The Encyclopedia of World Religions

Malcolm X S 275

and his associates promoted integration. Malcolm advocated separation. In his eyes, African Ameri cans could develop a sense of dignity only if they had their own nation and their own businesses. Integration would simply continue to make blacks dependent upon whites. Malcolm expressed this in typical fashion when he reacted to King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Malcolm said that while Dr. King was having a dream, most African Ameri cans were living a nightmare. Malcolm also differed from King on what tactics were acceptable for their followers. King emphasized nonviolence and civil disobedience. In Malcolm’s eyes, that was the wrong approach. It did not invite African Americans to discover their own dignity and self-worth. It simply invited them to suffer more public degradation and humiliation. Malcolm said that African Americans should pur sue their goals “by any means necessary”—a state ment that disturbed many white Americans. Malcolm eventually became leader of the sec ond most important temple in the Nation of Islam, Temple No. 7 in Harlem. But in 1963 he compared the assassination of President Kennedy to “chick ens com[ing] home to roost.” This incensed the leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammad, and Malcolm left. In 1964 he made PILGRIMAGE to M ECCA . There he encountered traditional I SLAM . He experienced firsthand its teaching that all people, regardless of color, are brothers and sisters. It was his second eye-opening experience. When Malcolm had become a Black Muslim, he had adopted the name Malcolm X. After visit ing Mecca he changed his name again, to El-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz. He renounced the teaching that white people are devils and adopted S UNNI I SLAM . He also began to talk about human rights rather than civil rights. But Malcolm did not have the chance to develop these ideas. He was killed in a ballroom in Harlem in 1965. Official reports attri bute his death to gunmen operating under orders from the Nation of Islam. In the 1990s there was a “Malcolm revival” among African Americans. His message of pride, self-sufficiency, and personal responsibility seemed to many to be just what the community needed.

Chinese began to portray Maitreya as a laughing holy man with a big belly. In this form he remains popular today. Throughout the centuries Maitreya has inspired much Buddhist MILLENARIANISM in various parts of Asia, that is, enthusiastic movements built on the belief that Maitreya was about to appear. Some rul ers claimed to be Maitreya. Sometimes believers, inspired by the teachings about Maitreya, banded together to overthrow the government. Many today still look for Maitreya to come. Malcolm X (1925–1965) The best-known preacher of the Nation of Islam, popularly known as the Black Muslims He advocated black nationalism and black pride. Suffering, disruption, and criminal behavior characterized Malcolm’s childhood and young adulthood. He was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska. His father, Earl Little, was a Baptist min ister and follower of Marcus Garvey, who preached black separatism. The Little family lived under threats from white racist groups. When Malcolm was six, his father died—allegedly murdered by whites. Malcolm’s mother found the strain of raising the family alone too much to bear. She was hos pitalized. Malcolm lived for a while with a fos ter family in Michigan. Then he dropped out of school and moved to Boston to live with his sister. In Boston and later New York he ran drugs and engaged in burglary. Eventually he was caught and imprisoned. It was in prison (1946–52) that Malcolm discovered the Nation of Islam ( see I SLAM , N ATION OF ). It changed his life. The Nation’s teaching that “the white man is the devil” made intuitive sense to Malcolm. Even more important, in the Nation of Islam Malcolm found pride and self-respect as a per son of African descent. On release from prison, Mal colm proved to be especially good at public speak ing and in using radio and television. He became the most effective Black Muslim spokesperson. Malcolm’s goal was quite different from that envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther K ING Jr. King