In 1964 Malcolm pilgrimated to Mecca and took the name Al Hajj Malik al-Shabazz.

In 1965 Malcolm was murdered by a fantatic Black Muslims who felt endangered by his leaving the Black Muslim Movement. Malcolm Little alias Malcolm X alias Al Hajj Malik al-Shabazz left a wife (Betty X alias Betty Shabazz) and four children (Attilah, Qubilah, Ilyasah, Amilah).

Malcolm X's methods:

Malcolm, in his autobiography, often describes the wish he had in his youth: He wanted to be white. His first thoughts introduce us that Malcolm was not hit that much by his father, due to his brighter skin (in comparison with his sisters and brothers). After his move to Boston, he coloured his hair, just because he saw that you have got more possibilities in life if you are white. After his formative years in jail, Malcolm considered things different: From now on he was proud of being a black man.

Malcolm's methods were very militant, he called for unity among the black population and he blamed the white population for the problems of his race, and in general he was right.

Malcolm studied the differences between white and black people and their aversion and affection towards each other. For example he discovered that white prostitutes in Harlem have more black customers and the other way round.

One of his famous methods was the united resistance against racial segregation and discrimination: Once a black brother of the Black Muslim Movement was hit hart by a white policeman. He was arrested and put into jail. Malcolm and about 100 members of the Movement protested in front of the police department until the brother was put free.

Around the year 1960 the American society was trippled in a way: The peaceful movements around Martin Luther King and other movements were opposed by the whites, who in general treated African-Americans like pieces of dirt, and by the Black Muslims. This movement was lead by "The Messenger of Allah" Elijah Muhammad and was in contrast to the peaceful movements radical and racistic (The white man is the devil). The members of this movement denied their surnames, given to them by the white slavemasters centuries ago.

Instead of their names they put a X as their surname, standing as a symbol for their lost African names.

The autobiography is not an autobiography in the usual style. It is a help to understand Malcolm X and the Black Muslim Movement. You may not share Malcolm's radical way of see the problem, but the book helps to understand his way of thinking.

The book - it was called "a brilliant, painful and important book" by the New York Times - also shows a way of liberation for the black population. It is the story about a boy, who made mistakes, but then found a way to deal with the problems of racism and finally considered it as a pride to be a black man.