Different from other African-American leaders during his time, Malcolm X served his community as  a minister, activist and black nationalist leader. Malcolm X’s father, Earl Little, was a prominent civil right activist and preacher in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. After his father was murder, X continued to struggle finding his way into a juvenile detention home. In 1946, X was sentenced to 10 years in prison for larceny. During his prison sentence, he converted to Islam, and after his release he started his journey to becoming a prominent leader in the black community.

In the 50’s and 60’s, X became a spokesperson for the Nation of Islam. X also became a leading figure in the more radicalized wing of the Civil Rights movement. He believed blacks should destroy the shackles of racism, discrimination and oppression “by any means necessary.”