"Malcolm X" (1925 – 1965) American Black nationalist leader

Malcolm X was an inspiring civil rights leader and human rights activist who dedicated his life to the fight for equality. Born Malcolm Little in 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, he grew up in a difficult home life where his father was murdered when he was six and his mother was institutionalized for mental illness. Despite the odds, Malcolm managed to educate himself and eventually joined the Nation of Islam in the early 1950s.

Malcolm quickly rose through the ranks of the Nation of Islam and eventually became its most visible and vocal spokesperson. He was an outspoken critic of the racism and injustice that plagued African Americans and other minority groups. He rejected the idea of nonviolence and instead embraced a revolutionary black nationalism that embraced self-defense and self-sufficiency. He encouraged African Americans to form economic cooperatives and to resist the oppressive economic and social systems of the white power structure. Malcolm also traveled around the world to spread his message of black empowerment. He visited numerous countries, including Ghana, which was then the newly independent African nation. While there, he met with leaders of the independence movement and spoke to large audiences of African people. His speeches and writings had a great influence in Africa, inspiring leaders such as Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah. Malcolm was assassinated in 1965, but his legacy continues to this day. His message of black power and self-determination has endured and continues to inspire people around the world. His dedication to human rights and social justice is an inspiration to people from all walks of life and has been recognized by the United Nations, which declared 2021 the Year of Malcolm X. As we remember Malcolm X and the impact he had on the world, let us continue to carry on his message of justice and equality for all.