Malcolm X - née Malcolm Little May 19, 1925 (Omaha, Nebraska - February 21, 1965, New York) is an African American Islamic spiritual leader and activist for the rights of blacks. Among supporters of X, he is known as a defender of the rights of the black population of the United States, a harsh critic of Americans of European descent, who, in his opinion, are guilty of crimes against African Americans. X's opponents accused him of apologizing for racism and violence. X has been named one of the most influential African Americans in history.

At the age of six, X lost his father, who was rumored to have been killed by white racists. Seven years later, Malcolm's mother was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, after which the boy ended up in a foster family. At twenty, he was convicted of theft, burglary and entry. While in prison, he joined the religious and nationalist African American organization The Nation of Islam, and after his release in 1952, X quickly became one of its leaders. For twelve years he was the face of this group, the attitude towards which was rather controversial. In keeping with the organization's doctrine, X promoted a black supremacy view, called for a separation of European and African Americans, and scoffed at the integration aspirations of black civil rights activists.

In March 1964, X became disillusioned with the activities of the Nation of Islam and its head Elijah Muhammad and as a result renounced the organization and its teachings. He soon turned to Sunni Islam and traveled to Africa and the Middle East. Returning to the States, X set about forming the Organization of African American Unity and the Islamic Mosque Corporation. Still sharing pan-African views and supporting black rights to self-determination and self-defense, X abandoned his racist views, saying, “I did a lot as a [black] Muslim and now I'm sorry. Then I was a zombie ... I was shown some direction and ordered to march. " In February 1965, X was killed by a member of the Nation of Islam.