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Civil Rights leader Malcolm X was assassinated fifty years ago.
As Minister of Communication for the Nation of Islam, he encouraged African American men, who had been passive on the issue of race, to confront racism and discrimination head-on, even if it meant putting their lives on the line like revolutionaries in other countries. He believed all men, regardless of color, had the right to fight for Civil Rights and protect their communities. He also pressured black men to strike out on their own in business, politics, or other endeavors, like at the turn of the 20th Century, when black-owned institutions flourished despite harsh opposition from the dominant society.
Malcolm X challenged African American women in this country as well. He advised them not to indulge in excesses of the world as mothers or daughters and that it is not a sign of weakness to submit to one's husband or family to build a better community. He even welcomed a woman's right to work outside the home to become nurses, doctors, and leaders in business and government. He believed everyone played a vital role not just in the uplifting of Islam but black America as a whole.
Malcolm X rallied African Americans by making a 180-degree turn in his life like Lincoln on the issue of Slavery. He went from being a petty thief, drug user, and inmate to a renowned leader dedicated to racial and economic justice. After a crucial split with the Nation of Islam in 1965 and a lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca, he formed an organization that embraced people of different races and backgrounds.
Shortly after striking out on his own, Malcolm X's life was tragically cut short by an assassin's bullet but not before convincing men and women everywhere to take stock of their surroundings.
As Minister of Communication for the Nation of Islam, he encouraged African American men, who had been passive on the issue of race, to confront racism and discrimination head-on, even if it meant putting their lives on the line like revolutionaries in other countries. He believed all men, regardless of color, had the right to fight for Civil Rights and protect their communities. He also pressured black men to strike out on their own in business, politics, or other endeavors, like at the turn of the 20th Century, when black-owned institutions flourished despite harsh opposition from the dominant society.
Malcolm X challenged African American women in this country as well. He advised them not to indulge in excesses of the world as mothers or daughters and that it is not a sign of weakness to submit to one's husband or family to build a better community. He even welcomed a woman's right to work outside the home to become nurses, doctors, and leaders in business and government. He believed everyone played a vital role not just in the uplifting of Islam but black America as a whole.
Malcolm X rallied African Americans by making a 180-degree turn in his life like Lincoln on the issue of Slavery. He went from being a petty thief, drug user, and inmate to a renowned leader dedicated to racial and economic justice. After a crucial split with the Nation of Islam in 1965 and a lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca, he formed an organization that embraced people of different races and backgrounds.
Shortly after striking out on his own, Malcolm X's life was tragically cut short by an assassin's bullet but not before convincing men and women everywhere to take stock of their surroundings.
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