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Malcolm X Timeline

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Leader

1925

May 19 - Malcolm Little is born in Omaha, Nebraska to father and Baptist preacher, Earl Little and mother, Louise Little.

1926

The Little’s move to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

1927

Earl Little becomes the leader of the UNIA chapter in Indiana Harbor, Indiana.

1928

The Little’s buy a home in Lansing, Michigan.

1929

November 7 – The Little home is set on fire and burned down.

1931

September 28 – Earl Little dies after he was run over by a streetcar. It is rumored that he was murdered by a white supremacist group.

1939

January 9 – Louise Little is committed to the State Mental Hospital in Kalamazoo after she is declared mentally insane.

August – Malcolm is sent to the Michigan State Detention Home.

September – Malcolm begins school at Mason High School in Mason, Michigan.

1940

Malcolm is placed in foster care.

1941

Malcolm moves to Boston to live with his paternal half sister.

1943

March - Moves to New York City, and begins working for the New Haven Railroad.

After being fired from New Haven, Malcolm works as a waiter in Harlem.

October – U.S. Army determines that he is not qualified to serve in the army.

Malcolm begins selling drugs, playing the numbers, and hustling.

1944

November 9 – Malcolm is indicted for larceny and is given a three month suspended sentence. He is placed on probation for one year.

1946

January 12 – Malcolm is arrested in Boston for larceny, carrying firearms, and breaking and entering.

February 27 – Begins serving 8-10 year prison sentence in Charleston, Massachusetts. Malcolm begins reading in prison.

1948

Malcolm learns about the teachings of Elijah Muhammad.

1952

August 7 - Malcolm is released from prison and placed on parole. Moves to Detroit where he lives with his brother and works as a furniture salesman.

1953

February - Begins attending Nation of Islam meetings.

Moves to Chicago and lives with Elijah Mohammad.

September – Becomes the minister of the Nation of Islam Boston Temple No. 11.

1954

Becomes the minister of New York Temple No. 7.

1955

Becomes the minister of Philadelphia Temple No. 12.

1956

August 25 - Lectures to Nation of Islam members at the Southern Goodwill Tour of the Brotherhood of Islam in Atlanta, Georgia.

1958

January 14 – Malcolm marries Betty X (Sanders) in Lansing, Michigan.

August 1 – Speaks at a Nation of Islam street meeting in Manhattan.

November – Malcolm’s daughter, Attilah, is born.

1959

July 5 - Malcolm travels to Egypt, Mecca, Iran, Syria, and Ghana as an ambassador for the Nation of Islam.

The television documentary, “The Hate That Hate Produced” features the Nation of Islam and Malcolm X.

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