The Influence of Malcolm X on United States History Essay -- Racial Is

There have been many people throughout United States History who have greatly influenced the nation, including Malcolm X. Malcolm X both positively and negatively affected American society. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history, while being a tremendous public speaker and human rights activist, specifically advocating for the rights of African Americans. However, numerous individuals view him as controversial figure due to the widespread portrayal of Malcolm X as a violent and racist character often considered to be the opposite of Martin Luther King, Jr. Overall, it is clear that Malcolm X is one of the most significant people in United States history because of his various positive and negative influences on American culture. Malcolm Little was born on 19 May 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, but grew up in Lansing, Michigan (Malcolm, 2003). Malcolm attended school in Lansing, but dropped out in the eighth grade after one of his teachers told him that he should become a carpenter instead of a lawyer. His childhood can be seen as quite tragic for several reasons. First, he watched his house burn down at the hands of white supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan. Then, two years later, his father was murdered, and subsequently, his mother was placed in a mental institution. Later, only in his early teens, Malcolm moved to Boston to live with his half-sister. There, he became involved in criminal activities. Known as â€Å"Detroit Red,† for his hair’s reddish tinge, he developed into a street hustler, drug dealer, and leader of a gang of thieves (Mamiya, 1). Consequently, in 1946, he went to prison for burglary (Malcolm, 2003). It is due to this criminal nature, in his early life, that some i... ...sively demand change (Ferran, 1992). Unfortunately, many individuals find him to be controversial and his methods to be extreme. Nevertheless, he fought for equality of African Americans and stood for what he believed becoming one of the most significant characters in American history. Works Cited Brazil, Georgia and Barbara Reed. â€Å"X, Malcolm†. Volume Library. Southwestern. Nashville, TN. 2004. Ferran, Christine. "X, Malcolm 1925-1965." Contemporary Black Biography. 1992. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Feb. 2011. â€Å"Malcolm X.† Britannica. 15th Edition. 2003 Mamaiya, Lawrence A. "Malcolm X Biography." Biography.com. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. . McGill, Sarah Ann. â€Å"Malcolm X.† EBSCO. Broadalbin-Perth High School Library Broadalbin, New York. 16 Feb. 2011. .