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63-671: One of the notable inmates of MCI-Norfolk was Malcolm X , who was also a member of the Norfolk Debating Society while incarcerated. MCI-Norfolk was founded in 1927 as the Norfolk Prison Colony , a "model prison community" conceived by sociologist and penologist Howard Belding Gill ( Harvard 1913, M.B.A. 1914), who was appointed its first superintendent in 1931. Gill was dismissed in 1934 after an escape by four inmates, and replaced by his deputy Maurice N. Winslow, who served as superintendent from 1934 to 1950. The name of

126-510: A nervous breakdown and was committed to Kalamazoo State Hospital . The children were separated and sent to foster homes . Malcolm and his siblings secured her release 24 years later. Malcolm attended West Junior High School in Lansing and then Mason High School in Mason, Michigan , but left high school in 1941, before graduating. He excelled in junior high school but dropped out of high school after

189-574: A Nation of Islam member, was beaten by two New York City police officers . On April   26, Johnson and two other passersby‍—‌also Nation of Islam members‍—‌saw the officers beating an African American man with nightsticks. When they attempted to intervene, shouting, "You're not in Alabama   ... this is New York!" one of the officers turned on Johnson, beating him so severely that he suffered brain contusions and subdural hemorrhaging. All four African American men were arrested. Alerted by

252-531: A White teacher told him that practicing law, his aspiration at the time, was "no realistic goal for a nigger." Later, Malcolm   X recalled feeling that the White world offered no place for a career-oriented Black man, regardless of talent. From age 14 to 21, Malcolm held a variety of jobs while living with his half-sister Ella Little-Collins in Roxbury , a largely African American neighborhood of Boston . After

315-423: A child. As an adult, he expressed conflicting beliefs on the question. After a dispute with creditors, Louise received a life insurance benefit (nominally $ 1,000 ‍—‌about $ 20,000 in 2023) in payments of $ 18 per month; the issuer of another, larger policy refused to pay, claiming her husband Earl had committed suicide. To make ends meet, Louise rented out part of her garden, and her sons hunted game. During

378-527: A demonstration "run by Whites in front of a statue of a president who has been dead for a hundred years and who didn't like us when he was alive." While the civil rights movement fought against racial segregation , Malcolm   X advocated the complete separation of African Americans from Whites. He proposed that African Americans should return to Africa and that, in the interim, a separate country for Black people in America should be created. He rejected

441-486: A dinner party; soon she was regularly attending his lectures. In 1956, she joined the Nation of Islam, changing her name to Betty   X. One-on-one dates were contrary to the Nation's teachings, so the couple courted at social events with dozens or hundreds of others, and Malcolm   X made a point of inviting her on the frequent group visits he led to New York City's museums and libraries. Malcolm   X proposed during

504-672: A fellow dishwasher at Jimmy's Chicken Shack in Harlem who aspired to be a professional comedian. Both men had reddish hair, so Sanford was called "Chicago Red" after his hometown, and Malcolm was known as "Detroit Red". Years later, Sanford became famous as comedian and actor Redd Foxx . Summoned by the local draft board for military service in World War II in late 1943, he feigned mental disturbance by rambling and declaring: "I want to be sent down South. Organize them nigger soldiers   ... steal us some guns, and kill us [some] crackers ". He

567-523: A member of the Nation of Islam, maintaining a regular correspondence with Muhammad. In 1950, the FBI opened a file on Malcolm after he wrote a letter from prison to President Harry S. Truman expressing opposition to the Korean War and declaring himself a communist. That year, he also began signing his name "Malcolm   X." Muhammad instructed his followers to leave their family names behind when they joined

630-504: A mentor and confidant to Elijah Muhammad's son, Wallace D. Muhammad ; the son told Malcolm X about his skepticism toward his father's "unorthodox approach" to Islam. Wallace Muhammad was excommunicated from the Nation of Islam several times, although he was eventually re-admitted. During 1962 and 1963, events caused Malcolm   X to reassess his relationship with the Nation of Islam, and particularly its leader, Elijah Muhammad. In late 1961, there were violent confrontations between

693-489: A physical separation of black people. In some form, black nationalists do believe in separation, but not physical separation. Black nationalists focus more on Black pride , justice, and identity. Their belief is that black people should be proud of their own skin, heritage, and beauty. They also believe that there should be justice for black people, especially in the United States. The term "Black separatism" has been used by

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756-453: A racist and as a hate teacher, or as being anti-White or as teaching Black Supremacy". One of the goals of the civil rights movement was to end disenfranchisement of African Americans, but the Nation of Islam forbade its members from participating in voting and other aspects of the political process. The NAACP and other civil rights organizations denounced him and the Nation of Islam as irresponsible extremists whose views did not represent

819-850: A self-educated man he would later describe as "the first man I had ever seen command total respect   ... with words". Under Bembry's influence, Malcolm developed a voracious appetite for reading. At this time, several of his siblings wrote to him about the Nation of Islam , a relatively new religious movement preaching Black self-reliance and, ultimately, the return of the African diaspora to Africa, where they would be free from White American and European domination. He showed scant interest at first, but after his brother Reginald wrote in 1948, "Malcolm, don't eat any more pork and don't smoke any more cigarettes. I'll show you how to get out of prison", he almost instantly quit smoking and began to refuse pork. Following

882-599: A serious violation of Nation teachings. After first discounting the rumors, Malcolm   X came to believe them after he spoke with Muhammad's son Wallace and with the girls making the accusations. Muhammad confirmed the rumors in 1963, attempting to justify his behavior by referring to precedents set by Biblical prophets. Over a series of national TV interviews between 1964 and 1965, Malcolm   X provided testimony of his investigation, corroboration, and confirmation by Elijah Muhammed himself of multiple counts of child rape. During this investigation, he learned that seven of

945-543: A short time in Flint , Michigan, he moved to New York City's Harlem neighborhood in 1943, where he found employment on the New Haven Railroad and engaged in drug dealing, gambling, racketeering , robbery, and pimping . According to biographer Bruce Perry, Malcolm also occasionally had sex with other men, usually for money , though this conjecture has been disputed by those who knew him. He befriended John Elroy Sanford,

1008-683: A telephone call from Detroit in January 1958, and they married two days later. They had six daughters: Attallah (b. 1958; Arabic for "gift of God"; perhaps named after Attila the Hun ); Qubilah (b. 1960, named after Kublai Khan ); Ilyasah (b. 1962, named after Elijah Muhammad); Gamilah Lumumba (b. 1964, named after Gamal Abdel Nasser and Patrice Lumumba ); and twins Malikah (1965–2021) and Malaak (b. 1965, both born after their father's death, and named in his honor). The American public first became aware of Malcolm   X in 1957, after Hinton Johnson,

1071-407: A visit during which Reginald detailed the group's teachings, including the notion that White people are considered devils, Malcolm initially struggled to accept this belief. Over time, however, Malcolm reflected on his past relationships with White individuals and concluded that they had all been marked by dishonesty, injustice, greed, and hatred. Malcolm, whose hostility to Christianity had earned him

1134-417: A witness, Malcolm   X and a small group of Muslims went to the police station and demanded to see Johnson. Police initially denied that any Muslims were being held, but when the crowd grew to about five hundred, they allowed Malcolm   X to speak with Johnson. Afterward, Malcolm   X insisted on arranging for an ambulance to take Johnson to Harlem Hospital. Johnson's injuries were treated and by

1197-480: Is also a widely celebrated figure within African American and Muslim communities for his pursuit of racial justice. Malcolm spent his adolescence living in a series of foster homes or with relatives after his father's death and his mother's hospitalization. He committed various crimes, being sentenced to 8 to 10 years in prison in 1946 for larceny and burglary. In prison, he joined the Nation of Islam, adopting

1260-578: The Malcolm ;X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center . A posthumous autobiography , on which he collaborated with Alex Haley , was published in 1965. Malcolm Little was born May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska , the fourth of seven children of Grenada -born Louise Helen Little (née Langdon) and Georgia -born Earl Little. Earl was an outspoken Baptist lay speaker, and he and Louise were admirers of Pan-African activist Marcus Garvey . Earl

1323-553: The Pan-African Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU). Throughout 1964, his conflict with the Nation of Islam intensified, and he was repeatedly sent death threats. On February   21, 1965, he was assassinated in New York City . Three Nation members were charged with the murder and given indeterminate life sentences . In 2021, two of the convictions were vacated. Speculation about the assassination and whether it

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1386-613: The United States . Black separatism stems from the idea of racial solidarity, and it also implies that black people should organize themselves on the basis of their common skin color, their race, culture, and African heritage. There were a total of 255 black separatist groups recorded in the United States as of 2019. Black separatism in its purest form asserts that blacks and whites ideally should form two independent nations. Additionally, black separatists often seek to return to their original cultural homeland of Africa . This sentiment

1449-602: The 1930s, white Seventh-day Adventists witnessed to the Little family; later on, Louise Little and her son Wilfred were baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Malcolm said the Adventists were "the friendliest white people I had ever seen." In 1937, a man Louise had been dating‍—‌marriage had seemed a possibility‍—‌vanished from her life when she became pregnant with his child. In late 1938, she had

1512-679: The 19th century and Marcus Garvey in the 1920s outspokenly called for African Americans to return to Africa , by moving to Liberia . Benjamin "Pap" Singleton looked to form separatist colonies in the American West . The Nation of Islam calls for several independent black states on American soil. More mainstream views within black separatism hold that black people would be better served by schools and businesses that are exclusively for black people, as well as by local black politicians and police. There are similarities between black nationalism and black separatism, mainly that they both advocate for

1575-591: The Assembly, and Malcolm   X met publicly with him as part of a welcoming committee of Harlem community leaders. Castro was sufficiently impressed with Malcolm   X to suggest a private meeting, and after two hours of talking, Castro invited Malcolm   X to visit Cuba. From his adoption of the Nation of Islam in 1952 until he broke with it in 1964, Malcolm   X promoted the Nation's teachings . These included beliefs: Louis E. Lomax said that "those who don't understand biblical prophecy wrongly label him as

1638-645: The Elders of Zion was authentic and introduced it to NOI members, while accusing the Jewish people of "perfecting the modern evil" of neo-colonialism . He helped change the Black community's image of The Holocaust , engaging in Holocaust trivialization and claiming that the Jews "brought it on themselves". In 1961, Malcolm X spoke at a NOI rally alongside George Lincoln Rockwell ,

1701-527: The Nation of Islam after Elijah Muhammad. He is largely credited with helping the group's dramatic increase in membership between the early 1950s and early 1960s—from around 1,200 to between 50,000 and 100,000 members, with up to 25,000 actively attending, according to estimates. He inspired the boxer Muhammad Ali to join the Nation, and the two became close. In January 1964, Ali brought Malcolm   X and his family to Miami to watch him train for his fight against Sonny Liston . When Malcolm   X left

1764-691: The Nation of Islam and use "X" instead. When the time was right, after they had proven their sincerity, he said, he would reveal the Muslim's "original name." In his autobiography, Malcolm   X explained that the "X" symbolized the true African family name that he could never know. "For me, my 'X' replaced the white slavemaster name of 'Little' which some blue-eyed devil named Little had imposed upon my paternal forebears." After his parole in August 1952, Malcolm   X visited Elijah Muhammad in Chicago. In June 1953, he

1827-479: The Nation of Islam members and police in South Central Los Angeles , and numerous Muslims were arrested. They were acquitted, but tensions had been raised. Just after midnight on April   27, 1962, two LAPD officers, unprovoked, shoved and beat several Muslims outside Temple Number 27. A large crowd of angry Muslims emerged from the mosque and the officers attempted to intimidate them. One officer

1890-596: The Nation of Islam, as well as with its leader, Elijah Muhammad . He subsequently embraced Sunni Islam and the civil rights movement after completing the Hajj to Mecca and became known as " el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz," which roughly translates to "The Pilgrim Malcolm the Patriarch". After a brief period of travel across Africa, he publicly renounced the Nation of Islam and founded the Islamic Muslim Mosque, Inc. (MMI) and

1953-413: The Nation of Islam, he tried to convince Ali (who had just been renamed by Elijah Muhammad) to join him in converting to Sunni Islam , but Ali instead broke ties with him, later describing the break as one of his greatest regrets. Malcolm   X mentored and guided Louis   X (later known as Louis Farrakhan ), who eventually became the leader of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm   X also served as

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2016-830: The Nation of Islam. During 1955, Malcolm   X continued his successful recruitment of members on behalf of the Nation of Islam. He established temples in Springfield , Massachusetts (Number   13); Hartford , Connecticut (Number   14); and Atlanta (Number   15). Hundreds of African Americans were joining the Nation of Islam every month. Besides his skill as a speaker, Malcolm   X had an impressive physical presence. He stood 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed about 180 pounds (82 kg). One writer described him as "powerfully built", and another as "mesmerizingly handsome   ... and always spotlessly well-groomed". In 1955, Betty Sanders met Malcolm   X after one of his lectures, then again at

2079-762: The Supreme Judicial Court's April 3, 2020 Opinion and Order in the Committee for Public Counsel Services v. Chief Justice of the Trial Court, SJC-12926 matter, as amended on April 10, April 28 and June 23, 2020 (the “Order”), the Special Master posts weekly reports which are located on the SJC website here for COVID testing and cases for each of the correctional facilities administered by the Department of Correction and each of

2142-431: The civil rights movement's strategy of nonviolence , arguing that Black people should defend and advance themselves " by any means necessary ". His speeches had a powerful effect on his audiences, who were generally African Americans in northern and western cities. Many of them‍—‌tired of being told to wait for freedom, justice, equality and respect ‍—‌felt that he articulated their complaints better than did

2205-408: The civil rights movement. Malcolm X has been widely accused of being antisemitic . His autobiography contains several "antisemitic charges and caricatures of Jews ". Alex Haley , the autobiography's co-author, had to rewrite some of the book to eliminate a number of negative statements about Jews in the manuscript. Malcolm X believed that the fabricated antisemitic text The Protocols of

2268-551: The civil rights of black people. There are a few differences between them, however. Black separatists believe that black people should be physically separated from other races, primarily whites; black separatists would for example want a separate nation for black people. Examples of black separatist organizations include the Nation of Islam and the New Black Panther Party . This is slightly different from black nationalists because black nationalists do not always believe in

2331-535: The common interests of African Americans. Malcolm   X had been equally critical of the civil rights movement. During this period, he denounced Martin Luther King Jr. as a "chump," and referred to other civil rights leaders as being "stooges" of the White establishment and was strongly against any kind of racial integration. He called the 1963 March on Washington "the farce on Washington," and said he did not know why so many Black people were excited about

2394-540: The county Sheriffs’ offices. The SJC Special master link above has the most up to date information reported by the correctional agencies and is posted for the public to view. On December 4, 2020, a prisoner at MCI-Norfolk died from complications of COVID-19 . On the day of his death, there were 41 prisoners reported with active cases. MCI-Norfolk 2 Clark Street PO Box 43 Norfolk, MA 02056 Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little , later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz ; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965)

2457-465: The eight girls had become pregnant as a result of this. He also revealed an assassination attempt made on his life, through a discovered explosive device in his car, as well as the death threats he was receiving, in response to his exposure of Elijah Muhammad. Black separatism Black separatism is a separatist political movement that seeks separate economic and cultural development for those of African descent in societies, particularly in

2520-632: The end of the nineteenth century "was for Blacks not to agitate for social, intellectual, and professional equality with Whites". By contrast, they observe, "contemporary separatists exhort Blacks not only to equal Whites but to surpass them as a tribute to and redemption of their African heritage." Anderson and Stewart add, moreover, that in general "modern black separatism is difficult to define because of its similarity to black nationalism." Indeed, black separatism's specific goals were historically in flux and they also varied from group to group. Martin Delany in

2583-462: The event, but no charges were laid against the police. The coroner ruled that Stokes's killing was justified. To Malcolm   X, the desecration of the mosque and the associated violence demanded action, and he used what Louis   X (later Louis Farrakhan) later called his "gangsterlike past" to rally the more hardened of the Nation of Islam members to take violent revenge against the police. Malcolm   X sought Elijah Muhammad's approval which

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2646-652: The family relocated in 1926 to Milwaukee , and shortly thereafter to Lansing, Michigan . There, the family was frequently harassed by the Black Legion , a White racist group Earl accused of burning their family home in 1929. When Malcolm was six, his father died in what has been officially ruled a streetcar accident, though his mother Louise believed Earl had been murdered by the Black Legion. Rumors that White racists were responsible for his father's death were widely circulated and were very disturbing to Malcolm X as

2709-467: The head of the American Nazi Party . Rockwell saw overlap between black nationalism and white supremacy. According to historian Stephen H. Norwood , Malcolm X's negative statements about Jews continued even close to his death, referring to Jews as "bloodsucker[s]" in statements he made during the last months of his life. Malcolm   X is widely regarded as the second most influential leader of

2772-468: The mainstream civil rights movement for its emphasis on non-violence and racial integration . Malcolm X also expressed pride in some of the Nation's social welfare achievements, such as its free drug rehabilitation program. From the 1950s onward, Malcolm X was subjected to surveillance by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In the 1960s, Malcolm X began to grow disillusioned with

2835-417: The name Malcolm   X to symbolize his unknown African ancestral surname while discarding "the white slavemaster name of 'Little ' ", and after his parole in 1952, he quickly became one of the organization's most influential leaders. He was the public face of the organization for 12 years, advocating Black empowerment and separation of Black and White Americans , and criticizing Martin Luther King Jr. and

2898-515: The officers who beat Johnson. In October, Malcolm   X sent an angry telegram to the police commissioner. Soon the police department assigned undercover officers to infiltrate the Nation of Islam. By the late 1950s, Malcolm   X was using a new name, Malcolm Shabazz or el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz ("The Pilgrim Malcolm the Patriarch"), although he was still widely referred to as Malcolm   X. His comments on issues and events were being widely reported, in print and on radio and television. He

2961-652: The order, has been formed through Sister Ruth Raichle, the Catholic chaplain in Norfolk. On July 31, 1972, Corrections Officers Alfred Baranowski and James Souza were shot and killed by an inmate using a smuggled firearm during an escape attempt. In the officers' memory, the Department of Corrections named their new supermax prison the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts . Pursuant to

3024-481: The perpetual physical separation of the races, usually referred only to a simple institutional separatism, or the desire to see black people making independent efforts to sustain themselves in a proven hostile environment." Scholars Talmadge Anderson and James Stewart further make a distinction between the "classical version of Black separatism advocated by Booker T. Washington " and "modern separatist ideology". They observe that "Washington's accommodationist advice" at

3087-412: The prison nickname "Satan," became receptive to the message of the Nation of Islam. In late 1948, Malcolm wrote to Elijah Muhammad , the leader of the Nation of Islam. Muhammad advised him to renounce his past, humbly bow in prayer to God and promise never to engage in destructive behavior again. Though he later recalled the inner struggle he had before bending his knees to pray, Malcolm soon became

3150-497: The prison was changed to the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Norfolk in the mid-1950s. Famous civil rights activist Malcolm X was incarcerated at Norfolk, and he attended the prison school, where he furthered his education beyond the eighth grade. The prison school and library are where he picked up his love of reading and where he learned how to articulate and debate his points in an argument, as he

3213-641: The station house and gave a hand signal to the crowd. Nation members silently left, after which time the rest of the crowd also dispersed. One police officer told the New York Amsterdam News : "No one man should have that much power." Within a month the New York City Police Department arranged to keep Malcolm   X under surveillance; it also made inquiries with authorities in other cities in which he had lived, and prisons in which he had served time. A grand jury declined to indict

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3276-454: The time he was returned to the police station, some four thousand people had gathered outside. Inside the station, Malcolm   X and an attorney were making bail arrangements for two of the Muslims. Johnson was not bailed, and police said he could not go back to the hospital until his arraignment the following day. Considering the situation to be at an impasse, Malcolm   X stepped outside

3339-525: Was a local leader of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and Louise served as secretary and "branch reporter", sending news of local UNIA activities to Negro World ; they inculcated self-reliance and black pride in their children. Malcolm   X later said that White violence killed four of his father's brothers. Because of Ku Klux Klan threats, Earl's UNIA activities were said to be "spreading trouble" and

3402-417: Was an African American revolutionary, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure during the civil rights movement until his assassination in 1965. A spokesman for the Nation of Islam (NOI) until 1964, he was a vocal advocate for Black empowerment and the promotion of Islam within the African American community. A controversial figure accused of preaching violence, Malcolm X

3465-501: Was conceived or aided by leading or additional members of the Nation, or with law enforcement agencies, has persisted for decades. He was posthumously honored with Malcolm X Day , on which he is commemorated in various cities across the United States. Hundreds of streets and schools in the U.S. have been renamed in his honor, while the Audubon Ballroom , the site of his assassination, was partly redeveloped in 2005 to accommodate

3528-505: Was declared "mentally disqualified for military service". In late 1945, Malcolm returned to Boston, where he and four accomplices committed a series of burglaries targeting wealthy White families. In 1946, he was arrested while picking up a stolen watch he had left at a shop for repairs, and in February began serving a sentence of eight to ten years at Charlestown State Prison for larceny and breaking and entering. Two years later, Malcolm

3591-492: Was denied, stunning Malcolm   X. Malcolm   X was again blocked by Elijah Muhammad when he spoke of the Nation of Islam starting to work with civil rights organizations, local Black politicians, and religious groups. Louis   X saw this as an important turning point in the deteriorating relationship between Malcolm   X and Muhammad. Rumors were circulating that Muhammad was conducting extramarital affairs with young Nation secretaries‍—‌which would constitute

3654-461: Was disarmed; his partner was shot in the elbow by a third officer. More than 70 backup officers arrived who then raided the mosque and randomly beat Nation of Islam members. Police officers shot seven Muslims, including William X Rogers, who was hit in the back and paralyzed for life, and Ronald Stokes, a Korean War veteran, who was shot from behind while raising his hands over his head to surrender, killing him. A number of Muslims were indicted after

3717-593: Was featured in a 1959 New York City television broadcast about the Nation of Islam, The Hate That Hate Produced . In September 1960, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, Malcolm   X was invited to the official functions of several African nations. He met Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Ahmed Sékou Touré of Guinea, and Kenneth Kaunda of the Zambian African National Congress . Fidel Castro also attended

3780-682: Was named assistant minister of the Nation's Temple Number One in Detroit. Later that year he established Boston's Temple Number   11; in March 1954, he expanded Temple Number   12 in Philadelphia; and two months later he was selected to lead Temple Number   7 in Harlem, where he rapidly expanded its membership. In 1953, the FBI began surveillance of him, turning its attention from Malcolm   X's possible communist associations to his rapid ascent in

3843-520: Was part of the Norfolk Debating Society. He has even stated that he began his education here by copying down an entire dictionary word for word, learning the words and refining his handwriting the whole time. During the 1950s, the Norfolk Debating Society, a team consisting of prison inmates, beat a number of university teams including the Oxford Union at Oxford University . A fraternity of lay Dominicans, some of whom have made their final profession in

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3906-419: Was spearheaded by Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association in the 1920s. Black separatists generally think that black people are hindered in a white-dominated society. In his discussion of black nationalism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the historian Wilson Jeremiah Moses observes that "black separatism, or self-containment, which in its extreme form advocated

3969-480: Was transferred to Norfolk Prison Colony (also in Massachusetts ). Between Mr. Muhammad's teachings, my cor­re­spond­ence, my vis­i­tors   ... and my reading of books, months passed without my even thinking about being impris­oned. In fact, up to then, I had never been so truly free in my life. —Malcolm X When Malcolm was in prison, he met fellow convict John Bembry,

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