READER’S GUIDE 2017 – 2018

Presented by MICHIGAN HUMANITIES COUNCIL GREAT MICHIGAN READ X: A Novel Ilyasah Shabazz with Kekla Magoon GREAT MICHIGAN READ READER’S GUIDE | 3

WHAT IS THE GREAT MICHIGAN READ?

Great Michigan Read: One title, one state, and thousands engaged in literary discussion

WHAT IS THE GREAT MICHIGAN READ? The Michigan Humanities Council’s Great Michigan Read is a book club for the entire state with a focus on a single book – X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon. The program is intended for young adults to senior citizens with broad goals of making literature more accessible and appealing while also encouraging residents to learn more about our state and individual identities. CONTENTS

WHY X: A NOVEL? HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE? 2-3 WHAT IS THE GREAT MICHIGAN READ? No life is set in stone. Malcolm was a Pick up a copy of X: A Novel and young man with boundless potential supporting materials at your local 4-5 X: A NOVEL AND AUTHOR but with the odds stacked against library, your favorite bookstore, or ILYASAH SHABAZZ him. Losing his father under suspicious download the e-book. Read the book, 6-7 X: A NOVEL AND AUTHOR circumstances and his mother to a share and discuss it with your friends, KEKLA MAGOON mental health hospital, Malcolm fell and participate in Great Michigan Read into a life of petty crime and eventually events in your community and online. 8-9 AUTHOR’S NOTE: ILYASAH SHABAZZ prison. Instead of letting prison be his Register your library, school, company, 10-11 CHRONOLOGY OF MALCOLM IN MICHIGAN downfall, Malcom found a religion, or book club and receive copies of a voice, and the podium that would 12-13 MALCOLM’S LANSING reader’s guides, teacher’s guides, GET CONNECTED & FOLLOW US! eventually make him one of the most Join the Michigan Humanities bookmarks, and other informational 14-15 A FAMILY OF ACTIVISTS prominent figures in the burgeoning Council Facebook group, or follow materials at no cost. Nonprofit @mihumanities (#greatMIread) Civil Rights movement. 16-17 SECRET SOCIETY OF THE BLACK LEGION organizations-including schools and on Twitter.

The 2017-18 Great Michigan Read, libraries-may apply for discussion kits 18-19 MALCOLM AFTER X: A NOVEL X: A Novel, is a tale of reinvention which include free copies of X: A Novel. and redemption. Written by Ilyasah BACK ABOUT THE MICHIGAN HUMANITIES For more details, including a calendar COUNCIL AND ITS GENEROUS Shabazz, Malcom X’s third daughter, of events, additional resources, and SUPPORTERS and Kekla Magoon, X is a young-adult to register your organization, visit novel with a writing style and message www.michiganhumanities.org. that will appeal to readers of all ages. Join us as we work to explore the Michigan roots of one of the most influential leaders of the twentieth century.

A SPECIAL THANKS: The Michigan Humanities Council would like to give a special thanks to Jennifer Rosseter (Image Creative Group), Bill Castanier, Carol DeBoer, Maureen Derenzy, Sean Henne, Susan Patterson, Linda Pride, Cathy Seblonka, Terri Tomaszek, and Kay Wejrowski. GREAT MICHIGAN READ READER’S GUIDE | 5 X: A NOVEL AND AUTHOR ILYASAH SHABAZZ

Q&A WITH ILYASAH SHABAZZ

Why did you choose to make X: A for his activism when Malcolm was six Novel a work of fiction? years old, and his mom was placed in It was important for me to ensure my an institution when he was thirteen. father’s young life was documented Despite the evident pain, Malcolm still and accessible to a teen audience. excelled academically and socially. I wanted to shape my father’s When his favorite teacher advised

Ilyasah Shabazz. © Phillip Van Nostrand adolescence into an inspirational story, that he shouldn’t aspire to be a lawyer to fill in the missing information and because he was just a Negro, his young provide a more accurate story of my spirit was crushed. When our children ILYASAH SHABAZZ: Ilyasah Shabazz, father’s youth. I also wanted to give are discouraged and indirectly told that third daughter of Malcolm X, is an Also by Ilyasah Shabazz credence to his parents for instilling their lives do not matter, they often live activist, producer, motivational speaker, specific values of compassion, care, their lives in a self-destructive manner. and the author of the critically acclaimed Growing Up X: A Memoir by literacy, and accountability that enabled Growing Up X and the picture book the Daughter of Malcolm X their son to grow into one of the What is the story’s most compelling Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to (2002) most brilliant human rights strategists lesson for today? My hope is that, like my dad, young Become Malcolm X. Malcolm Little: The Boy worldwide. Who Grew Up to Become people will be able to find the Malcolm X (2013) What events in your father’s life were individual power that each of us the most thought-provoking to write possesses to shed light on truth and about? justice. And I hope that smart, forward- My father was born from the loving thinking adults can understand the union of two young activists during the necessity of our roles in the village Jim Crow and Great Depression eras of of raising our children to live more our country. His family was separated purpose-driven lives. If there ever was a and torn apart—his dad was lynched time for us to come together, it is now.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON “You alone have the power ILYASAH SHABAZZ PLEASE VISIT: www.ilyasahshabazz.com to accomplish what you will. To accomplish every goal. Clear every obstacle. Win every challenge. You have the gift of an indomitable Spirit. Stay strong, focused,

and determined.” ILYASAH SHABAZZ GREAT MICHIGAN READ READER’S GUIDE | 7 X: A NOVEL AND AUTHOR KEKLA MAGOON

Q&A WITH KEKLA MAGOON

How did you approach writing a book “In his own writings and with two authors? We worked to combine our strengths speeches, he emphasized to create the perfect balance of history/ that he didn’t come from biography and novelistic storytelling. nowhere. He went through Ilyasah brought a deep familiarity with her father’s life story, and a clear trials, tribulations, struggles, Kekla Magoon © Kerry Land vision for how his early experiences and doubts. For me it was could shape an inspiring narrative. As really interesting to get to the KEKLA MAGOON is the author of an accomplished novelist, I was well- eight young adult novels, including individual behind the legacy.” Also by Kekla Magoon positioned to help bring this vision The Rock and the River, How It Went to life. KEKLA MAGOON (excerpt from School Library Journal, January 5, 2015) Down, X: A Novel, and the Robyn Shadows of Sherwood (A Hoodlum Adventures series. She has Robyn Hoodlum Adventure) What kind of research did you do when writing X: A Novel? received an NAACP Image Award, (2015) What were the challenges in writing I read a lot of Malcolm’s own writing, the John Steptoe New Talent Award, How it Went Down (2014) a book about such a prominent including The Autobiography of Malcolm two Coretta Scott King Honors, Fire in the Streets (2013) historical figure? X. Ilyasah presented me with several The Walter Award Honor, and been 37 Things I Love (in No The main challenge is finding the of her favorite books about her father, long listed for the National Book Particular Order) (2012) balance between historical accuracy and and I studied them closely, in addition Award. She also writes non-fiction Camo Girl (2011) shaping a narrative. It was important to other biographical texts that discuss on historical topics. Kekla conducts to represent Malcolm’s true story, and Today the World is Watching his life and work. When possible, I school and library visits nationwide You: The Little Rock Nine yet also draw readers in with a strong studied archival videos and transcripts and serves on the Writers’ Council and the Fight for School plot and a compelling flow of action. of Malcolm’s speeches. I visited for the National Writing Project. Integration, 1957 (2011) We made choices about which periods several library and museum archives Kekla holds a B.A. from Northwestern The Rock and the River of his life to focus on, and when to that contained collections related to University and an M.F.A. in Writing (2009) make leaps in time to stay close to the Malcolm, where I viewed photographs from Vermont College of Fine Arts, relevant action. The novel’s opening, in and ephemera. All of these influences where she now serves on faculty. particular, flashes forward and backward helped me to draw closer to him as a in time, focusing on the moment when character. Malcolm leaves home to begin his “Malcolm spent his teen years running from that coming-of-age journey through trauma and toward self-discovery. history, but he eventually found his way back. He finally became the person he was raised to be. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON This book explores the time during which he was KEKLA MAGOON PLEASE VISIT: running, and it’s such a crucial piece of his story.” www.keklamagoon.com

KEKLA MAGOON (excerpt from Diversity in Ya, 2015) GREAT MICHIGAN READ READER’S GUIDE | 9 AUTHOR’S NOTE FROM X: A NOVEL

I am my father’s child. I consider it an honor and a privilege to tell the story of his life and work, and I proudly accept responsibility “for doing so, not because he is my father but because I believe that accurate information about him and his life’s journey will empower others — especially those fatherless children searching for I share this story to remind myself and their purpose and their identity — others that there is hope for each one to achieve their highest potential.” of us. No matter where we have been, Ilyasah Shabazz no matter how many doubts we hold, and no matter what mistakes we have made, we have the ability to rise above our current circumstances — especially When world-renowned and eventually like my grandmother Louise when we are inspired by the lessons in martyred human-rights activist El-Hajj Little— raised a houseful of our past. Each one of us possesses the Malik El-Shabazz— Malcolm X — came children alone, and she taught power to change our present condition walking through the front door of my five sisters and me all about and become the best that life offers. our home in the evenings, he was our father, our extended family, Courtesy of Author simply Daddy. I imagine that as a child, our ancestors, and our history. I have always been proud to be my Malcolm felt the same about his dad, She, too, sacrificed personal father’s child. And an important part my grandfather, Earl Little. At the age of Those were long and difficult years freedom to the cause of securing of my journey has been to accept the six, young Malcolm could not have fully for Malcolm. Grief, pain, and confusion liberty and justice for all. I will always part of myself that is my father. It is understood the broader significance of prevented him from seeing his father’s be inspired by her admonition, a privilege to carry his work and his his father’s life and death. He knew that footsteps, which were paved for him legacy forward. I will always strive to Papa Earl went away, and although he to follow. Had Papa Earl lived longer, walk in his footsteps and become the heard the whispers about the Ku Klux Malcolm might have found a more direct “Ilyasah, just as best person I can, and I invite you to do Klan’s Black Legion, years would pass path to becoming the human-rights one must drink water, the same. Thank you for reading before all the pieces came together advocate his father wanted him to one must his story. as a meaningful understanding of his be — but in that case, Malcolm almost father’s martyrdom — that he was killed certainly would not have become the X. Copyright © 2015 by Ilyasah Shabazz. Reproduced by while serving his people. Malcolm would icon the world remembers today. permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA. endure years of turmoil and discontent My father and I have a great deal in give before understanding that Papa Earl ” lived and died committed to the cause of common, including being a middle securing freedom, justice, and equality child and the loss of our fathers to assassination at an early age. Though he back. for disenfranchised African Americans. passed away when I was not quite three Dr. Betty Shabazz years old, my father’s voice, his beliefs, and his lessons remained a vital part of my childhood and my evolving identity. As a result, I have grown to become a proud African-American Muslim woman. Ilyasah Shabazz with her father. My mother, Dr. Betty Shabazz — much

“Each one of us possesses the power to change our present condition and become the best that life offers.”

ILYASAH SHABAZZ Courtesy of Author GREAT MICHIGAN READ READER’S GUIDE | 11 CHRONOLOGY OF MALCOLM IN MICHIGAN

MAY 19, 1925: 1929 : The Littles move to NOVEMBER 1929: 1931: Malcolm is enrolled in 1938: The Swerlin family JANUARY 1939: Louise Born in Omaha, NE Lansing, MI A racist mob sets the family Pleasant Grove Elementary enrolls Malcolm in Mason Little is institutionalized at house on fire; the Littles School Junior High School Kalamazoo State 1926: Family briefly moves move to the eastside of SEPTEMBER 28, 1931: Earl Hospital to Milwaukee, WI, to escape Lansing Little is found dead on the

1920-1930 the KKK street car tracks in Lansing

1940: Malcolm moves to NOVEMBER 1942: MARCH 1943: 1945: Malcolm moves back 1946: Along with Malcolm Boston to live with his half- Malcolm moves back to Moves to Harlem in New York to Michigan and works at “Shorty” Jarvis, is arrested sister, Ella Michigan and begins to work City and begins dealing drugs Capitol Bedding making while picking up a stolen at Shaw’s Jewelry Store as a mattresses, cleaning at watch porter-messenger the Reo Motor Car Company, and working as a FEBRUARY 1946: Malcolm DECEMBER 1942: is sentenced to 8-10 years 1940 waiter at the historic Coral Malcolm moves to Flint, MI Gables in prison for larceny and breaking and entering. 1948: Begins correspondence 1945: Malcolm returns to He begins his sentence at with Elijah Muhammad, then- Boston Charlestown State Prison leader of the Nation of Islam Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons

1950: Malcolm begins signing AUGUST 1952: Malcolm is JUNE 1953: Named 1956: Malcolm meets Betty his name as “Malcolm X” paroled and leaves prison assistant minister of the Sanders through the Nation moving to Detroit, MI Nation’s Temple Number of Islam and the two begin One in Detroit, MI courting MAY 1953: Malcolm moves to Inkster, MI for about a year MAY 1955: Malcolm holds a JANUARY 14, 1958: Malcolm 1950

Wikimedia Commons Nation of Islam meeting in and Betty are married in

Courtesy of the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library Lansing Lansing

1962: Malcolm meets 1963: Malcolm and his NOVEMBER 10, 1963: FEBRUARY 21, 1965: Cassius Clay (Muhammed Ali) siblings arrange for Louise Malcolm X delivers his Malcolm is shot and killed in Detroit. Little to be released from the “Message to the Grassroots” at the Audubon Ballroom in mental hospital speech at King Solomon Manhattan. JANUARY 23, 1963: Malcolm Baptist Church in Detroit. X gives a speech at Michigan OCTOBER 22, 1963: FEBRUARY 27, 1965: State University in the Malcolm X gives a speech at 1964: Malcolm ends his Malcolm X’s funeral attracts 1960 1964: © Library of Congress Erickson Kiva Wayne State University in © Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University relationship with the NOI over 1,500 mourners Detroit. and journeys to Mecca on FEBRUARY 14, 1965: a holy pilgrimage SEPTEMBER 1965: Twin Malcolm’s home in East daughters Malikah and Elmhurst, NY is firebombed Malaak are born and named in their father’s honor

1975: A historic site marker 1995: El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz 2003: A portrait mural of 2011: A 3-mile stretch of 2016: Students at Lansing is set up at the location of Academy in South Lansing is Malcolm X located in Mason Main Street in Lansing is Community College Malcolm X’s childhood home named after Malcolm X High School is dedicated to officially renamed Malcolm and Reach Art Studio him in 2003 X Street collaborated on creating a life-size mosaic statue of Malcolm X; it remained on display in the Lansing Community College library

1970-2017 through February of 2017 before being permanently installed at El-Shabazz Kristin McConnell Kristin Archambeau Stephanie Malik El-Shabazz Academy Malik El-Shabazz Ken Palmer/Lansing State Journal Courtesy of Marisa Sundin Academy in March Courtesy of Marisa Sundin GREAT MICHIGAN READ READER’S GUIDE | 13

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

MALCOLM’S LANSING HOW? In X: A Novel, how does Malcolm’s relationship with his family change over time? I am Malcolm. Have you ever had a teacher or authority figure dismiss I am Malcolm Little. your ambitions? How did it make “I am my father’s son. But to be my father’s you feel? son means that they will always come for me. They will always come for me, and I will always succumb.” A TOUR OF MALCOLM’S LANSING: –X: A Novel After years of neglect, more recently efforts have been

Courtesy of Station Hill Press made to recognize Malcolm X’s legacy in his hometown of Lansing. In 2015, Michigan State University students created the website Malcolm’s Lansing, a comprehensive X : A Novel explores Malcolm X’s the next twenty-four years of her life. geographical exploration of Malcolm’s time and legacy formative years in Michigan, the life The Little family was broken apart and in mid-Michigan. The website is an excellent way to tour Malcolm’s hometown on the Internet: experiences that molded him into Malcolm ended up in a detention home one of the most prominent leaders in nearby Mason, Michigan. projects.leadr.msu.edu/malcolmxinlansing of the twentieth century. Moving to At Mason High School Malcolm excelled Lansing in 1929, the Little family had a academically, was at the top of his grim beginning in their new city. The Wikimedia Commons eighth grade class, and was nominated “The website “Maclolm X in first family home in the north Lansing Lansing” was created in the Fall of class president. Despite his success, 2015 by a class at Michigan State Westmont Subdivision was burned LIFE DURING THE University’s Residential College in while in Mason Malcolm had the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) in to the ground by local racists. In his DEPRESSION what he described in his The Little’s struggle to remain together as conjunction with MSU’s LEADR Lab autobiography, Malcolm described the and the digital humanities resources autobiography as “the a family was made all but impossible with of the MSU Library. Correspondence night of the fire as his first vivid memory, the onset of the Great Depression. Across can be directed to RCAH’s John first major turning Aerni-Flessner: [email protected].” awakening “into a frightening confusion the country steady jobs were becoming

point of my life.” The Courtesy of Marisa Sundin of pistol shots and shouting and smoke nonexistent and for many families pivotal moment and flames.” putting food on the table was a daily is recounted in struggle. In his autobiography, After the fire, the Little family moved X: A Novel, when Malcolm recalls “times when there to the eastside of Lansing where they Malcolm tells his wasn’t even a nickel and we would be so hungry we were dizzy.” were victims of further harassment favorite teacher his before finally building and settling in a aspirations and is new house in what was then rural south in return told to stop Lansing. Sadly, not long after tragedy dreaming. struck again for the Little family when on the night of September 28, 1931, Earl Little “I suppose I’ve been was found dead on the trolley tracks on thinking I’d like to be a the eastside of Lansing. Earl Little’s death was ruled an accident but inconsistencies lawyer.” (said Malcolm)... Mr with the crime scene led many to believe Ostrowski’s reddish cheeks that he was murdered by the white puffed outward as he smiled. supremacist group the Black Legion. “Now, Malcom,” he said, “you As portrayed in X: A Novel the Little know that’s family fought determinedly, during the not likely to

heart of the Great Depression, to remain Courtesy of Kalamazoo Public Library The Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital where Louise Little was admitted

together as a family. Despite their best Station Hill Press happen.” in 1939. efforts, however, the struggle was too –X: A NOVEL great and in 1939 Malcolm’s mother, Louise Little, was sent to the Kalamazoo Malcolm LIttle (top row, center) pictured State Hospital where she would spend in a class photo in Lansing, MI. GREAT MICHIGAN READ READER’S GUIDE | 15

A FAMILY OF ACTIVISTS

Pay attention, Malcolm. One day you Jamaican will preach and teach like I do.” Cent Note “–X: A Novel Wikimedia Commons; Marcus Garvey © Library of Congress Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association

Riding along in his father’s car to and Many of the Little family followed from meetings across mid-Michigan, Earl and Louise’s footsteps as leaders young Malcolm was exposed to social and activists in their own right. It was advocacy at a very young age. As X: A Malcolm’s siblings that first introduced Novel illustrates, Malcolm X came from him to Islam and the teachings of the Jamaican-born and political and a family of strong leaders and activists. Nation of Islam (NOI). Malcolm’s oldest Marcus Garvey was social freedom for Louise and Earl Little met in Montreal brother, Wilfred, would serve as a NOI an activist and political black citizens globally. and were both active participants in minister in Detroit and his brother, leader who came to Centered in Harlem, that city’s nascent chapter of Marcus Philbert, was a NOI minister in Lansing. prominence in the at its peak the UNIA, United States around through the hard Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Malcolm’s half-sister, Ella Collins, was

1916. Garvey’s Universal Wikimedia Commons work of dedicated Association (UNIA). Their work with also a distinguished civil rights leader Negro Improvement supporters like Earl and the organization led them to Omaha, and played a pivotal role in Malcolm’s Association (UNIA) strove for racial Louise Little, claimed thousands of Nebraska where they were tasked life. As portrayed in X: A Novel, Ella was uplift by creating economic ventures local chapters throughout the world. with building a new UNIA division. In an early role model for Malcolm and Lansing, the Little’s continued their she would continue to play a major role

work for the organization with Earl throughout his life and career. After Photo: NARA/Public Domain UNIA established holding meetings throughout the his death, Ella took over Malcolm’s region. recently founded Organization of Afro- American Unity and would later go on “Mom was always teaching to found the Sarah A. Little School of Preparatory Arts in Boston. 700 us new things, telling us stories that we repeated to branches in 38 states one another until we knew by the early 1920s. NATIONALHUMANITIESCENTER.ORG them by heart.” –X: A NOVEL “Liberate the minds of men and ultimately you will liberate the bodies of men.” MARCUS GARVEY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

HOW? How do the words, “Up, up you mighty race?” impact “His (Malcolm’s) parents were activists. He had that legacy Malcolm’s activist beliefs later in life? within his family, but he was pulled from them by the How do you think Earl Little would have responded to his forces of the world.” son’s beliefs throughout his life? Would he approve or KEKLA MAGOON, DIVERSITY IN YA disapprove of Malcolm’s actions? Why? GREAT MICHIGAN READ READER’S GUIDE | 17 SECRET SOCIETY OF THE BLACK LEGION DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

WHAT? HOW? Early in the story Malcolm says “I am my father’s son. But to Hooey may look like romance and be my father’s son means that they will always come for me” adventure in the moonlight, but it (page 5). What does he mean by this? How does this state- “always looks like hooey when you ment foreshadow the difficulties he faces? bring it out in the daylight.” Detroit Free Press, Epitaph after the death What factors do you think contributed to the Black Legion of Black Legion leader, Dayton Dean, 1960 forming such a strong membership base in the Michigan? Wikimedia Commons

Stemming from the many rapid of the windows out of the family’s home estimated that at their height the group operate with impunity for a number changes occurring in the United States, before leaving. The constant harassment had 20,000-30,000 members across of years. In 1936, when several Black the 1920s saw the once nearly defunct from white supremacist groups is one of the state. Legion members were convicted Ku Klux Klan swell its membership the primary reasons why Earl Little’s death for the murder of Charles Poole, the Unlike the exceedingly ceremonial and numbers into the millions. The epicenter remains so controversial with many people organization began to unravel and the very public Klan, the Black Legion was of activity of the re-emerged Klan at the time believing it was carried out by full extent of the Legion’s activities highly secretive and in turn more extreme shifted from the South to other parts the rapidly growing vigilante network of were displayed to a shocked public. in their use of violence and terror of the country, with a particularly the Black Legion. against African-Americans, immigrants, large presence in the Midwest. The FURTHER READING: and religious minorities in the rapidly contemporary incarnation of the Klan THE BLACK LEGION IN MICHIGAN • Terror in the City of Champions: Murder, In Michigan, as the Great Depression was urbanizing cities of the Midwest. Baseball, and the Secret Society that Shocked espoused policies of racial hatred, setting in, a highly secretive offshoot of Members included law enforcement, Depression-Era Detroit (2016), Tom Stanton xenophobia, and religious prejudice the Klan called the Black Legion began union members, and politicians recruited towards non-Protestants and often recruiting, meeting, and carrying out a through clandestine meetings and often used terror and violence to punctuate reign of terror. Originally established in coercion. Because of the guarded nature their message of white supremacy. Ohio, by the early-1930s the group had a of the organization they were able to Earl and Louise’s work for the UNIA strong foothold in Michigan. Detroit was coincided directly with the rise of a hotbed for the Black Legion and it is the Klan, creating a very real danger THE BLACK LEGION that made their efforts all the more A splinter group of the Ku Klux impressive. Beginning in Omaha, Klan, Black Legionnaires dressed the Little’s were constantly harassed in black hooded robes and by these hate groups. In 1925, while BLACK pirate hats, adorned with skull and crossbones. Their enemy

Earl was away on UNIA work in Wikimedia Commons LEGION list included all immigrants, Nebraska, a large group of Klan Starring blacks, Jews, Catholics, members converged on the Little Humphrey Bogart nontraditional Protestant faiths, home demanding of Louise that Earl labor unions, farm cooperatives Movie Drama 1937 and various fraternal groups. come out of the house. Learning of Wikimedia Commons Detroit Police officers display the outfits of the Black Legion. his absence, the members smashed all In the late-1930s, the activities of the Black Legion became part of popular culture including depictions in book, radio, and “Papa only knew how to stand up, how to film. The most famous portrayal, the Hollywood picture The Black Legion, starred Humphrey Bogart in a fictionalized account never bow down of the murder that exposed the organization. Mom, too. So the white world sliced and diced them.” –X: A Novel GREAT MICHIGAN READ READER’S GUIDE | 19 MALCOLM AFTER X: A NOVEL

I’m not meant to be part of the things that Learn More are wrong with the world, but neither am I meant to run from them. I’m meant to fight “ BOOKS FILM against them. I can’t hold my own in the The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965) by Malcolm X (1992) Directed by ring, but out in the world, I do know how Malcolm X with the assistance of Alex Haley Spike Lee to fight, With Words. With Truth.” Growing Up X: A Memoir by the Daughter of DOCUMENTARIES

–X: A Novel © Library of Congress Malcolm X (2003), Ilyasah Shabazz with Kim Malcolm X: Make it Plain (1994) McLarin Malcom X (1972) By Any Means Necessary (1992), Malcolm X X: A Novel concludes with Malcolm X at After a highly controversial separation -A collection of speeches and writings by WEBSITES Malcolm X Malcolm’s Lansing: www.projects. the beginning of the path that would from the NOI in 1964, Malcolm’s life path leadr.msu.edu/malcolmxinlansing establish him as a globally recognized took yet another turn. Malcolm made Malcolm X’s Michigan Worldview: An Exemplar leader and human rights activist. Malcolm the hajj to Mecca, converted to Sunni for Contemporary Black Studies (2015), edited by Malcolm X: www.malcolmx.com was released from prison in 1952 and Islam, and began travelling extensively Rita Kiki Edozie and Curtis Stokes

soon after became a minister with the throughout the African continent meeting Malcolm X: By Any Nation of Islam (NOI). Malcolm was with with numerous world leaders. Malcolm’s Means Necessary the NOI for over ten years, becoming conversion and travels were reflected in (1993), Walter Dean the organization’s most prominent his work as he broadened his focus to a Myers -A biography of spokesman and prolific recruiter. campaign of human rights and equality Malcom X for younger for all. Sadly his life was taken by assassins readers on February 21, 1965 before he could carry out the next phase of his work. “Malcolm focused on raising the attention of the most

Wikimedia Commons overlooked, downgraded

members of society—using © Library of Congress 1964 Malcolm X waits at Martin Luther King press conference Hajj to Mecca himself as a model for the

The hajj is a mandatory religious potential to turn one’s life pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest around.” city of Islam, that must be carried out at least once in a Muslim’s –X: A NOVEL lifetime for those that are physically and financially able.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

WHAT? MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. AND MALCOLM Malcolm X and Martin What kind of advice do you think older Malcolm would Luther King Jr. meet outside a press give to his younger self? conference in Washington, DC in March of 1964, the only in-person meeting between the In what ways did X: A Novel help to reshape your views on two monumental leaders. Despite contrasting views and tactics, it is thought that the two Malcolm X as a historical figure? leaders were working towards a middle-

ground towards the end of Malcolm’s life. © Library of Congress THE GREAT MICHIGAN READ IS PRESENTED BY THE MICHIGAN HUMANITIES COUNCIL The Michigan Humanities Council connects people and communities by fostering and creating quality cultural programs. It is Michigan’s nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Since 1974, the Michigan Humanities Council has supported communities through family literacy programs, special cultural and historical exhibits, book discussions, author tours, scholarly lectures and mentors, films, cultural celebrations, and school programs and performances that have reached millions of Michiganians.

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