Malcolm+X


 * Malcolm X**

Malcolm X is my hero because when the world was divided by race he decided to make a difference. He could have just stood back and watched the world crumble but instead he helped Americans see that white people and black people are equals; who can coexist.

He had originally been against this idea, he had wanted separation; probably because of his father, Earl Little. Malcolm's father was a preacher who thought that everyone should have the same rights weather they were white or black. However, he also wanted black people to live in cities with only black people. Malcolm's father was killed while malcolm was still very young. After his father was killed, his mother went crazy and was forced to go to a hospital.

Because of Malcolm's beliefs, he was originally against many things that Martin Luther King Jr said; Like how black people and white people should live and work together. However, after sometime, he changed his mind. The reason Malcolm didn't want white and black people to live together was because he thought it was impossible for white people to not hurt or kill black people because at the time it would happen everyday. Malcolm X believed that if a white person hurt a black person, the black person should fight them. Martin Luther King Jr thought that no one should fight and that only peace could bring together different races.

Malcolm X changed his mind about black and white people live together when he went to Mecca. While he was in Mecca he saw white and black Muslims from all around the world peacefully living together. Mecca is a holy place for Muslims like Malcolm X, who became a muslim while he was in jail. Although Malcolm X was a great leader, he made lots of mistakes in his life. When he was young he gambled, stole and sold drugs. When he was twenty, he went to jail for six years. While he was in jail, he taught himself how to read and write. He also changed his last name from "Little" to "X" while he was in jail because he felt that "Little" was a white name. While he was teaching himself to read and write he decided to stop selling drugs and stealing from people. He decided to try to make a positive difference in the world instead.

On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was killed. As prepared to give a speech to the Organization of Afro-American Unity a disturbance broke out in the audience. A man rushed forward and shot Malcolm in the chest while two other men ran on to the stage and fired guns. They shot Malcolm X 16 times. The three gun men were caught and convicted, two of the three are now dead. The three men killed him because they didn't agree with his views and were afraid of change, even though the change he made was for the better. The change Malcolm X made was very important and heroic, which is why he is my hero.