black people had been seen as aggressive so many felt like violence did not further civil rights
• • After leaving the NOI, Malcolm X went to Mecca where he became more accepting of integration and of the role of white people in the movement
  • He agreed to work with other civil rights leaders that had distanced themselves from his past methods
• • The NOI assassinated Malcolm X in February 1965, while he was making a speech in New York
  • Three NOI members were arrested for the murder
• • Malcolm X's assassination triggered many of his followers to focus on his earlier use of violence to gain equality, but only in self-defence
  • This was the foundation for the start of the Black Power movement