Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska) was a prominent African American civil rights activist, Black nationalist leader, and Muslim minister. He became widely known as a revolutionary figure during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s

. After spending part of his youth in foster homes following his father's death and his mother's institutionalization, Malcolm X was imprisoned in 1946 for larceny and burglary. While in prison, he joined the Nation of Islam (NOI), adopting the surname "X" to symbolize the loss of his African ancestral name. Upon his release in 1952, he rapidly rose to become one of the NOI's most influential leaders, advocating for Black empowerment, racial pride, and the separation of Black and White Americans. He was a charismatic orator who challenged the mainstream civil rights movement's emphasis on nonviolence and integration, instead promoting self-defense "by any means necessary"

. In the early 1960s, Malcolm X became disillusioned with the Nation of Islam and its leader Elijah Muhammad. After making the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), he embraced Sunni Islam and adopted the name el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz. He then publicly renounced the Nation of Islam, founded new organizations including the Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity, and began advocating for broader human rights and Pan-African solidarity

. Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965, in New York City at the age of 39. His legacy includes his influence on the Black Power movement and the shift in African American identity politics, as well as ongoing recognition through commemorations and institutions named in his honor

. In summary, Malcolm X was a transformative and controversial leader who articulated a militant vision for Black liberation and self-determination, leaving a lasting impact on American civil rights history.