Malcolm X's Early Life and Influences

Young Malcolm

• Born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska.
• Seventh child of Reverend Earl Little; father had three children from a previous marriage.

Omaha, Nebraska

• Birthplace of Malcolm X, significant to his early life.

Malcolm's Parents

• Reverend Earl Little

  • Originated from Reynolds, Georgia.
  • Worked as a Baptist minister and was involved in civil rights advocacy.
  • A strong supporter of Marcus Garvey's U.N.I.A.

• Louise Little

  • Born in Grenada, British West Indies.
  • Had a complex background; her father was white, and his identity remained unknown to her.
  • Faced stigma due to her father's rape of her mother.

U.N.I.A.

• Stands for Universal Negro Improvement Association.
• Founded by Marcus Garvey to combat racism through racial separation.

Marcus Garvey

• Prominent African American leader in the 1920s.
• Advocated for the back-to-Africa movement.
• Deported to Jamaica in 1927 due to his political activities.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Family moved from Omaha to Milwaukee briefly.
• Home was set ablaze by two white men, highlighting racial tensions.

Lansing, Michigan

• Family relocated to Lansing, initially living in East Lansing.
• Eventually, Earl Little constructed a four-room house outside of Lansing.

Earl Little's Death

• Died in 1931 at the age of 40 or 41.
• Circumstances of his death remain controversial; Malcolm suspected foul play by the Black Legion.

Great Depression

• A significant economic downturn from 1929 to 1939.
• African Americans hit hardest, facing unemployment and discrimination in the job market.

Malcolm's Mother

• Louise Little's mental health declined following her husband's death and exacerbated by economic struggles and abandonment by a partner.

Gohannas Family

• Due to his mother's deterioration, Malcolm moved in with the Gohannas family.
• Shared a bedroom with "Big Boy," Gohannas' nephew.
• Attended Lansing's West Junior High School, struggled to fit in.

State Mental Hospital at Kalamazoo, Michigan

• Louise Little was committed after a mental breakdown; remained there for 26 years.
• Court separation from her children, though they maintained emotional ties.
• Last saw his mother in 1952; she did not recognize him and died in the hospital.