Malcolm X at 100: Our shining prince

As he developed his philosophy he moved from racial nationalism to humanism that embraced the struggle of all oppressed people

- Vashna Jagarnath

On 19 May 2025, we mark 100 years since the birth of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, known to the world as Malcolm X.

Born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, the boy who would become Malcolm X lived many lives, each transformation marked by a different name. He was Detroit Red on the streets of Harlem, Malcolm X in the Nation of Islam and, finally, Malik El-Shabazz as he evolved into a revolutionary pan-Africanist.

These were not disguises. They were declarations. There was not a trace of deception in Malcolm X's life. His openness about his past, his flaws and his transformation was the source of his ethical power.

Malcolm X's political philosophy did not arrive fully formed. It emerged through personal trauma, intellectual inquiry, spiritual trans-formation and, ultimately, true internationalism. His life was a testament to the possibility of radical change and the capacity of one human being to confront and outgrow deeply held dogma in pursuit of a larger, more principled truth. He moved from a narrow racial nationalism to a radical humanism that embraced the global struggles of oppressed peoples. His political thought is not a static doctrine but a process of transformation, a restlessness of mind and spirit that never ceased to interrogate the world and his place within it.

Malcolm's world was shaped by terror. His father, Earl Little, a follower of Marcus Garvey, was murdered by the white supremacist Black Legion. The family home had already been burned down. His mother, Louise Little, a Grenadian immigrant, was committed to a mental institution under the weight of grief and racist abuse. Her children were taken away and placed in foster care. Malcolm's story, like so many Black stories, begins in a system designed to break families and erase dignity.