When people think of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, the first and most famous name that comes to mind is MLK. Martin Luther King Jr. peacefully protested and was the prominent leader for African-American rights. However, he wasn't the only man speaking out against the injustice. Malcolm X, formerly Malcolm Little, was a less known but important figure for the Civil Rights Movement. He first-hand experienced racism and segreation against him in his childhood that shaped him and his ideas. As an adult, he advocated for the beliefs of the Nation of Islam, which combined the ideas of Black Nationalism and the Islamic faith. In November of 1963, Malcolm X gave a speech in Detroit, Michigan at the Northern Negro Grass Roots Leadership Conference about the revolution that needed to occur for blacks to succeed in society today. Known as "Message to the Grassroots", this was one of Malcolm X's greatest speeches ever given. The "Message to the Grassroots" speech by Malcolm X was a beautifully crafted lecture shaped by his life struggles, faith in the Nation of Islam, and key historical references and events.   

In order to understand Malcolm X and his radical ideas, you have to look at his life and all that happened in his childhood. He experienced much racism and segregation against him all his life. The family home was burnt down by a racist mob when he was young, and the town fire department refused to help them put out the fire. Two years later, Malcolm's father was very likely murdered by white supremacists after receiving numerous death threats. However, the death was ruled a suicide and no investigation was done. His mom never recovered from this event, and was put into a mental institution. This left Malcolm to be raised by family friends. He quit school at the age of 15 when his teacher told him that being a lawyer was unrealistic, and he should be a carpenter instead (biography.com, "Malcolm X Biography"). He moved to Boston to live with his half-sister, and resorted to drugs and crime to make money since he had not finished high school. In 1946, he was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison. This is where he read to get educated and learn. After being released from prison, he changed his last name to X to honor African ancestors and spread the word about this ideology for black nationalism. Malcolm X and his ideas were very controversial, but he and his ideology can be understood considering his life story and struggles. 

Many people who know Malcolm X understand that he believed the Nation of Islam, but don't know much about the religion itself. Wallace Fard established this religion in 1930 in Detroit, where Malcolm X gave this speech 33 years later. Born in Saudi Arabia, Fard believed that African-Americans belonged to "the Tribe of Shabazz from the Lost Nation of Asia" who had been enslaved in America for more than three centuries. According to noi.org, "His mission was to teach the downtrodden and defenseless black people a thorough knowledge of God and of themselves and to put them on the road to self-independence with a superior culture and higher civilization than they had previously experienced." Essentially, his religion combined the Islamic faith with the idea of Black Nationalism and pride. However, Fard disappeared a few years later, and was never heard from again. The new Nation of Islam leader became Elijah Muhammad in 1934. He advocated for a more radical approach, calling for African-Americans to separate from white society and develop anti-white theology. Malcolm X found out about the Nation of Islam through Elijah himself. He visited Malcolm X in prison, and together they talked about the religion itself and ideas to help it spread (ibtimes.com, "What is the Nation of Islam"). Once out of prison, Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad worked together in temples and established a newspaper called "Muhammad Speaks." A few years later, Malcolm X himself went around the country, giving speeches for the Nation of Islam and developed a following from African-Americans. He even talked about the Nation of Islam and the Quran in his "Message to the Grassroots" speech, saying that nowhere in the Quran does it call for humans to suffer peacefully. Malcolm X also talks about other historical references in his speech, such as phrases.

In the "Message to the Grassroots" speech, one of the historical phrases he used in his speech is the term "Uncle Tom." He mentions it numerous times and calls for them to be stopped. This phrase has its origins from the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852. Originally, the phrase had a good connotation to it. The term started as a symbol for sacrifice and honor, as the character in the book named Tom stayed as a slave in the plantation so that his family could have freedom. It wasn't until 1919 that the phrase was then used in a critical way in a speech by Rev. George Alexander McGuire, saying that the term represents a black man who enjoys being a servant to white people (Spingarn, "When Uncle Tom Became an Insult"). The term today has fully taken on the negative connotation, and is a huge insult to any African-American. Malcolm X used this insulting phrase to try to get the audience to listen to him and start the bloody revolution. He explains why Uncle Toms are bad, saying that they are used and built up by the white man to control the black community. Malcolm X implies that Martin Luther King Jr. and other important black leaders are Uncle Toms used to control the revolution. This is a very bold statement, but captivates the audience and really makes the listeners think. This was not the only historical reference Malcolm X used in his speech. 

Another historical reference he talks about in his speech is Birmingham, Alabama. This city was known to be one of the most racist places in all the United States at the time. The Alabama governor at his inaugural speech in 1963 called for segregation forever. Also, the city of Birmingham was known to have one of the most violent Ku Klux Klan chapters in the entire country. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lead a peaceful march in Birmingham to try and change this, but it was broken up by the police and King received a court order against any form of boycotting. King lead another march a few days later, but he was arrested and put in jail. The most notable act in Birmingham against segregation was the Birmingham Church Bombing in 1963. A church that was known to host civil right protests was blown up on a Sunday morning, killing four young girls and injuring others (history.com, "Birmingham Church Bombing"). This event sparked outrage among the African-American community, inciting protests and riots across the city. It got so bad that the National Guard had to be called in to calm things down. Malcolm X used this location to show the audience that African-Americans are not welcome, and are considered second-class citizens. There is one more historical event that Malcolm X alludes to.

The other main historical event that Malcolm X talks about is the March on Washington in August of 1963. He was actually in attendance for this event, as were 200,000 other people. This is where MLK gave his "I Have a Dream" speech, one of the most famous speeches in all of history. The peaceful protest was designed to shed light on social, political, and economic issues that the African-American community struggled with. Not only did Martin Luther King Jr. speak, but there were performances by other members of the black community such as Bob Dylan, Mahalia Jackson, and John Lewis (history.com, "March on Washington"). The march was meant to represent hope and change in the country, calling for the Civil Rights Act to get passed in Congress. The bill had made some progress in government, but stalled out and wasn't passed. The March on Washington had a significant impact on America, as the MLK "I Have a Dream" speech became an inspirational focal point for everybody in the African-American community. However, Malcolm X was not a fan of this event. He refers back to "Uncle Toms" saying that they were running the protests, not real members of the black community. He accuses civil rights leaders of taking bribes from President John F Kennedy to lead the protests and be the faces of the march. JFK knew that by the big civil rights leaders taking the reigns on the protest instead of the people, the crowd would be subdued and listen to the men in charge. Malcolm X refers to President Kennedy as an "old shrewd fox", saying that he knew how to handle and calm an angry mass of people. Malcolm X talks about this in his speech to have the audience go against MLK and other civil rights leaders, and side with him instead. This historical event is one that everybody knew about and thought was great for the African-American community. By attacking the March on Washington, he makes people realize the flaws of this event and understand that his ideas are best for blacks. Malcolm X tells the audience that the white man cannot be trusted, and it is time for African Americans to start their own new land and country for themselves.      

Overall, Malcolm X and his "Message to the Grassroots" speech is an amazing speech that is not very well known. Many people know about Martin Luther King Jr. and his efforts in the civil rights movement, but not as many people know about Malcolm X. Though his ideas for the back to Africa movement and black nationalism did not really come to fruition, he was still a big part of the civil rights movement. He had the support of hundreds of thousands of African-Americans in the early 1960s. Considering Malcolm X's background, I think he did an amazing job of turning his life around and being a productive member of society. This speech proves his impact on the community, as the audience cheered for him throughout. To me, there is no doubt this is one of the greatest relatively unknown speeches ever. Malcolm X should be applauded for turning his life around from prison to rallying the African-American community together.      

