Best malcolm x biography
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Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable
If you’re looking for a scholarly and comprehensive biography of Malcolm X, this is the book for you. X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon
For those who enjoy historical fiction, X: A Novel is a young adult book that tells the story of Malcolm X’s early life.
An extraordinary narrative of love and deep affection, as well as deceit, betrayal, and violence, this story is a window into the public and private lives of two of our greatest national icons, and the tumultuous period in American history that they helped to shape.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
In the searing pages of this classic autobiography, originally published in 1964, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and anti-integrationist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Black Muslim movement.
The struggle for Black freedom is wrought with the same contrasts.
This is the book for anyone who wants to experience the brilliance of his oratory skills. But Malcolm’s efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory. Co-written by Malcolm X himself and journalist Alex Haley, this autobiography is the definitive account of his life. A man who unapologetically spoke truth to power?
Malcolm X: The Last Speeches by Malcolm X
This book compiles some of the final speeches Malcolm X delivered before his assassination in 1965. Reaching into Malcolm’s troubled youth, it traces a path from his parents’ activism as followers of Marcus Garvey through his own work with the Nation of Islam and rise in the world of black nationalism, and culminates in the never-before-told true story of his assassination.
The Sword and the Shield by Peniel E.
Joseph
To most Americans, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. represent contrasting ideals: self-defense versus nonviolence, Black Power versus civil rights, the sword versus the shield. Their files on him totaled more than 3,600 pages, covering every facet of his life. The two became fast friends, keeping their interactions secret from the press for fear of jeopardizing Clay’s career.
Written by Malcolm’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz and author Kekla Magoon, this novel brings a fictionalized yet accurate account of his childhood and young adult years.
Why: It’s a unique, accessible way to learn about Malcolm’s formative years, and the collaboration between Shabazz and Magoon makes it all the more special.
10.
Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it,” he remarked.
In order to get to the bottom of what inspired one of America’s most consequential figures to make his mark on western society, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best books on Malcolm X.
The Dead Are Arising by Les Payne
Les Payne, the renowned Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist, embarked in 1990 on a nearly thirty-year-long quest to interview anyone he could find who had actually known Malcolm X – all living siblings of the Malcolm Little family, classmates, street friends, cellmates, Nation of Islam figures, FBI moles and cops, and political leaders around the world.
Setting Malcolm’s life not only within the Nation of Islam but against the larger backdrop of American history, the book traces the life of one of the twentieth century’s most politically relevant figures “from street criminal to devoted moralist and revolutionary.”
Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable
Manning Marable’s acclaimed biography of Malcolm X finally does justice to one of the most influential and controversial figures of twentieth-century American history.
You’re not wrong. Marable, a historian, explores Malcolm’s many reinventions, from his early days in prison to his controversial break with the Nation of Islam.
Why: This book is packed with new research and offers a nuanced look at Malcolm’s life, shedding light on his evolution as a person and a revolutionary.
3.
In Harlem, he was known as Detroit Red, a slick street operator. But to truly understand this iconic figure, there’s no better place to start than by diving into some books about Malcolm X.
Here are 10 must-read books that will give you a deep dive into the life and legacy of Malcolm X. From his own words to powerful biographies, these books are essential for anyone interested in understanding the man who changed the course of history.
1.
A powerful orator? At 19, he was back in Boston, leading a gang of burglars.
In Harlem, he was known as Detroit Red, a slick street operator. But to truly understand this iconic figure, there’s no better place to start than by diving into some books about Malcolm X.
Here are 10 must-read books that will give you a deep dive into the life and legacy of Malcolm X. From his own words to powerful biographies, these books are essential for anyone interested in understanding the man who changed the course of history.