Autobiography of Malcolm X Questions

Here is a set of 40 questions based on The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley, covering chapters 1-19. Each question is immediately followed by its answer.

Chapter 1: Nightmare

1. What organization targeted Malcolm's family in Omaha, Nebraska?

   • The Ku Klux Klan and later the Black Legion.

2. What happened to Earl Little, Malcolm's father?

   • He was allegedly killed by white supremacists who staged his death as a streetcar accident.

Chapter 2: Mascot

3. Why did Malcolm’s teacher discourage him from becoming a lawyer?

   • The teacher said it was "not a realistic goal for a Negro."

4. Who did Malcolm move in with after leaving Mason, Michigan?

   • His half-sister, Ella, in Boston.

Chapter 3: Homeboy

5. What job did Malcolm take up in Boston to immerse himself in the nightlife?

   • He shined shoes at a dance hall.

6. What nickname did Malcolm earn during his time in Boston?

   • "Detroit Red" for his reddish hair.

Chapter 4: Laura

7. Why did Malcolm stop dating Laura?

   • He left her for Sophia, a white woman.

8. What does Malcolm realize about his relationship with Sophia?

   • He viewed it as a form of rebellion against racial norms.

Chapter 5: Harlemite

9. Why did Malcolm move to Harlem?

   • He wanted to escape Boston and immerse himself in the bustling Black culture of Harlem.

10. Who was Sammy the Pimp?

• A hustler who introduced Malcolm to the criminal world of Harlem.

Chapter 6: Detroit Red

11. What criminal activities did Malcolm engage in during his time as a hustler?

• Drug dealing, burglary, gambling, and running numbers.

12. Why did Malcolm have a falling out with West Indian Archie?

• They argued over a supposed unpaid gambling debt.

Chapter 7: Hustler

13. What led to Malcolm’s arrest?

• He was caught during a burglary spree with his gang.

14. How did Malcolm's relationships with white women affect his sentencing?

• His association with Sophia resulted in a harsher sentence due to racial prejudice.

Chapter 8: Satan

15. Why was Malcolm nicknamed "Satan" in prison?

• He was hostile toward religion and had a disruptive attitude.

16. Who inspired Malcolm to start reading in prison?

• Bimbi, an older inmate who was highly articulate and respected.

Chapter 9: Saved

17. What religious organization did Malcolm join while in prison?

• The Nation of Islam.

18. What symbolic change did Malcolm make to his name?

• He replaced "Little" with "X" to reject his slave ancestry.

Chapter 10: Satan's Kingdom

19. What was Malcolm’s focus after being released from prison?

• Spreading the teachings of the Nation of Islam.

20. How did Malcolm first connect with Elijah Muhammad?

• Through letters he wrote to him while in prison.

Chapter 11: Savior

21. What role did Malcolm take on within the Nation of Islam?

• He became a minister and an influential recruiter.

22. How did Malcolm’s public speaking abilities help the Nation of Islam?

• They significantly increased the organization’s membership and visibility.

Chapter 12: Minister Malcolm X

23. What was Malcolm’s relationship with Elijah Muhammad like at this stage?

• He admired and was deeply loyal to Elijah Muhammad.

24. What cities did Malcolm help establish Nation of Islam temples in?

• Cities like Detroit, Boston, and New York.

Chapter 13: Hypocrisy

25. What did Malcolm discover about Elijah Muhammad that troubled him?

• Allegations of Elijah Muhammad’s infidelities with young women in the organization.

26. How did Malcolm begin to question the Nation of Islam’s ideology?

• He started to see inconsistencies in its teachings and leadership.

Chapter 14: Mecca

27. What was the significance of Malcolm’s pilgrimage to Mecca?

• It exposed him to true Islam and the possibility of racial unity.

28. What new name did Malcolm adopt after his pilgrimage?

• El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.

Chapter 15: El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz

29. What major shift occurred in Malcolm’s ideology after his pilgrimage?

• He embraced racial equality and rejected the Nation of Islam’s separatist teachings.

30. What organization did Malcolm found upon returning to the U.S.?

• The Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU).

Chapter 16: Conflict

31. Why did the Nation of Islam target Malcolm after his departure?

• They saw him as a threat to their organization and ideology.

32. What government agency was monitoring Malcolm during this time?

• The FBI.

Chapter 17: Legacy

33. What was Malcolm’s primary message after leaving the Nation of Islam?

• He advocated for human rights and global unity against oppression.

34. How did Malcolm’s global travels influence his activism?

• They broadened his perspective on race and oppression beyond the U.S.

Chapter 18: Assassination

35. What event foreshadowed Malcolm’s assassination?

• Numerous death threats and attempts on his life, including the firebombing of his home.

36. Who assassinated Malcolm X?

• He was shot by gunmen affiliated with the Nation of Islam.

Chapter 19: Impact

37. What legacy did Malcolm X leave behind?

• He became a symbol of Black pride, self-determination, and global human rights activism.

38. How did Malcolm’s autobiography come to be written?

• Alex Haley collaborated with him to document his life story.

General Questions

39. What does the "X" in Malcolm X symbolize?

• It symbolizes the unknown African name of his ancestors, lost due to slavery.

40. How does Malcolm X's life reflect his ability to transform and adapt?

• He evolved from a troubled youth to a hustler, then to a Nation of Islam leader, and finally to an advocate for global human rights.

Let me know if you'd like to expand on any of these questions or focus on specific chapters!