Malcolm X

1. A man widely regarded as one of the most revolutionary and politically powerful black nationalist leaders of the 1960s. His powerful, if sometimes racist and misdirected, thoughts and speeches continue to shape the direction of Afro-American thought. Here's a trite bio from the Net for those interested: "Born Malcolm Little, his father (a minister) was killed by the Ku Klux Klan. He begins his adult career a hustler, pimp and gangster, and later while in jail discovered the Nation of Islam writings of Elijah Muhammad. He preaches the teachings with a distinct anti-white slant when let out of jail to wide acclaim, but later on goes on a pilgrimage to the city of Mecca, there he converts to the original Islamic religion and becomes a Sunni Muslim. He changes his name to El-Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz and stops his anti-white teachings. He dies via assasination."