Malcolm considered his birth surname a label given by white enslavers, using the letter to symbolize the true family name stolen from his ancestors.

He famously urged African Americans to protect themselves "by any means necessary," directly contrasting Martin Luther King Jr.'s nonviolent approach.

The Nation of Islam taught that white society was inherently corrupt, leading Malcolm to argue that Black people should build their own independent nation.

Seeing Muslims of all colors worshipping together in Saudi Arabia convinced him that peaceful racial integration and brotherhood were actually possible.