MALCOLM X
Volume 1, Issue 1
May 2012
Nation of Islam Puts Actions to Their Words
Elijah Muhammad Found Guilty Of Adultery!
Meghan Augsburger
Taylor Larson
On April 26, 1957, Johnson Hinton, a member of Muslim Temple No. 7, was attacked after trying to intervene when two police officers started to beat an African American man on the streets of New York City. After hearing about the incident, Malcolm X, minister of Temple No. 7, came to the police station looking for Brother Johnson. At first, the NYPD was reluctant to admit that they had Brother Johnson in their custody. Their minds were changed, however, after Malcolm X pointed out the enormous crowd of Nation of Islam followers that had formed outside the station. The NYPD allowed him to see Brother Johnson who was in terrible condition. An ambulance was called immediately to take the beaten man away. Malcolm X and his fellow Muslims followed the ambulance on foot to Harlem Hospital where Brother Johnson was treated. An enormous crowd formed around the Nation of Islam followers who demanded that they know the condition and progress of Brother Johnson. Eventually, an African American doctor emerged from the hospital to inform the Muslims that the beatings had caused brain contusions, subdural hemorrhaging, and scalp lacerations. He would, however, live through the experience. After they marched away on Malcolm X’s orders, an NYPD officer reportedly said, “No man should have that much power.” This terrible incident has proven the power of the Nation of Islam who previously only spoke of actions they would take. Now they have finally put actions to their words and protected their own.
Mr. Muhammad, the 67yearold leader of the Muslim movement, has been charged of fathering four children with two of his former secretaries. Both women, in their twenties, claim the intimate relations began in 1957 and continued until this year, 1962. Brother Malcolm X, along with the rest of the Muslim community, is shocked at the “immoral behavior of Mr. Muhammad.” Many Muslims have left Mosque Two, located in Chicago, due to the recent incidents. Malcolm X has continued his preaching, despite the terrible rumors. He has defended Mr. Muhammad with teachings that a man’s “good deeds outweigh his bad deeds.” It seems that Malcolm X will stand by Mr. Muhammad through thick and thin. However, Malcolm’s loyalty could not save Mr. Muhammad from the unavoidable punishment. Mr. Muhammad, as well as the two women, has been charged with one to five years of “isolation” – having no contact with any Muslim. It is not clear where these disgraceful happenings will lead the Muslim community. Only time will tell how the leaders and ministers of the Nation of Islam will continue down the path of their faith.
Malcolm X 1
Picture 2- Malcolm X speaks with Elijah
Picture 1- Malcolm X speaking for nation of Islam
Malcolm X Speaks Out Against Civil Rights Movement
Picture 2- Malcolm X meets with Martin Luther King Jr. 1964
Malcolm X converts to Islam while in prison
Tabitha Sellers
Ashley Kranz
“Our objective is complete freedom, justice and equality by any means necessary.” Although Malcolm X and the Black Muslims worked towards the same goal as Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement, freedom; their agendas starkly contrasted. The Civil Rights Movement sought integration while the Black Muslims believed integration was not a worthwhile aim. The nonviolent aspect of Dr. King’s movement was strongly opposed by the Nation of Islam with Malcolm X going as far as saying the “white man pays Reverend Martin Luther King, subsidizes Reverend Martin Luther King, so that Reverend Martin Luther King can continue to teach the Negroes to be defenseless.” Malcolm X believed that African Americans should put down their weapons and become nonviolent when White Americans put down their weapons and stop threatening African Americans. “That’s what you mean by nonviolent, be defenseless.” However, upon his return from his pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm X seemed to have a change in heart. He began to support the Civil Rights Movement and even stated he was behind the voter registration movement “one thousand percent.” He even spoke at a Student Non Violent Coordinating Committee meeting where Dr. King’s wife was in attendance, but her husband was, unfortunately, in jail. He said to her “I want Dr. King to know that I didn’t come to Selma to make his job difficult, if the white people realize what the alternative is, perhaps they will be more willing to hear Dr. King.”
"Any time I have a religion that won't let me fight for my people, I say to hell with that religion. That's why I am a Muslim." These words were spoken by Malcolm X, a black man who in his childhood grew up in a Baptist household but later in life converted to the Muslim faith. Throughout his turbulent teenage years, Malcolm X (then Malcolm Little) lived a life of crime and participated in drug use, sex, and other illegal activities. Eventually he was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for robbery. While in prison, he was visited by his brother, Reginald. Reginald told Malcolm all about the religion of Islam. After that, Malcolm began to reform. He converted to Islam and became a devout Muslim. He denounced alcohol, smoking, and drugs, and restricted his diet according to the Islamic law. He began copying the dictionary to improve his vocabulary, and this is where he learned all the words that would make him one of the most powerful speakers in the nation. After he was released from prison, Malcolm made a pilgrimage to Mecca and met Elijah Muhammad, who was the leader of the religion. He also established new temples and spoke to crowds of African Americans, teaching them about Islam and encouraging them to fight against the whites, whom he portrayed as the devil. Malcolm’s time in prison changed his life forever, and he went on to change many more lives. He went from a common criminal to one of the most influential people in the Civil Rights Movement of the 60’s, and his legacy is still remembered today.
Malcolm X 2
Malcolm X 3