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Are our civil rights guaranteed or do we still have to fight for them?

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Are our civil rights guaranteed or do we still have to fight for them?

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GIVE YOUR OPINION

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Terza prova training

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Skip through the biography of this man and find out elements in common with other civil rights leaders (use the command "apri in una nuova finestra")

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Who Was Malcolm X?

Malcolm X was a minister, human rights activist and prominent Black nationalist leader who served as a spokesman for the Nation of Islam during the 1950s and 1960s. Due largely to his efforts, the Nation of Islam grew from a mere 400 members at the time he was released from prison in 1952 to 40,000 members by 1960.

A naturally gifted orator, Malcolm X exhorted Black people to cast off the shackles of racism "by any means necessary," including violence. The fiery civil rights leader broke with the Nation of Islam shortly before his assassination in 1965 at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan, where he had been preparing to deliver a speech.

Early Life and Family

Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the fourth of eight children born to Louise, a homemaker, and Earl Little, a preacher who was also an active member of the local chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and avid supporter of Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey.

Due to Earl Little's civil rights activism, the family was subjected to frequent harassment from white supremacist groups including the Ku Klux Klan and one of its splinter factions, the Black Legion. In fact, Malcolm Little had his first encounter with racism before he was even born.

"When my mother was pregnant with me, she told me later, 'a party of hooded Ku Klux Klan riders galloped up to our home,'" Malcolm later remembered. "Brandishing their shotguns and rifles, they shouted for my father to come out."

The harassment continued when Malcolm was four years old, and local Klan members smashed all of the family's windows. To protect his family, Earl Little moved them from Omaha to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1926 and then to Lansing, Michigan, in 1928.

However, the racism the family encountered in Lansing proved even greater than in Omaha. Shortly after the Littles moved in, a racist mob set their house on fire in 1929, and the town's all-white emergency responders refused to do anything.

"The white police and firemen came and stood around watching as the house burned to the ground," Malcolm X later remembered. Earl Little moved the family to East Lansing where he built a new home.

Two years later, in 1931, Earl Little's dead body was discovered lying across the municipal streetcar tracks. Although Malcolm X's family believed his father was murdered by white supremacists from whom he had received frequent death threats, the police officially ruled Earl Little's death a streetcar accident, thereby voiding the large life insurance policy he had purchased in order to provide for his family in the event of his death.

Malcolm X's mother never recovered from the shock and grief over her husband's death. In 1937, she was committed to a mental institution where she remained for the next 26 years. Malcolm and his siblings were separated and placed in foster homes.

Education

In 1938, Malcolm was kicked out of school and sent to a juvenile detention home in Mason, Michigan. The white couple who ran the home treated him well, but he wrote in his autobiography that he was treated more like a "pink poodle" or a "pet canary" than a human being.

He attended Mason High School where he was one of only a few Black students. He excelled academically and was well-liked by his classmates, who elected him class president.

A turning point in Malcolm Little's childhood came in 1939 when his English teacher asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up and he answered that he wanted to be a lawyer. His teacher responded, "One of life's first needs is for us to be realistic ... you need to think of something you can be ... why don't you plan on carpentry?"

Having thus been told in no uncertain terms that there was no point in a Black child pursuing education, Malcolm X dropped out of school the following year, at the age of 15.

After quitting school, Malcolm X moved to Boston to live with his older half-sister, Ella, about whom he later recalled, "She was the first really proud Black woman I had ever seen in my life. She was plainly proud of her very dark skin. This was unheard of among Negroes in those days."

Ella landed Malcolm a job shining shoes at the Roseland Ballroom. However, out on his own on the streets of Boston, Malcolm X became acquainted with the city's criminal underground and soon turning to selling drugs.

He got another job as kitchen help on the Yankee Clipper train between New York and Boston and fell further into a life of drugs and crime. Sporting flamboyant pinstriped zoot suits, he frequented nightclubs and dance halls and turned more fully to crime to finance his lavish lifestyle.

Time in Jail

In 1946, Malcolm X was arrested on charges of larceny and sentenced to 10 years in jail. To pass the time during his incarceration, he read constantly, devouring books from the prison library in an attempt make up for the years of education he had missed by dropping out of high school.

Also while in prison, Malcolm was visited by several siblings who had joined the Nation of Islam, a small sect of Black Muslims who embraced the ideology of Black nationalism - the idea that in order to secure freedom, justice and equality, Black Americans needed to establish their own state entirely separate from white Americans.

He changed his name to Malcolm X and converted to the Nation of Islam before his release from prison in 1952.

Nation of Islam

Now a free man, Malcolm X traveled to Detroit, Michigan, where he worked with the leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammad, to expand the movement's following among Black Americans nationwide.

Malcolm X became the minister of Temple No. 7 in Harlem and Temple No. 11 in Boston, while also founding new temples in Hartford and Philadelphia. In 1960, he established a national newspaper, Muhammad Speaks, in order to further promote the message of the Nation of Islam.

Articulate, passionate and an inspirational orator, Malcolm X exhorted Black people to cast off the shackles of racism "by any means necessary," including violence. "You don't have a peaceful revolution. You don't have a turn-the-cheek revolution," he said. "There's no such thing as a nonviolent revolution."

His militant proposals - a violent revolution to establish an independent Black nation - won Malcolm X large numbers of followers as well as many fierce critics. Due primarily to the efforts of Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam grew from a mere 400 members at the time he was released from prison in 1952, to 40,000 members by 1960.

DOWNLOAD BIOGRAPHY'S MALCOLM X FACT CARD

Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

By the early 1960s, Malcolm X had emerged as a leading voice of a radicalized wing of the civil rights movement, presenting a dramatic alternative to Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of a racially-integrated society achieved by peaceful means.

Dr. King was highly critical of what he viewed as Malcolm X's destructive demagoguery. "I feel that Malcolm has done himself and our people a great disservice," King once said.

Becoming a Mainstream Sunni Muslim

A rupture with Elijah Muhammad proved much more traumatic. In 1963, Malcolm X became deeply disillusioned when he learned that his hero and mentor had violated many of his own teachings, most flagrantly by carrying on many extramarital affairs; Muhammad had, in fact, fathered several children out of wedlock.

Malcolm's feelings of betrayal, combined with Muhammad's anger over Malcolm's insensitive comments regarding the assassination of John F. Kennedy, led Malcolm X to leave the Nation of Islam in 1964.

That same year, Malcolm X embarked on an extended trip through North Africa and the Middle East. The journey proved to be both a political and spiritual turning point in his life. He learned to place the American civil rights movement within the context of a global anti-colonial struggle, embracing socialism and pan-Africanism.

Malcolm X also made the Hajj, the traditional Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during which he converted to traditional Islam and again changed his name, this time to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.

After his epiphany at Mecca, Malcolm X returned to the United States less angry and more optimistic about the prospects for a peaceful resolution to America's race problems. "The true brotherhood I had seen had influenced me to recognize that anger can blind human vision," he said. "America is the first country ... that can actually have a bloodless revolution."

Assassination

Just as Malcolm X appeared to be embarking on an ideological transformation with the potential to dramatically alter the course of the civil rights movement, he was assassinated.

On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X took the stage for a speech at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan. He had just begun addressing the room when multiple men rushed the stage and began firing guns.

Struck numerous times at close range, Malcolm X was declared dead after arriving at a nearby hospital. Three members of the Nation of Islam were tried and sentenced to life in prison for murdering the activist.
READ MORE: The Assassination of Malcolm X

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

In the early 1960s, Malcolm X began working with acclaimed author Alex Haley on an autobiography. The book details Malcolm X's life experiences and his evolving views on racial pride, Black nationalism and pan-Africanism.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X was published in 1965 after his assassination to near-universal praise. The New York Times called it a "brilliant, painful, important book," and Time magazine listed it as one of the 10 most influential nonfiction books of the 20th century.

Movies

Malcolm X has been the subject of numerous movies, stage plays and other works, and has been portrayed by actors like James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman and Mario Van Peebles.

In 1992, Spike Lee directed Denzel Washington in the title role of his movie Malcolm X. Both the film and Washington's portrayal of Malcolm X received wide acclaim and were nominated for several awards, including two Academy Awards.

Wife and Children

Malcolm X married Betty Shabazz in 1958. The couple had six daughters.

Legacy

In the immediate aftermath of Malcolm X's death, commentators largely ignored his recent spiritual and political transformation and criticized him as a violent rabble-rouser.

But especially after the publication of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, he will be remembered for underscoring the value of a truly free populace by demonstrating the great lengths to which human beings will go to secure their freedom.

"Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression," he said. "Because power, real power, comes from our conviction which produces action, uncompromising action."

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Malcolm X was a minister, human rights activist and prominent Black nationalist leader who served as a spokesman for the Nation of Islam during the 1950s and 1960s. Due largely to his efforts, the Nation of Islam grew from a mere 400 members at the time he was released from prison in 1952 to 40,000 members by 1960.

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Why was this man a source of inspiration to many people?

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Why was this man a source of inspiration to many people?

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New Dental Topics, p. 176

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And in Britain what did Emmeline Pankhurst fight for?

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And in Britain what did Emmeline Pankhurst fight for?

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Go to the "terza prova" and train with it!

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What was the situation like in South Africa? 

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What was the situation like in South Africa? 

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New Dental Topics p. 177

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Who was Rosa Parks?
What were the racial segregation laws?
What happened during the Montgomery bus boycott?
(ThinkEnglish, p. 132)

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Can you write a short biography of M.L.King?
(ThinkEnglish, p. 133)

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Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have A Dream Speech

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What happened in the U.S.A. in the last century?

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What happened in the U.S.A. in the last century?

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Part I: Rights and Duties of Citizens
Title I: Civil Rights Art. 13  Personal liberty is inviolable.

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Italy's action for the protection of human rights in the world includes in particular: the campaign for a universal moratorium on the death penalty; the promotion of women's and girls' rights, the campaigns against female genital mutilation and child early and forced marriages; the protection and promotion of the rights of the children; the protection of freedom of religion and belief and of the rights of members of religious minorities. At the same time, Italy supports a set of further initiatives in the field of the protection and promotion of human rights in line with the obligations assumed at the international level in terms of support of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. These initiatives include the fight against racism, xenophobia and all forms of intolerance, anti-Semitism, discriminations, including those based on sexual orientation and gender identity, the promotion of the rights of persons with disability, education on human rights, the promotion of democracy and the rule of law, the promotion of freedom of opinion and expression, the issues related to migration.
Death Penalty
Italy attaches the highest priority to the international campaign for a moratorium on executions. Since the 90s, thanks to the joint commitment of the institutions and the civil society, Italy has promoted several initiatives in favor of a universal moratorium on the death penalty. These initiatives led in December 2007 to the historic adoption by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) of the first resolution on a moratorium on executions approved with 104 votes in favor, 54 against and 29 abstentions. The Italian commitment was renewed the following year when, along with a cross-regional alliance formed by countries of all the areas of the world, Italy promoted a second resolution on the moratorium. It was approved by the General Assembly with a greater number of votes in favor and a smaller number of votes against. Since then, the following UNGA resolutions on the universal moratorium on the death penalty have been approved every two years with an increasing number of votes in favor.

In July 2014 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) established a Task Force with representatives from civil society organizations, in order to coordinate Italy's action and make it more effective in raising awareness of third countries to gain their support on the UN resolution on a universal moratorium, which is firstly discussed in the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs) and then in the General Assembly plenary session in New York.
Rights of women
Political, civil, social and economic development of each country can not take place without the full participation and the full involvement of women on an equal basis in the decision-making process, in the Government decisions, in the training and educational processes. Despite the important progress made in recent decades, women and girls continue to be, in many areas of the world, victims of physical and psychological violence, exploitation and execrable traffics.

Italy is strongly committed both bilaterally and multilaterally to the promotion of gender equality and of women's empowerment. Italy is part of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), actively participates in the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and supports the numerous initiatives promoted each year on this issue within the UN. Italy has played an active role to allow the entry into force (August 2014) of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) and continues to encourage the widest participation to this Convention.

In the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which monitors the human rights situation in each State of the UN every four years in Geneva, Italy often addresses specific recommendations to third countries regarding women's rights and the fight against violence on women.

Italy is actively engaged in the international campaigns for the eradication of female genital mutilation (FGM) and early and forced marriages, not only at diplomatic and negotiation level but also through its development cooperation. Italy also promotes and actively participates in the negotiations on the UNGA and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolutions on these issues.

Italy supports international initiatives for the prevention of sexual violence in conflict and emergency situations, and above all the "Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative" and the "Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies".

Italy is also active on the topic "Women, Peace and Security" concerning the contribution of women in conflict resolution and in the promotion of durable peace, in line with the Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) and the following resolutions. In this regard, within the EU, Italy supports the initiatives undertaken for the implementation of those resolutions. Within NATO too, Italy has strongly supported the implementation of Resolution 1325, by promoting it with Partner Countries, and by providing full support to the activities of the Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security. Italy attaches great importance to ensure the full and active participation of women in conflict prevention, management and resolution and in post-conflict cooperation efforts.

At the national level, the third edition of the National Action Plan on "Women, Peace and Security" for the years 2016-2019 is being finalized.
Rights of the child
Children are one of the groups most exposed to human rights violations, especially in conflict and post-conflict contexts and in situations of underdevelopment, extreme poverty and social tension.

Among the several multilateral initiatives for the protection and promotion of children rights, the UNGA Resolution on the Rights of the Child, which is presented every year by the European Union together with the countries of the Latin American Group, plays a major role.

Italy supports the initiatives aimed at protecting the rights of children in armed conflicts, implementing the principles established by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and by the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (2000). In line with this commitment, for instance, Italy promoted the adoption of the "EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflicts" and, at the UN level, supported the inclusion of specific provisions on children protection within the mandates of UN peacekeeping operations.

The international agenda for the protection of the rights of children in armed conflict nowadays includes also the initiatives aimed at strengthening the protection of schools and hospitals in areas of conflict, in order to guarantee continuous education and effective care to the victims of conflicts.
Freedom of religion or belief
Given the several challenges affecting the peaceful coexistence of different religious groups in many part of the world, Italy is working with determination in order to enhance the international action for the protection of the freedom of belief and the rights of members of religious minorities.

Italy, together with the other EU member States, promotes every year the UNGA resolutions on freedom of religion or belief and on the elimination of all forms of intolerance and of discrimination based on religion. At the European level, the "EU Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief", adopted in 2013, enhance the EU action towards third States in the field of freedom of religion or belief. Italy promoted the insertion into the EU Guidelines of the relevance of the collective exercise of the freedom of religion, in order to protect the minority religious communities.

Italy strongly promotes a renewed action of the international community in defense of the cultural and religious heritage, which represents a key factor in order to ensure the respect for the freedom of religion and to protect the historical and cultural identity of a society. Italy fully supports the action undertaken by UNESCO to protect cultural heritage in areas of crisis through the creation of a mechanism of intervention, proposed by Italy. In the context of the coalition "United4Heritage", Italy and UNESCO signed also a Memorandum of Understanding which makes the Italian Task Force, with the participation of the Carabinieri for the protection of Cultural Heritage (TPC), available to UNESCO.
Human rights education
Italy supports the multilateral initiatives aimed at strengthening the promotion of human rights education. Human rights education represents a fundamental element in order to make everybody aware of its rights and of the tools which can be used to protect them. Human rights education contributes to promoting the respect for human dignity, fosters the development of a culture of dialogue and mutual understanding, contributes to strengthen the effective protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the public institutions and civil society. Education (which takes place in formal and informal educational institutions) and training (addressed to those who have responsibility for the protection and promotion of human rights in their jobs) concern all stages of life.

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Italy's action for the protection of human rights in the world includes in particular: the campaign for a universal moratorium on the death penalty; the promotion of women's and girls' rights, the campaigns against female genital mutilation and child early and forced marriages; the protection and promotion of the rights of the children; the protection of freedom of religion and belief and of the rights of members of religious minorities.