The autobiography of malcolm x chapter summaries

InMalcolm is released from prison. Not long after, Malcolm meets Elijah Muhammad in Chicago and impresses the leader with his eagerness to recruit young Black men to their cause. He also changes his name to Malcolm X, abandoning the surname given to his ancestors by slaveholders. This catapults Malcolm into the national spotlight. Things come to a head when Malcolm learns that Elijah Muhammad has repeatedly broken the Nation of Islam code of conduct, impregnating multiple secretaries.

Inviewing Malcolm as a threat, Muhammad and his ministers prohibit him from speaking in public after Malcolm ignites controversy with comments that seemingly approve the John F. Kennedy assassination. Effectively cut off from the Nation of Islam, Malcolm fears he will be murdered by a White supremacist or a Nation of Islam agent. Certain that his days are numbered, Malcolm takes the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, which every Muslim is required to do before they die if they are able.

Although he harbors no illusions about the racist attitudes of most White Americans, Malcolm finally acknowledges that there may be a place for sincere, antiracist White people in the fight for Black human rights. View Collection. Malcolm X, Alex Haley. Download PDF. Access Full Guide. Study Guide. Historical Context. Critical Overview.

Critical Essay 1. Critical Essay 2. Critical Essay 3. Topics for Further Study. Compare and Contrast. What Do I Read Next? Further Study. Copyright Information. He becomes acquainted with various pimps, one of them, Sammy the Pimp, becomes his closest friend and only confident in Harlem. Securing a stable job, Malcolm relocates to a boarding house managed by sex workers.

He forms friendships with these women, gaining insights into male psychology from them. Malcolm receives regular visits from Sophia, now a married woman, who eventually befriends the sex workers despite her initial reservations about Malcolm's living conditions. Malcolm earns the nickname "Detroit Red" due to his striking red hair. However, after directing a covert military official to a sex worker, Malcolm is left jobless and is unable to frequent Small's.

Turning to Sammy the Pimp for assistance, Malcolm starts peddling marijuana to jazz musicians in New York. Initially, the venture thrives, but soon the local drug enforcement authorities start pursuing Malcolm, costing him both time and money in his attempts to elude them.

The autobiography of malcolm x chapter summaries

To dodge arrest, Malcolm is forced to relocate on a weekly basis due to falsified evidence. He develops a dependency on the drugs he's supposed to sell and ends up borrowing money from Sammy just to afford food. Sammy proposes that Malcolm utilise his former train-worker's ID to distribute marijuana along the East Coast. Malcolm journeys to Boston to reunite with Shorty, who's attempting to establish his band.

His clandestine meetings with Sophia reflect her marital status and the growing apprehension towards interracial relationships due to World War II's impact on the white population. Malcolm is called by the draft board, but by dressing outlandishly and expressing his desire to direct Southern Blacks in slaughtering Southern whites to the army psychiatrist, he avoids conscription.

After brandishing a firearm at a fellow gambler during a card game in New York's Grand Central Station, he's banned for life by the railway company. Unable to return to his drug dealings in Harlem due to the narcotics squad's familiarity with him, Malcolm resorts to robbery. He commences gun trafficking and uses cocaine more heavily to manage his stress and gear up for jobs.

When his brother Reginald comes to Harlem, Malcolm rents an apartment to create a home for them. He introduces Reginald to a scam involving the sale of allegedly stolen defective goods. The situation in Harlem deteriorates as the authorities close the Savoy Ballroom, believed to be a measure to prevent white women from dancing with Black men.

Following two riots, white tourists virtually vanish, severely affecting the nightlife industry, causing many from the underworld to seek legitimate employment. After a major disagreement with Sammy the Pimp, which involves a gun threat, Malcolm starts relying more on Reginald, whom he considers indolent yet practical, as he and Sammy's relationship remains strained.

Holding a range of unconventional jobs in Harlem, Malcolm works as a runner for the lottery, in a gambling establishment, and as a guide for white visitors seeking exotic adult encounters. Inhe's suspected of stealing from an Italian-run craps game, leading Malcolm to constantly fear for his safety in Harlem. After quitting his guiding job, he starts smuggling illegal liquor from Long Island on behalf of a Jewish businessman, a job he enjoys until his boss mysteriously goes missing following a bootlegging scandal.

Meanwhile, Malcolm starts gambling frequently, placing bets with West Indian Archie, a man renowned for his photographic memory allowing him to not document any bets. When Malcolm is accused by Archie of claiming money on a non-existent bet, it's a turning point for him. Malcolm maintains he's right, but according to the street rules, neither can back down.

Given a day to return the money, Malcolm gets intoxicated and wakes up after the deadline. Upon his return to Harlem, he encounters Archie in a bar. Archie humiliates Malcolm but doesn't shoot him, however, a showdown appears imminent. The next day, Malcolm ends up in a fight with a young hustler, nearly gets knifed, and is frisked by the police.

Suddenly, he's on the run from the police, Italian mobsters, the hustler he fought, and Archie. When Malcolm believes he's about to be gunned down, his friend Shorty comes to his rescue and whisks him away to Boston. Once in Boston, Malcolm's transformation shocks Shorty and Ella. His new crude and aggressive demeanor results from his experiences as a hustler.

Malcolm spends a few weeks relaxing, his activities mostly include sleeping, smoking marijuana, and listening to music. He starts using cocaine again and excitedly discusses his future plans with Shorty and Sophia. His relationship with Sophia continues, relying on her for financial support and astonished by her high tolerance for mistreatment.

To earn a living, Malcolm forms a new criminal scheme. Exploiting his reputation for being heartless and volatile, he forms a burglary gang: himself, Shorty, and a local Italian Black man, Rudy. They use Sophia and her sister to inspect white communities inconspicuously. The women would tour houses under the guise of salespersons or pollsters and then report back to the men with detailed descriptions.

Malcolm and Shorty execute the actual burglaries, while Rudy handles the escape vehicle. Malcolm is eventually arrested by the police in a pawn shop, where he surrenders without resistance. In court, his conviction for theft is influenced more by his relationship with a white woman than the actual crime. The police interrogate him about the nature of his relationships with the women rather than the alleged burglary.

Consequently, the judge sentences him to a decade in a state prison. During his incarceration in Massachusetts state prison, Malcolm undergoes a transformative phase of intellectual and spiritual awakening. Struggling with drug addiction and anger issues, he earns the moniker "Satan" and is isolated from other inmates. He then encounters Bimbi, a fellow Black inmate who commands respect from both prisoners and prison staff.

Bimbi's influence prompts Malcolm to leave behind his old mentality and pursue the autobiography of malcolm x chapter summaries. He starts reading extensively from the prison library, improves his English, and learns to articulate his anger into logical arguments. Inhe gets transferred to Norfolk Prison Colony, a less violent facility with a conducive environment for studying and debating.

There, he delves into various subjects in the massive library, including history, religion, literature, biology, and linguistics. Malcolm's first exposure to the Nation of Islam comes from his family. At his brother Reginald's insistence, Malcolm stops eating pork, which he later perceives as his initial step toward Islam. Reginald introduces him to Elijah Muhammad, the spiritual leader of the Nation of Islam, whose fundamental teaching is the demonization of all white men.

As Malcolm considers conversion, he reflects on his past experiences with white individuals. He recalls his family being torn apart by social workers, a teacher discouraging his ambition to become a lawyer, and his encounters with white customers while working various jobs. The white law enforcement officials who played a role in his imprisonment also come to mind.

He concludes that each one of these individuals has wronged him in some way. These reflections trigger an intense transformation within Malcolm, making him feel that his past misdemeanors have paved the way for him to embrace Islam. Malcolm finally embraces the teachings of the Nation of Islam. According to Elijah Muhammad, Black people were the original humans living in peace under Allah in Mecca until a deranged scientist named Mr.

Yacub created a wicked race of white people. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Written by Nicola Francisc and other people who wish to remain anonymous. The book covers the early life of Malcolm X, including his troubled childhood, his involvement in crime and drugs, and his eventual conversion to Islam while serving time in prison.

His father, Earl Littlewas a Baptist minister and an active member of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, an organization founded by Marcus Garvey that promoted black pride and self-determination. Earl Little's activism made him a target of white supremacists, and he was eventually murdered when Malcolm was just a child. After his father's death, Malcolm's family struggled financially and was forced to move around the country, eventually settling in Lansing, Michigan.

As a teenager, Malcolm was a good student but struggled with feelings of anger and frustration due to the racism and discrimination he faced.