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

There have been many people throughout fall in States History who have greatly influenced the nation, including Malcolm X. Malcolm X both positively and proscribely affected American society. He is regarded as one of the greatest and to the highest degree influential African Americans in history, while being a horrible public speaker and human rights activist, specifically advocating for the rights of African Americans. However, numerous individuals witness him as controversial figure referable 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 momentous people in United States history because of his various positive and negative influences on American culture. Malcolm Little was born on 19 dusterthorn 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska, but grew up in Lansing, Michigan (Malcolm, 2003). Malcolm attended schooling in Lansing, but dropped out i n the eighth grade aft(prenominal) 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 some(prenominal) 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 stretch forth with his half-sister. There, he became involved in criminal activities. Known as Detroit Red, for his tomentums reddish tinge, he developed into a street hustler, medicine 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 fo ught for equality of African Americans and stood for what he believed becoming one of the most significant characters in American history.Works CitedBrazil, Georgia and Barbara Reed. X, Malcolm. Volume Library. Southwestern. Nashville, TN. 2004.Ferran, Christine. X, Malcolm 1925-1965. Contemporary Black Biography. 1992. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Feb. 2011.Malcolm X. Britannica. fifteenth Edition. 2003Mamaiya, Lawrence A. Malcolm X Biography. Biography.com. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. .McGill, Sarah Ann. Malcolm X. EBSCO. Broadalbin-Perth High School Library Broadalbin, New York. 16 Feb. 2011. .