Malcolm X is a self-educated ( negro ) Muslim who got fame by bringing basically two philosophies to the forefront of the 1950s and 1960s civil war
Malcolm developed and tried to promote a philosophy of independence and freedom for the Negro race through racial and national separation. Along with this philosophy came a seemingly deep-set hatred for the white race with him often referring to them as a race of white devils.
His philosophy was met with much controversy. The theory of racial and national separation was in direct contrast with the theories of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King’s philosophy included non-violent protest and a vision of a raceless society. Although Malcolm’s religion was an inherently peaceful one, he believed that if the Negroes were attacked in any way, it would be fine to use force in retaliation. Because of this view, many regarded Malcolm and the rest of the Black Muslims as militant.
According to Malcolm, the idea of integration was a futile one. He believed that the American socioeconomic system was unable to give Blacks what they were really looking for–”mass class mobility”. Also, if integration were to happen, the best the Black race would be able to expect was an entry into the lowest levels of the working class.1 For this reason, he believed that the Negro race should embrace their African-ness and build the race up from within itself; a theory not dissimilar from those of Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey.
After a split from the so-called Black Muslim groups, headed by Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm embarked on his pilgrimage to Mecca–the Hajj. On his Hajj, Malcolm, or El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, saw a different side of the Islamic religion. What he saw was Islam in its purest form. He witnessed Muslims of every race and color co-existing as brothers and sisters, with no hate-filled agendas or separatist notions. This Hajj pilgrimage had a profound effect on his thinking and philosophies. Upon return to the states, Malcolm took on a position regarding the civil rights movement and the struggle of Blacks that was more closely related to the teachings and preaching of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other pro-integration activists.
At the heart of the civil rights movement, Malcolm X’s voice seemed to be almost directly oppositional to the philosophies presented by the majority of prominent leaders. Although Brother Malcolm was preaching different, more ‘mainstream’ ideas in the short time before his death, he will forever be remembered for his fiery will to change the fate of the Black race “By Any Means Necessary”.
