Born Malcolm Little in Omaha,
Nebraska, in 1925, Malcolm
was the son of James Earl
Little, a Baptist preacher who
advocated the black
nationalist ideals of Marcus Garvey. Threats from the Ku
Klux Klan forced the family to
move to Lansing, Michigan,
where his father continued to
preach his controversial
sermons despite continuing threats. In 1931, Malcolm’s
father was brutally murdered
by the white supremacist
Black Legion, and Michigan
authorities refused to
prosecute those responsible. In 1937, Malcolm was taken
from his family by welfare
caseworkers. By the time he
reached high school age, he
had dropped out of school
and moved to Boston, where he became increasingly
involved in criminal activities