Part of the Black Americans of Achievement, Vol. 1, this documentary looks at the life and work of Black Muslim minister Malcolm X. As a child, he saw his home burned down by the Ku Klux Klan. After his father was murdered and his mother was institutionalized, Malcolm lived a displaced life, ending up in prison for burglary. While in jail, he discovered the Black Muslim faith (also called the Nation of Islam) that empowered blacks to unite and overcome oppression from whites. He soon became a fervent follower of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad. He quickly climbed the ladder of power within the Nation of Islam, eventually leading his own mosque in Harlem. As Malcolm X's power and notoriety began superceding that of Muhammad, tension between the two leaders grew, until Malcolm X was suspended from the Black Muslim movement. In February 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated in New York City. This program is supplemented by archival footage, photographs, and period music.
by Cecilia Cygnar
synopsis
