Malcolm X

In part two of our season four finale, we unpack Spike Lee’s Malcolm X (1992), starring Denzel Washington, and examine how it compares to the real-life story of one of American’s most influential and controversial civil rights leaders. We break down the key moments from the film – Malcolm’s childhood, time in prison, conversion to Islam, rise in the Nation of Islam, and eventual split – and weigh them against the historical record. What did the film get right? What was left out or dramatized? And how do these creative choices affect our understanding of Malcolm’s legacy? Join us as we explore the man, the myth, and the movie.

Primary Source:

• Payne, Les & Payne, Tamara. The Dead are Rising: The Life of Malcolm X. Liveright Publishing Corporation (2020).

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Chapters

• 0:19 Welcome to Criminal Adaptations
• 6:56 Malcolm Little's Early Life
• 22:16 Malcolm in Boston and Harlem
• 34:14 Prison and Transformation
• 58:44 Rise in the Nation of Islam
• 1:14:22 The Final Days and Assassination
• 1:30:08 Legacy and Cultural Impact
• 1:42:26 Discovering Elijah Muhammad's Betrayal
• 1:48:10 Marriage and Growing Influence
• 1:54:15 Breaking from the Nation
• 1:58:59 Pilgrimage to Mecca and New Vision
• 2:04:32 Verdict on Spike Lee's Film

Transcript

Remi: 0:14

Welcome to Criminal Adaptations, the show where we take a look at some of your favorite movies and the true crime stories that inspired them. I'm Remy. I spent over a decade working in the film and television industry in Los Angeles, California.

Ashley: 0:27

And I'm Ashley. I'm a clinical psychologist and forensic evaluator in the state of Oregon.

Remi: 0:33

And welcome to our grand finale, everybody. Season four is a wrap. I can't believe we made it this far, and we are extremely grateful to anyone who has been listening since the beginning or just started somewhere along the way, or if this is your first episode. Either way. If you could give us a like, comment or follow, or even just tell a friend, that would be tremendous in helping our podcast grow for the following season, which will be debuting on September 1st. But I digress. Today we will be discussing a historic civil rights leader that goes by the name of Malcolm X.

Ashley: 1:16

But before we begin, we want to acknowledge something important we're two white hosts talking about Malcolm X, a figure whose life, legacy and impact are deeply rooted in the Black American experience and the fight against systematic racism. We're not here to speak for Malcolm X or the Black community. Instead, our goal is to approach this subject with honesty, curiosity and deep respect, highlighting his legacy, correcting any misconceptions and examining how his story has been adapted and interpreted in media. We know we may not always get it right, but we're committed to listening, learning and presenting this story responsibly. With that being said, remy, should we get into it?

Remi: 1:59

Yes, let's do it. Had you been familiar with Malcolm X before we decided to do this episode?

Ashley: 2:06

I'm kind of ashamed to say that I really didn't know a lot about Malcolm X. I knew he was around the same time as Martin Luther King Jr and was a prominent civil rights leader and activist, but as far as the impact he had on the black community at the time, I was uninformed.

Remi: 2:26

They didn't teach me about Malcolm X in school. They didn't teach me about Malcolm X in school. We did learn about Martin Luther King Jr, but Malcolm X really wasn't touched upon. However, I did become familiar with him specifically because of this film. I remember when I was a little kid my parents brought me to the movie theater pretty regularly and I remember seeing this big black X poster all over the place and that's all it was. It was black with a big silver X in the middle of it, or it might have been gray, but it didn't show Denzel. It didn't really give any other information and for the longest time I thought this movie was called X. But just that poster was enough to really pique my interest and basically everything that I learned about him since was kind of taken directly from this film, even though I didn't really sit down and fully pay attention to the entire thing until recently for this podcast.

Ashley: 3:25

I have actually never seen this movie, and I think that's probably because I didn't really see any Spike Lee movies until we started dating. You kind of introduced me to his repertoire of work.

Remi: 3:39

This is the film that got me interested in Spike Lee. Again. I was very, very young and I didn't see this in theaters, but I did see his film Clockers in theaters at a extremely young age and have sort of been following his career ever since. I sort of was on the fence about Spike Lee for a really long time and within the past decade or so I have grown to immensely respect what he has achieved and think he's been a bit underrated as far as the film community goes.

Ashley: 4:12

This movie is also perfectly timed because he has a new film coming out. I'm not sure when it's supposed to debut, but it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and it is directed by Spike Lee starring Denzel. I think he has said that it's probably going to be their last collaboration together has said that it's probably going to be their last collaboration together.

Remi: 4:33

Directors usually have their actors whom they love to work with. I know Tarantino has Sam Jackson, scorsese had De Niro, and then later on he had DiCaprio, and Spike Lee's actor has been Denzel. They've done many projects together and, speaking of Denzel Washington, I know you are a fan, as am I. Do you have any favorite performances off the top of your head?

Ashley: 4:54

I am a big sucker for two of them. The first is, of course, remember the Titans. I love that movie and I love him in it, and then I also really, really, really enjoyed Flight. What about you?

Remi: 5:12

I do love the film Flight as well. He was recently in Gladiator 2, which isn't a great movie, but he was really having fun with that character. He was, of course, great in Training Day, where he won the Oscar.

Ashley: 5:20

Oh, and man on Fire with Dakota Fanning.

Remi: 5:23

And I have sort of a soft spot for at least the first Equalizer movie, but this was the film that put him on the map. However, I won't be able to touch upon everything that happened during this production, so we would like to recommend another podcast if you are interested in learning even more details about this troubled production. It is called what Went Wrong and they have a full episode covering Malcolm X and they really get into anything that we may have missed in this episode. They go into detail in that episode. So high recommend for that episode and for that show in general. But again I digress. Should we dive into Spike Lee's Malcolm X?

Ashley: 6:05

Yes, let's. I do remember from that what Went Wrong episode that it took a lot to get this movie to the big screen, but please refresh my memory. Well, let us hear from our minister, Minister Malcolm X.

Remi: 6:17

Let us bring him on with a round of applause co-written by Spike Lee, starring Denzel Washington, angela Bassett, albert Hall, al Freeman Jr and Delroy Lindo, who is sort of having a career resurgence at the moment after his role in Sinners.

Remi: 6:39

In 1967, producer Marvin Wirth acquired the rights to the Autobiography of Malcolm X. Wirth had actually met Malcolm decades prior, hanging around the New York City jazz scene as teenagers, back when Malcolm was only a weed-selling hustler known as Detroit Red. Wirth, who was just 15 at the time, recalled that even before Malcolm had become a national figure, he had always had the kind of presence that was impossible to forget, describing him as a sharply dressed great dancer who turned heads wherever he went, while being astonishingly witty and effortlessly charismatic. In 1968, wirth commissioned a screenplay from novelist James Baldwin, who was later joined by screenwriter Arnold Pearl, who had previously been a victim of McCarthy-era blacklisting. However, the development process took longer than expected and Pearl ended up passing away in 1971, before its completion. When reflecting back on his experience in 1976, baldwin wrote I think that I would rather be horsewhipped or incarcerated in Bellevue than repeat that adventure.

Ashley: 7:52

Wow, that is some harsh words.

Remi: 7:53

It sounds like a very unpleasant experience, but Baldwin died in 1987, never seeing the project fully realized. In 1972, marvin Wirth released a well-received documentary called Malcolm X, earning him an Academy Award nomination. But the larger biopic remained stalled due to struggles telling Malcolm's full story, which still had many unanswered questions surrounding his assassination. Over the years, several big names were at one point or another attached to the project, such as Richard Pryor, eddie Murphy and director Sidney LeMay, but remained in development limbo. By the late 1980s, warner Brothers officially greenlit the project, causing sales of the autobiography of Malcolm X to increase by over 300% in the three years before the film's eventual release.

Ashley: 8:47

And now's a good time to point out that this movie is based on the autobiography of Malcolm X that he wrote. But for my research on this, I read a newer book called the Dead Are Rising the Life of Malcolm X. It was published in 2020 by Tamara Payne, and she had actually taken over the project after her father, Les Payne, had started it many, many, many, many years ago, but died before the book was published, and it is phenomenal. So if you want to learn more about Malcolm X after listening to this podcast, I highly highly recommend that book. I'm pretty sure it made it on the New York Times bestsellers list sellers list.

Remi: 9:33

The studio's first choice to direct the film was an Oscar-nominated white filmmaker named Norman Jewison, who is best known for his 1967 civil rights film In the Heat of the Night. However, controversy soon followed when backlash erupted over the studio's decision to have a white director helm the story of Malcolm X.

Remi: 9:50

Spike Lee, who was an up-and-coming filmmaker at the time after the release of 1989's Do the Right Thing, had long dreamed of adapting the autobiography of Malcolm X and was extremely vocal regarding his belief that only a black director could properly tell Malcolm's story

Spike Lee: 10:08

First of all, I think that 35 million African Americans would have done a lot more than I could have, that they would have really gotten out that Norman Jewison was directing that film, because I don't feel that a Caucasian director could do justice to this project, to this film. And I'm not saying that only black people can direct black projects and only white directors can direct white projects. But in particular matters, specific cases called for. No one can tell me that the Godfather was not enhanced by Francois Coppola being an Italian-American. He had nuances that nobody that wasn't an Italian-American had gotten. The same thing with Scorsese, mean Streets, goodfellas and Rage and Bull, and I think this is along the same lines. You need an African-American, a capable African-American director.

Ashley: 10:54

I do think he makes very valid points, especially when he says that in certain situations, films can benefit from having the person that's telling the story have intimate lived experiences that can then be translated on screen in a way that people without those experiences might overlook or not fully understand.

Remi: 11:16

And I totally agree, especially with a story like this. I think some stories they need a specific type of filmmaker to add the necessary insight to the project itself, and I think Spike Lee was the perfect person to bring this film to life. Eventually, marvin Wirth was forced to acknowledge the shift in public sentiment, stating Spike Lee was then brought on to replace Jewison as director and proceeded to make significant revisions to the film's original script, stating I'm directing this movie and I rewrote the script, and I'm an artist. This film about Malcolm X is going to be my vision of Malcolm X, but it's not like I'm sitting atop.

Remi: 12:10

Several other writers had taken a crack at the script over the years, including David Mamet, david Bradley, charles Fuller and Calder Willingham, but once Lee became involved, he rewrote the Baldwin-Pearl draft to better fit his own unique vision for the project. Because of these changes, baldwin's family requested that his name be removed from the film's credits. As a result, the credits only feature the names of Arnold Pearl and Spike Lee as screenwriters, and Malcolm X and Alex Haley as the authors of the autobiography of Malcolm X. Lee also faced criticism from within the Black community, including Black nationalists and members of the United Front to Preserve the Legacy of Malcolm X. Led by Amari Baraka, who voiced concerns over how Lee would depict Malcolm on screen, stating Based on the movies I've seen, I'm horrified of seeing Spike Lee make Malcolm X. I think Eddie Murphy's films are better. Strong words by Baraka here.

Ashley: 13:24

And it doesn't really make sense, because Do the Right Thing was a sensation.

Remi: 13:30

I think maybe her concern was that he was a very young filmmaker and I think his films were I don't know if they would be described as controversial, but they were very unique and definitely had Spike Lee's thoughts and opinions pretty prominently on display and maybe she was afraid that Malcolm's would get lost in there somewhere. Baraka even organized a protest, attended by 200 people in Harlem to bring the issue of Mr Lee's exploitation film to the masses, and I read an interview where Spike Lee is talking about Baraka and he did not have a lot of kind words to say about this person. Ironically, norman Jewison, the original director, was the one who originally cast Denzel Washington to play Malcolm X, having previously worked with Denzel on A Soldier's Story in 1984. Funnily enough, jewison had also offered the role of Alex Haley to Eddie Murphy at one point as well, so maybe that would have made Baraka a little bit more happy.

Remi: 14:36

Oliver Stone had expressed interest in directing this project as a follow-up to his 1991 film JFK, with Denzel Washington still being the first choice to play Malcolm X, so I think it was just meant to be. I don't know if anyone else at this time could have played this role like he did, although Denzel Washington had already agreed to play Malcolm X under Norman Jewison's direction. Spike Lee later said that he never imagined anyone else in the role after seeing Denzel's powerful off-Broadway performance as Malcolm in the hit 1981 stage play when the Chickens Came Home to Roost.

Ashley: 15:16

Interesting. I didn't realize he played him on Broadway. That's fascinating.

Remi: 15:21

The two had previously collaborated on Lee's 1990 film Mo' Better Blues, which I have not seen, and would go on to make two more films together, including 1998's he Got Game, which we both watched recently and loved, and 2006's Inside man, as well as a new film called Highest to Lowest, scheduled to be released later this year. Denzel Washington's casting did receive some criticism, however, primarily over concerns that the actor did not resemble the real Malcolm X, with many critics noting that Malcolm had lighter skin and freckles, which Washington does not. Naysayers were also quick to point out that Washington is only 6'1", while Malcolm was 6'4". Apparently they had never heard of apple boxes or lifts and shoes or anything like that camera trickery. There's a lot of ways around that, guys.

Ashley: 16:20

Haters are gonna hate.

Remi: 16:23

Despite this, denzel was fully committed to portraying the historical figure as respectfully and accurately as possible, through extensive research, absorbing hours of historical footage and carefully studying Malcolm's speeches. Washington additionally attended Fruit of Islam classes, gave up pork, learned the Lindy Hop and even memorized exactly which glasses Malcolm had worn on specific days. So he took this incredibly seriously, and it shows Denzel's son, john David Washington, who would later make a name for himself with such mega-hits as Tenet and the Spike Lee film. Black Klansman makes his big-screen debut at just seven years old in this film, portraying a young student in one of the classroom scenes, while Denzel's mother, lennis Washington, plays Laura's grandmother, Mrs Johnson. So three generations of Washingtons are in this film.

Ashley: 17:21

We had mentioned this a couple weeks ago, but how great would it be if they casted John David Washington in an MLK biopic.

Remi: 17:32

Yes, we were discussing how there really hasn't been a definitive MLK movie. I know Selma came out a few years ago, but that was more about a specific event and we were both wondering why there hasn't been a film about Martin Luther King Jr's full legacy and I do think that John David Washington would do a magnificent job in that sort of role. Malcolm X's widow, dr Betty Shabazz, served as a consultant on the film to help ensure authenticity and respect for her late husband's legacy. The security wing of the Nation of Islam, known as the Fruit of Islam, also played a key role behind the scenes by providing protection throughout the movie's production. At one point during the production, it was unclear whether the filmmakers would be granted the rights to use Malcolm X's actual speeches, which Spike Lee compared to making an Elvis biopic without any Elvis songs, which I'm pretty sure someone has tried to do. I know I've seen a Kurt Cobain movie without any Kurt Cobain songs and a David Bowie movie without any David Bowie songs. Luckily, lee was eventually given permission to use Malcolm's essential speeches to tell Malcolm's story in his own words.

Remi: 18:48

As far as funding the film, spike Lee ran into major hurdles while dealing with Warner Brothers and the Bond Company, with Lee insisting that the project would need a budget of $30 million to be done correctly, while the film's financers disagreed and instead offered Lee $28 million. And though it may seem small, it does make a difference, especially with a film like this. To get around this, lee took a page from director Francis Ford Coppola's playbook and pulled a move Lee refers to as getting the movie company pregnant, which is when a production is pushed far enough along that backing out would prove to be too difficult. Eventually, the budget climbed to nearly $33 million, with Lee personally putting in $2 million from his own $3 million salary to keep the film going.

Remi: 19:37

Malcolm X made history as the first American film and the first non-documentary to be granted permission to shoot in Mecca, specifically within the sacred harem Sharif. Of course, warner Brothers initially refused to fund the Mecca shoot and instead suggested New Jersey as a stand-in for Mecca, which I don't understand. Where in New Jersey would you think could pass for Mecca? Seriously, I've been to New Jersey. But thankfully, lee flat out refused to shoot in New Jersey and in the end, lee secured both the funding and the rare access needed to shoot on location. But because non-Muslims like Spike Lee aren't allowed inside the Holy City. A second unit crew was brought in to handle filming. So he did all this and he didn't even get to be there.

Ashley: 20:28

That is so crazy. They were even granted permission to shoot there to begin with.

Remi: 20:34

From all of my research. Spike Lee just kept bumping into obstacle after obstacle after obstacle, and he would find ways around it. He wanted to make this film so much. This was his passion project and he did everything he could to get it made exactly how he envisioned it, and my hat is off to the man. It is truly staggering what he was able to achieve.

Remi: 21:00

Unfortunately, this was not the end of Spike Lee's difficulties completing the film, as more tensions later arose. After the Completion, bond Company, which took over financial control in early 1992, refused to approve any more spending on the project. On top of that, both the studio and Bond Company insisted that the final cut be no longer than 2 hours and 15 minutes, which later led to the film being shut down during the post-production process. This is the type of film that you need the three hours, in my opinion. I'm not a fan of three-hour films, but to be done right, a film like this needed the time. These numerous negative experiences while dealing with the studio led Lee and his crew to nickname Warner Brothers the Plantation during the making of Malcolm X. The film was ultimately saved by a group of prominent black celebrities, including Bill Cosby, oprah Winfrey, michael Jordan, magic Johnson, janet Jackson, prince Tracy Chapman and Peggy Cooper Kofritz, founder of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, who all stepped in and made personal donations to help complete the film.

Ashley: 22:18

Those are some big names right there.

Remi: 22:22

They knew how important this was, and, though I have nothing positive to say about Bill Cosby, I think that it is truly amazing that all of these other people stepped in and ensured that it got done. In Spike Lee's own words, these are black folks with some money who came to the rescue of the movie. As a result, this film will be my version, not the Bond Company's version, not Warner Brothers. I will do the film the way it ought to be, and it will be over three hours. Warner Brothers was reportedly unhappy with how Spike Lee secured outside funding from his African-American supporters to finish Malcolm X. Because of this, when Lee later expressed interest in helping to develop Space Jam in 1996, warner Brothers completely shut him out from making any contributions to the project.

Ashley: 23:19

Yeah, I bet he was on their blacklist for a while.

Remi: 23:22

And I know he's really good friends with Michael Jordan, and it would have been really, really interesting to see a Spike Lee Space Jam film. The film was made in the wake of Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from prison. During the tense negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa, spike Lee saw a powerful connection between Malcolm X and Mandela's message of pan-Africanism and unity among people of color message of pan-Africanism and unity among people of color. The film closes with a message of global solidarity delivered by Mandela himself, taken directly from one of Malcolm X's most powerful quotes, before the camera cuts to real footage of Malcolm finishing the line by any means necessary. And with that should we get into Spike Lee's film Malcolm X.

Ashley: 24:12

Yes, I got my popcorn ready, let's do it.

Remi: 24:30

Our story begins with a voiceover of Malcolm X delivering one of his most famous speeches denouncing the brutality and hypocrisy of the American government, intercut with actual footage of the 1991 Rodney King beating at the hands of the LAPD, which was also mentioned in our episode two weeks ago in American History X. It was a very big story in the early to mid-90s. As the fiery speech intensifies, the camera shows an American flag slowly burning into the unmistakable shape of a giant letter X.

Ashley: 25:07

That is a powerful opening sequence.

Remi: 25:11

And then we cut to Boston in the 1940s, where it has a very, very different tone than the intro we just watched. A young Malcolm Little, played by Denzel Washington, is preparing for a night out on the town with his friend Shorty, played by the film's director, spike Lee. Malcolm is in the middle of getting his hair conked, which is an extremely painful hair straightening process, which causes Malcolm to scream for reprieve as the harsh chemicals begin to burn his scalp. It is a truly comedic scene. So it's kind of jarring going from the intro to something like this. That is definitely being played for comedy. In fact, most of the scenes around this time are surprisingly pretty light-hearted and rather comedic. After the treatment, malcolm and his pal Shorty strut through the streets of Boston in their snazziest zoot suits, ready to hit the jazz club and find some ladies. We then suddenly flash back to Malcolm's childhood, where the KKK has surrounded and sets fire to his family's home in Omaha, nebraska, as a warning to Malcolm's father, reverend Earl Little, to stop spreading trouble by preaching black pride and self-reliance. Not long after Malcolm's father is found dead with his body, grotesquely mangled, splayed across a set of train tracks, despite Malcolm's mother, louise Little, insisting that her husband had been murdered by a white supremacist group known as the Black Legion, along with signs that Earl had been bashed in the back of his head with a hammer. His death is still labeled a suicide, negating Earl's insurance policy.

Remi: 27:00

After Earl's death, malcolm's mother struggles to support her family and is often mistreated and judged by both white social workers and the black community due to her fair skin, which Louise had inherited from the white man who raped her mother. After being deemed unstable by social workers and state officials, louise is forcibly separated from her five children, causing her to slowly unravel and eventually be institutionalized. Meanwhile, malcolm is sent to a detention home where he attends school and is the only colored student in class, often being subjected to racial slurs and prejudice from the teachers and other students. In spite of this, malcolm remained a good student and was even made class president. Returning to the present, sharply contrasting the previous flashback scenes, malcolm and Shorty are now fully styled in fresh new zoot suits, confidently moving through a bustling black jazz club complete with live music, lindy Hop, dancing and cigarette smoke curling through the air. Side note here Frankie Manning was the consultant for these dancing scenes and he is considered an ambassador of the Lindy Hop, which is also known as the Jitterbug.

Ashley: 28:24

There is so much jumping and swinging and flipping and arm moving in that dance. I am tired just watching them.

Remi: 28:35

I just showed Ashley a brief clip of the Lindy Hop and yeah, it looks pretty exhausting, Despite the racial taboo of the time. A young white woman named Sophia, played by Kate Vernon, catches Malcolm's attention from across the room. Though Malcolm had originally arrived with a younger black woman named Laura, played by Teresa Randall, he soon ditches her to spend the remainder of his evening with Sophia, parked down by the shoreline making out as the sun comes up. Malcolm was a bit of a cad in his earlier days here.

Remi: 29:11

He was popular with the ladies, malcolm and Sophia, continue their relationship after that night, despite Sophia being engaged and Malcolm still seeing Laura. During this time, malcolm works as a waiter on a first-class locomotive, though he secretly loathes having to cater to wealthy white people. Just to make ends meet, malcolm ventures to Harlem, new York, not long after, where he witnesses the neighborhood raucously celebrating the return of local boxing legend Joe Lewis, aka the Brown Bomber, following his recent victory. Malcolm soon finds himself in a jazz bar where an altercation with another patron escalates after the man insults Malcolm's mother, resulting in Malcolm smashing a bottle over the man's head.

Remi: 29:58

The commotion catches the attention of a sharply dressed, intimidating man named West Indian Archie, played by Delroy Lindo, a well-known gangster whose reputation precedes him. By Delroy Lindo, a well-known gangster whose reputation precedes him. Malcolm expresses interest in joining Archie's operation, and Archie agrees on one condition the flamboyant zoot suits have got to go.

Ashley: 30:21

It does draw a lot of attention to you.

Remi: 30:23

That is exactly what he said. Now, dressed like a proper gangster in more understated attire, Malcolm is gifted his first concealed firearm by West Indian Archie and begins working as a numbers runner, collecting bets and distributing receipts for Archie's illegal lottery operation. This so-called numbers game was an underground lottery popular in many black working-class neighborhoods during the early to mid-20th century, particularly in Harlem. Players would play small bets on three-digit numbers, with the winning combination often tied to publicly available figures like stock exchange totals or horse racing results, giving the illusion of fairness. I don't fully understand how this game worked. It seems like you could just bet on random numbers anywhere. I'm really not sure.

Remi: 31:17

Archie oversaw and maintained full control of this operation by managing the payouts and handling all the money personally. Under Archie's influence, Malcolm adopts the street name Red in reference to his reddish hair and becomes further entrenched in Harlem's underworld by experimenting with cocaine while indulging in the hedonistic lifestyle of the people surrounding him. Tensions eventually come to a head between the two men after Malcolm accuses Archie of forgetting a six-figure debt owed to him from a numbers hit. Archie, taking offense at the accusation and viewing it as an attack on his integrity, checks the records, then accuses Malcolm of lying in an attempt to cheat him. Convinced that Malcolm is trying to swindle him, Archie prepares to have him eliminated. But before the hit can go down, Malcolm escapes by slipping out of a bathroom window and disappearing into the night.

Ashley: 32:12

With the lifestyle Malcolm X was leading. At this point he was in Boston, slash Harlem, between the ages of 15 to 20 years old. It is crazy that he not only wasn't killed but grew into and became who he became.

Remi: 32:29

Like Joe Pesci's character in Goodfellas. I did not know the actual age of what they were supposed to be during these scenes. Joe Pesci's character in Goodfellas is supposed to be in his early 20s and Malcolm is supposed to be a teenager here, but they're both being portrayed by much older actors, so at the time I don't think I had realized he was supposed to be just a teenager here. Doing all this, malcolm retreats back to Boston to lay low for a while and reunites with his old friend Shorty. After successfully robbing the home of a wealthy white family, malcolm thinks he's back in business until the police show up during a hair-conking session and arrest both him and Shorty for burglary. Their white girlfriends, who had also taken part in the heist, are each sentenced to two years in a woman's reformatory. Malcolm and Shorty aren't so lucky, however, and are both convicted on 14 counts of burglary, with each count carrying a sentence of 8 to 10 years to be served concurrently. Not understanding what concurrently means, shorty faints in the courtroom, believing that he had just been sentenced to over 100 years in prison, and I don't blame him. I would faint too if I thought that it just happened.

Remi: 33:49

Malcolm is sent to Charlestown State Prison in February 1946 and is almost immediately thrown into solitary confinement after forgetting his prison number during roll call. Isolated and nearing his breaking point, malcolm is eventually returned to general population where he meets a composed and commanding inmate named Baines, played by Albert Hall. Sensing Malcolm's struggle with cocaine withdrawal, baines concocts a makeshift remedy and begins guiding Malcolm towards a new path. Baines challenges Malcolm to use his mind, stop trying to assimilate into whiteness and introduces him to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad. Though initially skeptical, Malcolm is intrigued by Baines' intellect and fearsome demeanor.

Remi: 34:39

Baines lays out the core principles of the Nation of Islam, which include no smoking, no drinking, no drugs, no white women and no pork. Baines also urges Malcolm to educate himself, starting with the books written by white men. Ugh, I'd be like can we start with anything other than the dictionary? It's actually a really interesting scene that I almost pulled a clip from. He has Malcolm look up the definitions of the word white and black, while also pointing out that Webster's Dictionary was written by a white man and the definition for white is things like purity, honesty, innocence, things like that, and the terms for black are dirty, darkness, negative words. And Baines is pointing out that stuff like this has a subconscious psychological effect on the black community. Malcolm quickly becomes a voracious reader, devouring texts and learning black history under Baines's mentorship.

Albert Hall (Baines): 35:49

Devouring texts and learning black history under Baines' mentorship. Let me tell you about black history. We are the original man. The first men on earth were black, they ruled and there wasn't a white face anywhere. But they teach us that we lived in caves and swung from trees. That's a lie. Black men never did that. We were a race of kings when the white men crawled around on all fours over the hills of Europe. Do they know who they are? Do you know where you came from? What's your name? Malcolm Little? No, that's the name of the slave masters who own your family.

Remi: 36:29

You don't even know who you are.

Remi: 36:31

As time passes, baines continues to teach Malcolm the ways of Allah and Elijah Muhammad, while regularly reiterating and reinforcing the belief that white men are the devil.

Remi: 36:44

Under Baines' guidance, malcolm fully commits himself to Islam, vowing to pray five times a day and renouncing all of his former vices. Not long after, malcolm receives a personal letter from Elijah Muhammad himself, inspiring him to dedicate his life entirely to the cause. Upon his release from prison, malcolm is introduced to Elijah Muhammad in person, played by Al Freeman Jr, who encourages Malcolm to stay on the path of righteousness and continue his work with the Nation of Islam. Back in Harlem, malcolm begins preaching Elijah Muhammad's message on the streets, trying to recruit new followers and spread the doctrine. Side note, here Reverend Al Sharpton makes a brief cameo in this scene as one of the street preachers, alongside Bobby Seale, co-founder of the Black Panther Party. Over time, malcolm gains a growing following and is eventually given his own temple to lead, showcasing his commanding public speaking skills and the radical transformation from the man he once was and to whatchamacallit, we didn't land on Plymouth Rock.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X): 37:54

Plymouth Rock landed on us, landed right on top of us.

Ashley: 38:16

I watched a lot of clips of Malcolm X speaking, both in lectures like these and during TV interviews, and he is an incredibly engaging speaker.

Remi: 38:31

I watched a few of those interviews with you and I wholeheartedly agree. His command over wordage and his charisma was undeniable. Malcolm eventually makes peace with his former mentor, West Indian Archie, who is now living in squalor and has physically deteriorated into a shadow of his former self. Likewise, Malcolm's old crew, including Shorty, have all ended up in worse circumstances than when he left them, including Laura, his former flame, who has tragically fallen into prostitution.

Ashley: 39:08

I mean statistically speaking. Malcolm should have been among them. Our country is not set up for people who experience adversity to overcome that. Unfortunately, it's set up to keep the down down.

Remi: 39:24

Though I do not endorse Elijah Muhammad on any level and we will get to why in just a bit I do think that if Malcolm had stayed on the path he was on, he would have ended up in very similar circumstances to all of his old friends Back in Harlem. Malcolm's sermons begin drawing larger and larger crowds as his impassioned preachings electrify audiences in the name of the Nation of Islam. During this time, he is introduced to Betty Shabazz, played by Angela Bassett, a devoted Muslim who teaches women about proper hygiene and diet and we are both huge Angela Bassett fans.

Ashley: 40:05

She is everything.

Remi: 40:08

Betty invites Malcolm to speak at one of her classes, and the chemistry between them is instantaneous and undeniable. They go out to lunch together, then stroll through the National History Museum, where their conversation slowly shifts from religion to personal connections. Over ice cream sundaes they begin to genuinely get to know one another. But their conversation is cut short when Malcolm receives urgent news of a police assault on a fellow Muslim named Brother Johnson, who has been arrested and was reportedly beaten by the police.

Ashley: 40:43

What a sad ending to such a wholesome date.

Remi: 40:47

Seriously, there was like a cute PG level of innocence to their day. Just going to all these locations and you could see that they didn't agree on everything, but they were open to hearing what the other person had to say about it and it was truly a connection that was beyond the physical. Malcolm rushes to the police station accompanied by other members of the Nation of Islam, demanding to see Brother Johnson to ensure that he receives proper medical attention. Upon witnessing Johnson's brutal injuries, Malcolm commands that an ambulance be called immediately. As Johnson is rushed to the ER, Malcolm leads the nation through the streets of Harlem in a disciplined, silent march to the hospital, where they are soon followed by a steadily growing crowd of supporters demanding justice. When the police try to clear the streets, the crowd holds their ground, only dispersing when Malcolm gives the order. Personally and I gotta say it's a truly badass scene the crowd grows silent when Malcolm puts his hands up and they only disperse when he gives the signal, just showcasing that they are going to listen to him and they are not going to listen to the police. At Malcolm's urging, Brother Johnson later files a million-dollar lawsuit against the officers who beat him into insensibility In the wake of this demonstration of public leadership, Elijah Muhammad appoints Malcolm X as his national minister, tasking him with expanding the Nation of Islam by building new temples across the country.

Remi: 42:25

That same night, Malcolm proposes to Betty over the phone from Detroit, and the two are married. Soon after, Despite Malcolm's growing responsibilities and constant travel, he and Betty build a family together, eventually having four daughters. As Malcolm's national profile skyrockets, so does his following with his speeches, drawing massive crowds captivated by Malcolm's impassioned words and charisma.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X): 42:53

Now we in America, son. So I have to stand here today as what I was when I was born a black man. Before there was any such thing as a Republican or a Democrat, we were black. Before there was any such thing as a Republican or a Democrat, we were black. Before there was any such thing as a Mason or an elk. We were black. Before there was any such thing as a Jew or a Christian, we were black people. In fact, before there was any such place as America, we were black. And after America has long passed from the scene, there will still be black people.

Remi: 43:35

But with Malcolm's meteoric rise comes increasing criticism, not just from white America, but also from fellow civil rights leaders, many of whom accuse Malcolm of promoting black supremacy and creating division within the movement. During a controversial talk show appearance, Malcolm explains the meaning behind his name, recounting how enslaved Africans were stripped of their identities and given the surnames of their enslavers, Something that I was completely unaware of until looking into this and this is 100% true.

Ashley: 44:08

That's why people in the Nation of Islam had their name followed by the letter X to represent that stolen African name.

Remi: 44:16

And as a mathematical symbol of the rejection of his slave name Lil. After the interview, jealousy and suspicion continue to grow within the Nation of Islam. Several ministers begin to resent the spotlight Malcolm is receiving, feeling that the media has become more focused on Malcolm than on Elijah Muhammad or the Nation itself, and that Malcolm's true intentions may be driven more by ego and ambition than service to the faith driven more by ego and ambition than service to the faith.

Ashley: 44:50

People just became jealous of him because he had the qualities that so many lacked. He had this ability to just draw people in with a single word, and the attention he received also put him in prominent favor of Elijah Muhammad and the other ministers just couldn't measure up to what Malcolm had. I don't think anything he did was for ego at all.

Remi: 45:13

I totally agree. I feel like what he said his intentions were is what they truly were. I don't think he was trying to manipulate this situation at all, which brings us to one of the most unexpectedly humorous moments of the film, where Malcolm is approached on the streets by a well-meaning young white woman on his way to a college lecture.

White Lady: 45:36

Excuse me, mr X. Hi, I've read some of your speeches and I honestly believe that a lot of what you have to say is true and I'm a good person, in spite of what my ancestors did. I just I wanted to ask you what can a white person like myself, who isn't prejudiced, what can I do to help you and further your cause? Nothing.

Remi: 46:01

Despite his success, malcolm begins noticing signs that not all may be what it seems with the Nation of Islam. One evening, betty confronts Malcolm with news that Elijah Muhammad was recently served with two paternity suits, along with concerning media reports claiming that the Nation of Islam is secretly a cult. Betty believes Elijah is using Malcolm for personal gain, sparking a heated argument over Malcolm's unwavering loyalty to the nation. Side note here this scene was largely fictionalized for dramatic effect. In reality, betty Shabazz stated that she and Malcolm never argued or even raised their voices at each other, and it actually took quite a bit of convincing by Spike Lee for Shabazz to allow this scene to be in the film. Determined to learn the truth, malcolm visits one of the women, elijah allegedly impregnated, who has been quietly placed into isolation. Seeing her and her child firsthand confirms Malcolm's worst fears, leading to a confrontation between him and Elijah, who justifies his actions by claiming that he is fulfilling a prophecy by planting his seed to ensure the future.

Ashley: 47:19

Gross.

Remi: 47:20

That is definitely some cult leader type logic right there.

Ashley: 47:25

Also this isolation that he mentions. It's basically consists of Muhammad ejecting someone from the nation and they are just kind of kept alone and not allowed to communicate with anyone from the nation for a set period of time.

Remi: 47:43

Yeah, she was in a house completely cut off from everyone, and she was ordered not to speak to anyone and just stay in the house raising her and Elijah's child together, completely alone.

Ashley: 47:55

I think in the end it came out that there were at least eight women that went through this treatment from Elijah Muhammad went through this treatment from Elijah Muhammad, though Malcolm tries to rationalize Elijah's behavior, the betrayal, is too great to ignore, shattering Malcolm's faith after 12 years of loyal devotion.

Remi: 48:18

Around this same time, President John F Kennedy is assassinated and against Elijah Muhammad's direct orders for nation ministers to remain silent, malcolm publicly states that he feels no sympathy for the slain president. Due to public backlash, a rapidly ailing Elijah issues a 90-day ban on Malcolm, forbidding him from speaking to the press or at any of the nation's temples from speaking to the press or at any of the nation's temples. With the other ministers now calling Malcolm a traitor, the threat to his life becomes undeniable. Tensions reach a breaking point when one of Malcolm's fellow brothers from the nation confesses that he was ordered to rig an explosive device to Malcolm's car. Malcolm calls a press conference shortly after, publicly announcing his separation from the Nation of Islam and declaring that from this point forward he will be speaking for himself. He also announces the founding of a new mosque, known as Muslim Mosque Incorporated, based in New York City, and even expresses reluctant openness to the concept of racial unity further in the future.

Remi: 49:30

In the months that follow, malcolm embarks on his holy pilgrimage to Mecca to perform the Hajj, a sacred journey all Muslims are required to make at least once, if able. While in the Middle East. He visits the pyramids, is warmly welcomed by Muslims of many cultures and shares prayers with people of all races, including whites, something he had never experienced previously in segregated America. While traveling, malcolm suspects that he's being followed and recorded by two white men he believes are working for the FBI, but remains focused on the primary purpose of his journey.

Ashley: 50:08

I will get into this a little bit more in my part, but this is true. The FBI had been following Malcolm X since at least 1957, under the guidance of our good old friend J Edgar Hoover.

Remi: 50:24

You will never let me live it down for not doing that episode.

Ashley: 50:28

Yes, if anyone would be interested in learning about the formation of the FBI and watching a movie called J Edgar Hoover or I think, just J Edgar let us know, because Remy shot me down hard and I'm not going to let him live it down until we cover it. And I'm not going to let him live it down until we cover it.

Remi: 50:46

It's not technically a crime, but if we get enough requests, sure we will put J Edgar on the schedule sometime in the future. Witnessing true Islam's message of equality and brotherhood, malcolm has a profound realization that not all white people are evil. Malcolm shares these new revelations with Betty in the following heartfelt letter Once before in prison, the truth came and blinded me.

Letter from Mecca: 51:18

Well, it has happened again In the past. I've made sweeping indictments of all white people and these generalizations have caused injuries to some white folks who did not deserve it.

Letter from Mecca: 51:31

Because of the spiritual rebirth which I was blessed to undergo as a result of my pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, I no longer subscribe to sweeping indictments of one race. I intend to be very careful not to sentence anyone who has not? Been proven guilty.

Letter from Mecca: 51:53

I am not a racist and I do not subscribe to any of the tenets of racism. In all honesty and sincerity, it can be stated that I wish nothing but freedom, justice and equality.

Remi: 52:09

Malcolm takes the name El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz during his pilgrimage, but for clarity and my own sanity, I will just continue to refer to him as Malcolm.

Ashley: 52:21

And I do the same in my part as well.

Remi: 52:24

Upon returning to America, Malcolm holds a press conference to announce that his fight for black liberation would now be expanding into a global human rights movement embracing solidarity with oppressed people of all backgrounds, regardless of race or nationality.

Remi: 52:43

This shift, unsurprisingly, does not sit well with the Nation of Islam. That night, Malcolm stands at his window holding an M1 carbine, peering cautiously through the curtains on high alert. And quick side note here, this is a direct visual recreation of an iconic photo of the real Malcolm X which appeared in Life magazine that same evening. Two Molotov cocktails are thrown through their window, nearly burning Malcolm and his family alive, in an act echoing the KKK's arson attack on Malcolm's childhood home when he was just a boy. In fear for his life, Malcolm checks into the New York Hilton Hotel, hoping to isolate himself and focus on preparing for his upcoming speech. The following day, On February 21st 1965, Malcolm X takes the stage at the Audubon Ballroom to speak at a rally for the Organization of Afro-American Unity. He is greeted by cheers and applause from the attending audience, including Betty and their daughters, who are all seated in the crowd.

Ashley: 53:57

It is heartbreaking that she and their children witnessed what is about to unfold.

Remi: 54:04

Suddenly, a disturbance breaks out as someone shouts get your hand out of my pocket, and the room turns in confusion while another man charges forward, shooting Malcolm with a blast from a shotgun. Malcolm falls to the ground as two more assailants reveal themselves, shooting Malcolm several more times as he lay there, dying Screams fill the ballroom and the room quickly descends into chaos as one of the shooters is tackled and beaten by the other members of the crowd. The screen then fades to archival footage of real people reacting to Malcolm's assassination at the time, intercut with speeches delivered by the man himself in his own powerful words. Side note, after Malcolm's assassination, all remaining footage in the film is of the real Malcolm X, presented primarily in black and white. In a final symbolic moment, nelson Mandela appears on screen quoting Malcolm to a South African classroom.

Nelson Mandela: 55:07

We declare our right on this earth to be a man, to be a human being, to be respected as a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day which we intended to bring into existence.

Malcolm X: 55:46

By any means necessary.

Remi: 55:50

And that was Spike Lee's Malcolm X. Do you have any initial thoughts, Ashley?

Ashley: 55:57

I have two initial thoughts. The first is that, not only listening to this and watching scenes from the movie, but also through my own research and watching scenes from the movie, but also through my own research, it just got me so sad that he is not more prominently featured in American history classes. He had a huge impact on so many people and he's just not taught in most schools. I never learned about Malcolm X in school ever.

Remi: 56:26

I would probably blame that on some of his more controversial statements towards white people in his earlier days, but I think the message of someone learning that unity isn't a bad thing is even stronger than someone who was preaching unity from day one. I think Malcolm's speeches are phenomenal. I watched news footage with you and he truly had a commanding presence on screen and a brilliant way of speaking. So, yes, I agree, I think it is a tragedy that this is not a civil rights leader. That is usually taught in schools. Maybe that has changed. I haven't been in school in a very long time, but yeah, this was completely glossed over during my education.

Ashley: 57:18

The second that I had, which really isn't going to make much sense until we get to the verdict portion of the podcast, is that I do kind of wish I did read his autobiography, just for comparison purposes. There are things that are changed and omitted and I don't necessarily think that it's changes Spike Lee made. I think it's how certain elements of Malcolm's life were portrayed in the autobiography or certain things that were omitted, which just put a pin in. That it'll make more sense later.

Remi: 57:53

And the film is fully based on the autobiography of Malcolm X, and the book you read came out many years later but does include a lot more details that were excluded from the autobiography.

Ashley: 58:09

And for the Dead Are Rising. I said this earlier the authors spent decades writing this book and they interviewed all of his surviving family members, along with other people that were around and knew Malcolm intimately. So it is a very, very well-researched and backed-up book.

Remi: 58:30

Well, shall we get into the film's release now then?

Ashley: 58:34

Yeah, denzel wins the Oscar right.

Remi: 58:37

I got some bad news for you, but we'll get to that in just a minute. A month before Malcolm X was released, director Spike Lee specifically requested that media outlets send black journalists to interview him, which was considered controversial at the time. While it wasn't unusual for celebrities to select sympathetic interviewers, this marked one of the first times that race was cited as a qualifying factor. One of the first times that race was cited as a qualifying factor, lee clarified that he wasn't barring white journalists from covering the film, but felt that, given the subject matter, black writers would have more insight about Malcolm than white writers.

Ashley: 59:21

I bet Warner Brothers was so pissed.

Remi: 59:24

Oh, I'm sure Warner Brothers loathed Spike Lee by this point. The Los Angeles Times declined the request, citing a policy against allowing subjects to approve or request specific writers. However, several other outlets, including Premiere, vogue, interview and Rolling Stone, all agreed with the editor of Premiere, later acknowledging that Lee's request prompted a meaningful internal discussion that resulted in changes being made at the magazine. Spike Lee also urged students to skip school to see the film, stating that Malcolm X was as educational, if not more so, than what they were learning in the classroom. Malcolm X was released in North America on November 18, 1992, grossing $9.9 million during its opening weekend and finishing third behind Home Alone 2, lost in New York and Bram Stoker's Dracula A wide variety of films there. The film ultimately grossed $41.8 million domestically, but despite strong box office returns, warner Brothers still claim that the film somehow lost over $30 million due to its large budget and high marketing costs.

Ashley: 1:00:48

Probably mostly marketing.

Remi: 1:00:50

Well, internationally, the film earned an additional $24.9 million, bringing its worldwide total to $73.1 million, and in this case, I find it hard to believe that they didn't make any money on the movie. I think they just hated Spike Lee. Believe that they didn't make any money on the movie? I think they just hated Spike Lee. The film currently holds an approval rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a critical consensus that reads anchored by a powerful performance from Denzel Washington. Spike Lee's biopic of the legendary civil rights leader brings his autobiography to life with an epic sweep and a nuanced message. Denzel Washington's performance as Malcolm X was widely acclaimed, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He ultimately lost to Al Pacino for Scent of a Woman, a decision that many, including Spike Lee himself, have publicly criticized.

Spike Lee: 1:01:49

There's a thing called makeup call, and makeup calls, particularly in basketball, is when a ref makes a terrible call. Everybody knows it. So next time down the court he makes another call to even it. So we had many Academy Awards Makeup call. So we had many Academy Awards Makeup call. So we go to 1992. Denzel was nominated. Al Pacino was nominated for Stint of a Woman. So Mr Pacino, great actor, a great actor, he now won for Godfather 1, godfather 2, serpico. Do the Right Thing. Dog Day Afternoon.

Spike Lee: 1:02:33

Hey, they fucked over him five times. Denzel already won an Oscar for Glory Best Born Actor, so they give it Pacino. Alright, denzel, you'll be back, so makeup call training day, yeah.

Ashley: 1:02:53

I think Spike Lee just read the Academy. I think his consensus on not only Al Pacino's win in 1992 for Scent of a Woman but Denzel's for training Day is exactly what happened Makeup calls from the Academy for shafting them years prior.

Remi: 1:03:13

And they have done that many times. They did that with Leo DiCaprio in the Revenant. He should have been nominated and won for a lot of other things, but they did a makeup thing for him, so he got it for the film where he barely spoke and he nearly froze to death and ate a bison liver. The film was nominated for only two Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Costume Design, neither of which it won.

Ashley: 1:03:44

I am so shocked Spike Lee wasn't nominated for Best Director. It must have been because of all of his unconventional pre and post marketing interviews.

Remi: 1:03:52

I bet Warner Brothers was not pushing for this film to get a lot of nominations.

Remi: 1:03:57

I don't think Warner Brothers wanted this film to be a success because they did not want Spike Lee to be a success. If this film came out today, I firmly believe Spike Lee would have been nominated and the film would have been nominated because it deserved it. Malcolm X marked Washington's first nomination in the Best Leading Actor category, following an earlier win for Best Supporting Actor in the 1989 film Glory. As Spike Lee previously stated, denzel did finally get his statue for portraying the violent, morally corrupt, manipulative narcotics officer Alonzo Harris in the 2001 film Training Day A very, very, very different character than this one. Very different character than this one. In a strange twist of real-life irony, denzel Washington would later portray boxer Reuben Hurricane Carter in the film the Hurricane, which we will be covering one day on our podcast. A woman named Carolyn Kelly, who played a key role in helping get Carter out of prison and later accused him of assault, had previously been married to William X Bradley, the man widely believed to be the shotgun-wielding assassin who delivered the fatal shot that killed Malcolm X.

Ashley: 1:05:18

That is ironic.

Remi: 1:05:21

And finally, in 2010, malcolm X was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, which recognized the film as culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.

Ashley: 1:05:37

And rightfully so.

Remi: 1:05:39

And that was Spike Lee's Malcolm X. The story of a civil rights leader that is not known well enough in my opinion, and the filmmaker who had to give it his all to get this film made. It is a brilliant piece of cinema and it is a travesty that it did not win any awards or get nominated in the director or best picture category, but this is just part of the story. At least this is the Spike Lee version of things. Ashley, is it time for you to tell me the true story of Malcolm X?

Ashley: 1:06:18

If you're ready, I'm game.

Letter from Mecca: 1:06:23

What's it about baby. You asked why the blues had to go and pick you.

Ashley: 1:06:37

Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 19, 1925. He was the fourth child born to Earl and Louise Little, although Earl had three older children from a previous marriage who lived outside the home. Earl and Louise were actively involved in the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which I'm going to call the UNIA from here on out. They established their own chapter in Omaha and each place they subsequently lived. The UNIA was a global black movement founded by Marcus Garvey in 1914. It aimed to promote racial pride, unity and economic independence for people of African descent.

Ashley: 1:07:18

Earl and Louise's connection to the UNIA and their demands for equal treatment for their family resulted in them being openly harassed by the Ku Klux Klan and branded as troublemakers by white residents. After two Klan candidates won local elections in 1926, the Littles settled in Lansing, Michigan. Earl initially found work as a repairman, but as word of his involvement with the UNIA spread, his bosses forced him out of the company, causing him to turn to contracting jobs where he was paid under the table. To supplement their income, Louis sold homemade clothing. Following the birth of two more children, the Littles purchased a comfortable home just outside the city, despite Michigan law prohibiting Blacks from living in the house. Their neighbors successfully filed suit and convinced a judge to initiate eviction proceedings in August 1929.

Remi: 1:08:11

Just because they were black, they were being evicted.

Ashley: 1:08:13

Yeah, the law was blacks could own the home, but they couldn't actually live there.

Remi: 1:08:19

How does that make any fucking sense?

Ashley: 1:08:21

It doesn't. Three months later, while the suit was still pending, the Littles' family house exploded around 3.30 in the morning. While no one was hurt, the family lost nearly all their belongings. Since the fire department refused to respond to the call Without any evidence to support this theory, law enforcement accused Earl of torching his own home and arrested him. The case was dismissed in February 1930, but the ordeal irreparably destroyed his reputation. The Littles moved on to a six-acre lot in December 1929. The family was hit hard by the Great Depression and the financial burden resulted in frequent discord between Luis and Earl.

Ashley: 1:09:05

Following the birth of another son in 1931, earl ironed out a crop-sharing agreement to bring in extra cash for the large family. Since his contracting jobs and frequent UNIA meetings often pulled him away from the farm. The children were expected to rise early to work the fields. Every day they collected fruit and vegetables, gathered eggs from the chicken coop and milked the goats and cows. These products were then stored for consumption or sold roadside After morning. Farm paths were finished, the kids walked two miles to school, where they were the only Black students in their classes. Weekends were just as strenuous, as the children were expected to study UNIA lessons and drilled on Black history. As time allowed, earl brought Malcolm with him on proselytizing trips and UNIA meetings. This was what life was like for the little family until disaster struck on September 28, 1931. After dinner that evening, earl unexpectedly announced that he was going into town, despite Louise begging him to stay because she had a bad feeling. Around midnight a police car pulled into the driveway and told her Earl was at the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Ashley: 1:10:22

The account of what happened came from Earl himself and several bystanders. The count of what happened came from Earl himself and several bystanders. After finishing up in town, he missed the last trolley by seconds and started running to catch it. He jumped up to board, slipped and was pulled beneath the wheels, causing catastrophic injuries. His left leg was completely severed and most of his left side was crushed. He died shortly after Luis made it to the hospital. He was 41 and Malcolm was 6. Despite Earl and several bystanders providing clear accounts of what happened, rumors about his death swirled around town. Some speculated he committed suicide, while others believed he was murdered by the KKK. The latter theory is what Malcolm believed for the rest of his life, despite no evidence to confirm this and no group or individual accepting responsibility.

Remi: 1:11:14

What do you believe happened?

Ashley: 1:11:16

I think the account of him falling and slipping beneath the tracks, based on what I've read, is what happened. There's also no evidence that Luis believed the rumors about the KKK and in fact they are really what contributed to her mental decline. And the author of the book I read points out that if the KKK was responsible, it wouldn't explain why, by all accounts, Earl himself at the scene gave the same report of him slipping beneath the tracks and why no one ever accepted responsibility for the murder, when the KKK is a group that doesn't shy away from announcing the violence that they've inflicted.

Remi: 1:11:59

So Earl himself verified that this is what happened to him before dying.

Ashley: 1:12:05

Per the book I read. Yes, and none of Malcolm's brothers that the author spoke to believed that the KKK was involved.

Remi: 1:12:17

It was really just Malcolm X and the family who adopted that theory, and there was no sign that he had been bashed in the back of the head or anything like that.

Ashley: 1:12:23

No. Although Earl had a $10,000 life insurance policy, louise didn't see a single dime since the insurance company decided he committed suicide. As a single mother of seven without a stable source of income, the ever-cheerful Louise cracked under the pressure Over time. The farm lost all its animals and the crops withered away. The farm lost all its animals and the crops withered away, forcing the family to rely on edible weeds, roots, berries, herbs and dandelion greens for their meals, with little other choice.

Ashley: 1:12:55

Luis reluctantly signed up for government aid after FDR enacted a public assistance relief program in 1935. Enrollment in the program also meant the state assigned a social worker to monitor and randomly drop in on the family. This level of scrutiny caused Louise to become paranoid that the government and her friends were scheming to take her land. As Louise's mental health deteriorated, malcolm's oldest brother, wilfred, moved to Boston for work and mailed home most of his earnings each week, most of which never made it into Louise's pocket. You see, with little structure and supervision, malcolm and his brother Philbert began acting out by violating curfew, skipping school and stealing those weekly payments from their brother, all while Louise became increasingly despondent. In December 1938, she was declared legally insane and committed to Kalamazoo State Hospital. She remained in institutions for 25 years before she was finally released to the care of her family.

Ashley: 1:14:04

The tragic decline of the family's matriarch was an incredibly touchy subject for Malcolm. He stopped visiting his mother in 1952 and rarely spoke about her to anyone. 18-year-old Wilfred and 17-year-old Hilda tried to carry on as best they could, but social service agencies decided the youngest children needed adult care. The four youngest were sent to foster homes, but Malcolm and Fulbert were allowed to remain at home for now, since they were still essentially on their own. They started stealing whatever they could and befriended some local immigrants from Mexico who sold them marijuana seeds to plant on their homestead.

Ashley: 1:14:43

Malcolm's exploits drew attention from local authorities and resulted in him being declared a ward of the state in August 1939. He would go on to have three sets of foster parents, with the first being a white couple by the name of Jim and Lois Swirlin. Although nearly all of his interactions with white America were negative up until this point, malcolm formed a bond with the Swirlands. They genuinely cared about him but engaged in regular microaggressions that surely reminded Malcolm of their racial differences. Nonetheless, his time with the Swirlands did wonders for his adolescent development. He responded well to the structure, was hired at several places around town and excelled in school, both socially and academically. He even started to think about his future and confided in a white English teacher about his dream of becoming a lawyer. Instead of encouraging the blossoming student's ambitions, the trusted adult chastised him for having unrealistic expectations.

Remi: 1:15:45

This scene is in the film.

Ashley: 1:15:48

It sounded like this was a very, very big blow to him. Looking for a change of scenery, 15-year-old Malcolm convinced his oldest half-sister, ella, to let him stay with her in Boston during the summer of 1940. He was fascinated by the hustle and bustle of the big city, as it was the first time he saw people who looked like him, with money, fancy cars and expensive clothes. Shortly after the summer trip came to an end, ella successfully petitioned the court for guardianship. Malcolm's arrival in Boston wasn't exactly the fresh start Ella hoped for. She tried to steer him towards respectable paths, but he gravitated to Boston's nightlife, the pool halls, jazz club and places hustlers thrived. Now, if you've read the autobiography of Malcolm X or seen the movie, you for sure remember his friend Shorty, portrayed by Spike Lee in the film.

Remi: 1:16:42

This is the character I had questions about, because I did not know if this was a real person or a combination of real people into one person, because all he's listed, as is Shorty.

Ashley: 1:16:53

Well, in reality, shorty wasn't just one person, but a composite character based mostly on a man named Malcolm Jarvis, a jazz trumpeter who became one of Malcolm's closest friends. A jazz trumpeter who became one of Malcolm's closest friends. Alongside Jarvis were his older half-brother, earl Little Jr, and Ella's husband, kenneth Collins. Side note here all three of these men were in their 20s, so they were significantly older than Malcolm was at the time.

Remi: 1:17:20

How old was Malcolm at the time?

Ashley: 1:17:23

no-transcript. With their influence, he landed a shoeshine job at the Roseland Ballroom, a whites-only dance venue where black workers were allowed at the back. In between shines, malcolm developed a side hustle of connecting white patrons to black sex workers, essentially acting as a surrogate pimp and earning a reputation in the city's illicit circuits. Malcolm started bouncing between the menial jobs he left Michigan to avoid and hustling at night. He lied about his age and got work on the New Haven Railroad, which gave him the opportunity to explore Washington DC and New York City. He fell hard for Harlem, drawn by its 90% Black population, nightlife and music culture. During the next two years he moved between Harlem and Boston, occasionally laying low in Michigan when things got too hot in the city thanks to his hustle as a quasi-pimp, petty thief and cocaine and marijuana dealer.

Ashley: 1:18:25

After he was fired from the railroad in the fall of 1942, he was hired as a waiter at a dance club where he was introduced to gambling and started to meet big-name pimps who taught him how to scope out women at the club who may be interested in sex work. His extracurricular exploits resulted in him being fired. After he offered an undercover military police officer the services of one of his female acquaintances. Malcolm got his draft notice shortly after his 18th birthday. To avoid deployment, he loudly announced his desire to join the Japanese army, along with his full name and order number whenever he spotted anyone he suspected was an undercover military officer. While speaking to a psychiatrist during his medical examination seven weeks later, he went on and on about how he hoped he would be stationed in the South so he could organize black soldiers, steal an arsenal of weapons and kill as many white people as he could.

Remi: 1:19:28

Was he trying to get kicked out of the?

Ashley: 1:19:30

military. He was trying to get disqualified from having to join, and his tactics paid off. He was formally rejected from the army in October 1943 due to quote psychopathic personality and sexual perversion. I don't know where the sexual perversion part comes into play here. Back in Boston, malcolm lived with Jarvis and increasingly relied on his long-term girlfriend, beatrice Cargillan, known as Sophia in the film and his autobiography. They dated for about four years, even after she married and despite the exploitative and sometimes violent nature of their relationship.

Remi: 1:20:15

The film mentions that she was engaged and then there's kind of no follow-up from there. So I just assumed she wasn't ever married. But she got married and continued the relationship.

Ashley: 1:20:26

Malcolm had a lot of overlapping girlfriends during this time in his life, but Beatrice was one that persisted throughout pretty much the entire time he was in Boston and during this time he continued to make occasional trips to Harlem to stock up on drugs and attend Billie Holiday concerts, as the two met years prior and developed a friendship, which is why we included a Billy Holiday song as my intro.

Remi: 1:20:54

She was his favorite artist, by all accounts.

Ashley: 1:20:57

In the fall of 1945, malcolm organized a crew to carry out his latest venture, a burglary ring. The group consisted of Jarvis, three other men with contacts in wealthy communities, beatrice, her sister and another woman To execute their burglary plan. The girls served as scouts by casing out the rich targets by posing as pollsters or saleswomen. They reported back any valuables they spotted and the men did the actual breaking and entering. The loot was stored in Jarvis' apartment and another residence rented by Beatrice served as the operation's home base. The crew committed close to a dozen burglaries in under two weeks, all of which went off without a hitch. Short on cash.

Ashley: 1:21:45

One day Malcolm pawned a wedding ring, not realizing it was reported as stolen. He and his accomplices were arrested after he went back to retrieve it. The case resulted in two trials in February and April 1946. The three women testified against Malcolm and Jarvis, claiming they were forced to participate. They were all sentenced to probation, while Malcolm and Jarvis were hit with 8-10 years with parole eligibility in 5 and a half, I think Beatrice got like 9 months, but the other two got probation. 20-year-old Malcolm was booked into Charleston State Prison on February 27, 1946. He immediately started smuggling pills, cigarettes and marijuana and staged sit-ins in prison workshops whenever something upset him. It wasn't until he met John Brembe, referred to as Bambi in his autobiography, that he started to settle down a bit. Brembe inspired Malcolm to pursue his education and read everything he could get his hands on.

Remi: 1:22:49

So this would be the character of Baines in the film.

Ashley: 1:22:52

Yes, that's what I took it as, but, as we're about to see, baines had a little less influence on Malcolm's draw to the Nation of Islam than it is portrayed in the film. Along with Bembe, malcolm met a Muslim man from India through Jarvis. Although he wasn't immediately drawn to the religion, his desire to improve his relationship with his family would soon set him down the path towards enlightenment. Earl and Louise's involvement in the UNIA introduced the little children to secular teachings, but it was Wilfred who stumbled upon the Nation of Islam, which I'm going to refer to as the NOI from here on out. While working as a delivery driver in 1946, an employee asked Wilfred if he was Muslim because he didn't smoke or drink and encouraged blacks to not accept mistreatment from the white community. Interested in learning more about Islam, he stumbled upon the NOI and attended his first meeting in Detroit soon after.

Ashley: 1:23:55

The Nation of Islam is an Islamic and Black nationalist movement founded in Detroit by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930. It differs significantly from mainstream Islamic beliefs and many Muslims don't consider it to be an offshoot of the religion. In essence, the NOI advocates for the social, economic and political independence of African Americans. Through the Uplift program, black Americans were encouraged to fight for justice by rejecting white society and seeking their own separate state. They were also discouraged from voting, attending public school and serving in the military. At the time, the NOI viewed whites as a biologically inferior, satanic race of blue-eyed devils and opposed racial integration. Similar to Islam, members are expected to live disciplined lives by adhering to strict dress codes, dietary requirements and patriarchal gender roles. After Fard Muhammad disappeared in 1934, elijah Muhammad assumed leadership, expanded the NOI's teachings and built the group's business empire.

Remi: 1:25:07

Was Elijah related to him?

Ashley: 1:25:10

I don't think they were related.

Remi: 1:25:12

So he was just a protege or something like that.

Ashley: 1:25:15

Yeah, that was my takeaway and I'm not really going to mention Fard Muhammad from here on out. So when I'm just saying Muhammad, I'm talking about Elijah. If I'm talking about Fard, I'll say his first name. After he took over, elijah, muhammad also declared that Fard Muhammad was the latest Allah, meaning Elijah himself was Allah's messenger. Fun fact Muhammad Ali was another high profile member of the NOI in the 60s and 70s. There's actually a short description in the book which is really sad. It was when Malcolm, years after he left the NOI, I think he was traveling back from Mecca and he's in the airport and he sees Muhammad Ali and they knew each other and he said hi and Muhammad Ali completely ignored him and Malcolm X was assassinated within the year, and it's something that Muhammad Ali deeply regretted.

Ashley: 1:26:12

After attending a few NOI meetings in Detroit, wilfred was invited to Chicago and met Elijah Muhammad. Impressed by the man and his program, he set out to help the group attract more members. As he became more involved, he brought his brothers into the organization and eventually became the minister of Detroit Temple no 1, which is the founding temple of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm was slowly introduced to the NOI through letters from his younger brother Reginald, Initially wanting to impress him. He gave up smoking and pork and grew out his beard. He gave up smoking and pork and grew out his beard. He started receiving printed materials from his siblings about Muhammad and his teachings, leading him to begin advocating for Muslim rights in prison, such as food that met dietary restrictions and cells facing east to facilitate prayer. He also continued his quest for knowledge and even joined a debate team that faced off against students from MIT, harvard and Yale. His advocacy was unwelcome to prison officials and drew attention from the FBI after he wrote a letter to President Truman opposing the Korean War in June 1950. He signed the letter.

Ashley: 1:27:25

Malcolm X Little Malcolm moved to Detroit after he was paroled in August 1952. He regularly accompanied Wilfred to Chicago to hear Muhammad preach and became the assistant minister at the founding temple in Detroit a year later. The public speaking and debate skills he learned in prison drew people to his every word. After he started working for the NOI full time, he was assigned to revive temples in Boston, philadelphia and finally Harlem. His regional temples were the fastest growing and biggest money makers for the nation, which impressed Muhammad but left other ministers green with envy. The dramatic growth of the NOI also alarmed the FBI director, j Edgar Hoover, who viewed the nation as a hate group and set his sights on infiltration and disruption by at least 1957,. He regularly surveilled Malcolm, developed sources inside the temples and even had undercover agents join so he could keep close tabs on the group Malcolm X and other prominent civil rights leaders of the time.

Remi: 1:28:38

J Edgar was having so many random people trailed at the time. I know Ernest Hemingway was trailed by J Edgar Hoover's FBI agents and nobody believed him at the time.

Ashley: 1:28:51

From what I've heard about J Edgar. I don't know a lot about him, but it sounds like he was just so afraid of anyone who could potentially disrupt or cause unrest in America and put his sights on silencing anyone, really no matter who they were.

Remi: 1:29:12

He was known as a very paranoid person in general.

Ashley: 1:29:16

Come 1955, malcolm's success in the NOI resulted in him setting his sights on opening his own temple in Hartford, connecticut, and expanding the one he had in Harlem. One approach he took does somewhat resemble cult-like indoctrination In Harlem. He rented out floors of apartment buildings and persuaded single male members to live under a semi-communal system. Members were instructed to withdraw from non-Muslim life after work hours and adhere to strict standards of diet, dress and socialization. They were expected to police their brothers, pray five times a day, study the Quran together, abstain from smoking and drinking and only eat a single meal, primarily consisting of fish, rice, beans and milk. Remy, that sounds like your nightmare.

Remi: 1:30:10

The diet portion I would not be able to handle this no.

Ashley: 1:30:15

During his frequent unannounced visits, malcolm discussed Black history, slavery and the early life of Muhammad. During his lectures and speaking appearances, he called for resistance to racism, segregation and integration. He often pointed his followers to statistics and historical data on job, educational and housing disparities, while arguing that there was never a time when whites were anything other than evil to those of African descent. He rebuked nonviolent pro-integration civil rights groups, instead arguing that the solution to segregation wasn't to integrate with white culture, but to separate and counter-reject it. Doing so would reverse the ingrained sense of racial inferiority and self-loathing Malcolm believed was instilled in his community by white America his community by white America.

Malcolm X: 1:31:15

We are oppressed, we are exploited, we are downtrodden. We are denied not only civil rights but even human rights. So the only way we're going to get some of this oppression and exploitation away from us or aside from us is come together against a common enemy. Who taught you to hate the texture of your hair? Who taught you to hate the color of your skin to such extent that you bleach to get like the white man? Who taught you to hate the shape of your nose and the shape of your lips? Who taught you to hate yourself from the top of your head to the soles of your nose and the shape of your lips? Who taught you to hate yourself from the top of your head to the soles of your feet? Who taught you to hate your own kind? Who taught you to hate the race that you belong to, so much so that you don't want to be around each other?

Ashley: 1:32:03

While Malcolm didn't advocate for violence per se, he left it on the table by saying the Quran allowed for self-defense when it came to defending yourself. Your left it on the table by saying the Quran allowed for self-defense when it came to defending yourself, your family and the Muslim religion. By the end of 1956, the NOI had 49 temples in 21 states and 1,500 followers, largely due to Malcolm's organizing efforts in the East and Jeremiah X's leadership in the South.

Malcolm X: 1:32:30

As I previously stated, people were drawn to him because he was such a convincing speaker and many left his lecturers feeling proud to be Black for the first time in their lives, and it will never be stopped until we stop it ourselves. They attacked the victim and then the criminal who attacked the victim accuses the victim of attacking him. This is American justice, this is American democracy, and those of you who are familiar with it know that in America, democracy is hypocrisy. Now, if I'm wrong, put me in jail, but if you can't prove that a democracy is not hypocrisy, then don't put your hands on me.

Remi: 1:33:21

Whenever he's doing any of these speeches to rooms full of people, it's as if he's talking to a person one-on-one. It is remarkable. He is a brilliant public speaker.

Ashley: 1:33:34

I think it really is, because by all accounts he was a very charismatic and captivating person throughout his entire life, even as a child. And then also, there's no way the debating skills that he practiced in prison didn't have an influence on his ability to just deliver public speeches with such ease. Although only men were allowed to reside in temple communal living spaces, women flocked to hear the charismatic speaker, including Betty Dean Sanders. She grew up in Detroit and moved to New York to study nursing. After graduating from Alabama's Tuskegee Institute, she was drawn to NOI teachings after experiencing racism in the workplace. As she noticed, black nurses were given less attractive assignments and treated worse by patients compared to their white counterparts. After meeting Malcolm a few times, she started attending all of his lectures and formally converted in mid-1956. Although Betty suspected Malcolm was interested in marriage, their courtship was far from conventional Because one-on-one dating was contrary to NOI teachings. All their dates were shared with dozens of other members. Per his brother, malcolm showed Wilfred two pictures of women he was thinking about marrying in January 1958. That same day he called Betty, proposed, and the two were married on January 14th. They would go on to have six daughters, including a set of twins born seven months after his assassination, daughters, including a set of twins, born seven months after his assassination.

Ashley: 1:35:13

In the fall of 1960, malcolm traveled to Georgia to record a lecture for Mr Muhammad Speaks, a half-hour weekly radio show airing in several cities across the South. Attendance at this meeting quadrupled thanks to his appearance. Soon after Jeremiah X, the leader of the Atlanta Temple, received a telegram from the KKK requesting a meeting between the two groups. Since they had a lot in common. Muhammad summoned Malcolm and Jeremiah to Chicago to discuss the proposal. He viewed the telegram as an olive branch and thought the two groups could work together, as they both opposed the civil rights quest towards integration.

Ashley: 1:35:48

And thought the two groups could work together as they both opposed the civil rights quest towards integration, he instructed the men to pitch to the Klan that white America owed blacks an allotment of land as partial payment for centuries of slavery and Jim Crow exploitation. Although both groups believed whites and blacks weren't meant to coexist, malcolm was tasked with stressing that the NOI wanted separation, not segregation, and convincing the KKK to help them acquire land. If this couldn't be done, muhammad wanted the Klan to at least promise that they wouldn't stop the NOI from purchasing land through other means and bargain for safe movement in the South. Although Malcolm agreed to co-head this meeting, he did so reluctantly, since he still believed the Klan murdered his father and viewed any pact as an unholy alliance.

Remi: 1:36:39

Yeah, don't ever make an agreement with the KKK.

Ashley: 1:36:43

A 10-car brigade with dozens of Klan members pulled into Jeremiah X's driveway on January 28, 1961.

Ashley: 1:36:52

The two-hour meeting kicked off with Malcolm summarizing the nation's doctrine, emphasizing their quest for complete separation of blacks and whites, implying that a race war was imminent if a plot of land wasn't acquired and requesting the clan's help to gain a county to build their empire. Ws Fellows was the clan's spokesman. During the meeting. He praised the NOI for realizing the quote evils of race mixing and suggested the group operate as something akin to a black franchise of the broader clan movement so they could work together to stop integration. Unable to help himself, malcolm taunted Fellows by asking if NOI members would get their own set of robes and got him to agree to use the code 666 for future contacts. Towards the end of the meeting, he asked why the Klan sent the telegram in the first place and the answer dramatically shifted the atmosphere in the room. Fellow's rage was palpable as he spoke about Martin Luther King Jr's growing influence in the South and asked Malcolm to help them track his movements. Wrongfully believing, malcolm also viewed the civil rights leader as an enemy.

Remi: 1:38:09

So they wanted to use him to get to MLK.

Ashley: 1:38:13

Yeah, that's what they implied. As this meeting with the Klan is not mentioned in Malcolm's autobiography, which explains why it was not in the film, the whole ordeal likely caused him great shame and embarrassment. Caused him great shame and embarrassment. Muhammad also seemed to pick up on his apprehension, as Jeremiah X was tasked with all future Klan correspondence.

Ashley: 1:38:37

The Klan meeting opened Malcolm's eyes into who Muhammad really was. He started to secretly doubt his leader, the man he viewed as a surrogate father and as close to divine as someone could be. Realizing that, muhammad was willing to overlook the mounting terror the KKK was inflicting on the Black population, he distanced himself from the leader's inner circle, something that didn't go unnoticed. Muhammad banned Malcolm from stepping foot in the South and instructed high-profile members, including Jeremiah X, to break off all contact. Despite the growing rift between the two, malcolm continued his work for the NOI, as he was essentially the face of the group and a highly sought-out speaker, although he was often compared to MLK. He routinely lambasted prominent civil rights leaders, as well as black celebrities with white spouses, by calling them race traitors whose advice should be ignored. Despite their service differences, mlk and Malcolm X were similar in the ways that mattered their advocacy for equal treatment between the races.

Remi: 1:39:44

Did the two ever meet?

Ashley: 1:39:45

There's photos of them. Yeah, they did. And once Malcolm leaves the nation, he starts attending civil rights rallies where Martin Luther King Jr would have also been in attendance. While King dedicated his life to ending white's false sense of authority, malcolm worked to help blacks overcome their false sense of inferiority. Their differing viewpoints meant each Black American found something they connected with and wanted to fight for. His wife, betty, further summarized his message in a 1992 interview.

Betty Shabazz: 1:40:19

His message to a lot of people who had lost hope was nationalistic, and he didn't want them to stay there but to be jarred into the realization that they had a past before slavery, that they had a responsibility now and that no one was going to give them anything, even freedom. They had to fight for it and they had to struggle for it anything, even freedom.

Ashley: 1:40:50

They had to fight for it and they had to struggle for it. The secret Klan meeting was the first major event to draw Malcolm away from the NOI, but it wasn't the deciding factor. In mid-1962, two LA police officers were determined to have committed justifiable homicide in the shooting of several NOI members, which resulted in the death of one of Malcolm's friends. He begged Muhammad to direct action to the officers by obtaining their addresses and tracking their movements. Muhammad responded to this request by ordering Malcolm to refrain from anything that would give off the aura of retaliation, a move Malcolm viewed as indifferent and cowardly. The following year, muhammad announced that his son, wallace, was selected to succeed him as leader of the NOI when the time came. This was an interesting choice, since Wallace had not embraced his father's teachings. In February 1963, malcolm met with Wallace to seek answers about rumors about Muhammad's philandering ways, including speculation that he slept with multiple secretaries and sent them to isolation when they became pregnant. Wallace confirmed these rumors and went further by saying something Malcolm had begun to suspect Muhammad wasn't a messenger of God at all and Fard Muhammad was not Allah. The final straw came after Malcolm was issued a three-month suspension from the NOI when he violated Muhammad's orders by speaking about JFK's assassination, he publicly announced his departure in March 1964.

Ashley: 1:42:28

Within days of the split, malcolm and some of his loyal followers established a new group called Muslim Mosque, incorporated and made plans for a second called the Organization of Afro-American Unity, which I'm going to refer to as OAU. The goal of the OAU was to unite Black Americans and Africans and reframe racial inequality as not just a US civil rights issue but a violation of international human rights. During his three months suspension from the NOI, malcolm attended Friday prayer sessions at the Islamic Cultural Center Mosque in Manhattan. While there, he was introduced to Sunni Islam, the predominant form of the religion nationwide. With the encouragement of Orthodox Muslims and his sister Ella, who converted to Islam after she left the NOI in 1959, he decided to visit Mecca in April 1964. In Mecca, malcolm met light-skinned Muslims and started to realize that perhaps all white people weren't the blue-eyed devils Muhammad claimed them to be. Through continued interactions and teachings from Muslim leaders, he decided to give white America a chance to show him that perhaps it was possible for blacks and whites to live in unity.

Malcolm X: 1:43:56

When I went to Mecca, I was faced with this decision. I was faced with the decision of believing what Elijah Muhammad had taught me and using the criteria of judgment the color of the skin, or I had to accept Islam as it was taught in the Muslim world, which doesn't use color of the skin, or I had to accept Islam as it was taught in the Muslim world, which doesn't use color of the skin as the criteria. Rather, in the Muslim world, in the religion of Islam, you judge a man by his behavior, by his conscious behavior, by his intentions.

Ashley: 1:44:24

Following several weeks in Mecca, Malcolm flew to Ghana to speak about plans for his organizations and what he learned during his holy journey. During the week he was home in May 1964, he spoke publicly about his split from the NOI for the first time, Although he was previously hesitant to speak against the organization. He started unloading his qualms about Muhammad's philandering and fraudulent ways during every speech and media appearance, causing his relationship with the leader to reach a boiling point same God that I believed in.

Malcolm X: 1:44:58

I believed in Elijah Muhammad stronger than he believed in himself. I believed in his God more than he did, and I was not aware of this until I found he was confronted with a crisis in his own personal moral life and he did not stand up as a man. Anybody can make a moral mistake, but when they have to lie about it and will be willing to see that murder is committed to cover up their mistake, not only are they not divine, they're not even a man.

Ashley: 1:45:34

From July to November 1964, Malcolm traveled to the Middle East and Africa with two goals in mind. The first was to strengthen his credentials as an Orthodox American Muslim, and the second was to lobby national leaders in his effort to get the United Nations to charge the United States with human rights violations. After returning from Africa for the last time in November 1964, he kept up a heavy speaking schedule around the United States that included appearances at civil rights protests.

Malcolm X: 1:46:08

One of the first things that the independent African nations did was to form an organization called the Organization of African Unity. The purpose of our organization of Afro-American Unity, which has the same aim and objective to fight whoever gets in our way, to bring about the complete independence of people of African descent here in the Western Hemisphere, and first here in the United States, and bring about the freedom of these people by any means necessary.

Ashley: 1:46:54

Malcolm's busy travel schedule had its downsides. His group started to fracture with the lack of leadership, but the main concern was for his safety. Harassment from the NOI began as soon as he announced he was leaving. Captain Joseph, a prominent member of the Harlem Temple, ordered a team of men to harass Malcolm and his wife through non-stop threatening phone calls.

Remi: 1:47:18

This was also depicted in the film.

Ashley: 1:47:21

They also drove by OAU gatherings in an attempt to intimidate Malcolm's followers to leave the emerging organization. When these subtle tactics proved unsuccessful, captain Joseph ordered one of his followers to rig Malcolm's car with explosives. After berating Captain Joseph for his failed attempts to silence Malcolm, muhammad turned to a secret weapon, james Shabazz, the minister of the Newark Temple. James had always envied Malcolm because he lacked the charisma that came naturally to Malcolm and was outshined by Malcolm's efforts to grow the NOI. Years prior, newark was already known for being an ultra-violent temple and, under Muhammad's orders, once Malcolm became more vocal about what he knew about the NOI, shabazz began stockpiling even more weapons and sent out his trusted disciples to kill the traitor. Several attempts were made on Malcolm's life from November 1964 to January 1965, but he was able to get away with the help of security, a heavy police presence or his own evasive actions. These thwarted attempts led Muhammad to set an absolute deadline for the assassination February 26, 1965. This day had personal significance, as it is Savior's Day, a celebration to commemorate the birth of founder Wallace Fard Muhammad.

Ashley: 1:48:53

Malcolm had two speaking arrangements at the Audubon Ballroom in February 1965. On February 14th, the night before his first talk, captain Joseph sent two arsonists to throw Molotov cocktails through the windows of his home in Queens, something he didn't admit to doing until his death in 1993. Aware of the constant danger, he was, in Malcolm's inner circle, pleaded with him to step up security, but he vehemently opposed the suggestion. He prohibited his minimal security staff from carrying weapons and conducting body searches, as he thought those tactics too closely resembled the harassment Black Americans faced for years, would turn away the younger Muslim crowd and created an atmosphere of danger. Instead, he hoped refusing to openly fight the NOI would be enough to diffuse the situation.

Remi: 1:49:49

He also does this in the film as well.

Ashley: 1:49:52

Even though his house was bombed the night before. Malcolm spoke at the Audubon as scheduled. In his speech, he accused the NOI of using KKK tactics to prevent him from exposing who Muhammad really was and the relationship Muhammad developed with the Klan. He detailed how the NOI was violent towards Black Americans and avoided involvement with the civil rights movement, insinuating they wouldn't do anything to harm white societal interests. He also shared details about the previous attempts on his life and how Muhammad was willing to do anything to silence him. He ended with a promise to provide more information about what he knew, including revealing names of the worst NOI perpetrators, during his subsequent speech.

Malcolm X: 1:50:39

The only thing that I regret in all of this is that two black groups have to fight and kill each other off. Elijah Muhammad could stop the whole thing tomorrow just by raising his hand. Really he could. He could stop the whole thing by raising his hand, but he won't. He doesn't love black people. He doesn't even love his own followers, proof of which they're killing each other. They killed one in the browns, they shot another one in the browns. They tried to get six of us Sunday morning and the pattern has developed across the country.

Ashley: 1:51:16

The man has gone insane 500 people and only six security guards attended this event. One of the guards was undercover New York City police officer, gene Roberts Roberts joined the force after he was discharged from the Navy and was immediately assigned to Harlem to infiltrate Malcolm's organizations. His unit officer reported directly to Hoover, who had become more interested in Malcolm since his split with the NOI. Since Hoover had undercover eyes within the nation, he was well aware of the danger Malcolm faced. In fact, immediately after Malcolm's talk on February 15th, roberts told his commander about an odd interaction involving two men he was sure were NOI members. He was concerned the brief disruption was a dress rehearsal for something more sinister. The NYPD responded by reducing the uniformed police presence outside of the Audubon. The following week Malcolm, along with the pregnant Betty and their four daughters, arrived at the Audubon shortly before his talk was scheduled to start at 2 o'clock on February 21, 1965. Carefully situated throughout the theater were three armed men with the NOI Newark Temple, along with several others tasked with creating a distraction. As soon as Malcolm took the stage and greeted the audience, two men four rows back stood up and began yelling at each other, while another threw a smoke bomb in the back to draw security away from the stage. While Malcolm was trying to encourage the arguing duo to take their seats, william Bradley charged the stage and fired 7-10 rounds from a sawed-off shotgun straight into Malcolm's chest. Travis Heyer and Leon Davis, both armed with pistols, jumped on stage and shot him several more times in the leg. As planned, the gunmen dropped their weapons and used the crowd and chaos to make their getaway, but Hare, the youngest and least experienced assassin, was separated from the group after Robert shot him before he rushed to the stage to render CPR to a barely breathing Malcolm. After realizing Hare was one of the gunmen, malcolm's supporters surrounded him, leading to his apprehension. The other men successfully escaped Chicago. The hit on Malcolm X wasn't mentioned again until 1998, when Jeremiah X confirmed that Mohammed ordered it. Emergency responders took a suspiciously long time to arrive at the ballroom to transfer 39-year-old Malcolm to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. More than 20,000 people filed past his casket to pay their respects before he was laid to rest on February 27th.

Ashley: 1:54:05

The investigation into his murder was left up to the agencies who despised him. The task was further complicated by the long-standing secret of the FBI's illegal surveillance of him, including the fact that they had knowledge of the unfolding plot thanks to undercover sources. Ultimately, three men were tried and convicted of the murder of Malcolm X Thomas Hare and two members of the Harlan Temple who harassed him but were not involved in his assassination Norman Butler and Thomas Johnson. Gene Roberts, the undercover security guard, wasn't called to testify, even though he had key information about the crime, including his ability to positively identify Hare and clear Butler and Johnson. Instead, he was chastised for giving Malcolm CPR at the scene, but did continue his career as an undercover spy for other Black nationalist groups in New York, including the Black Panthers. Despite the three suspects being sentenced to life in prison, hare was the only person with direct involvement who ever faced prosecution. All three were released in the mid-1980s, but it wasn't until 2021 when Butler and Johnson were formally exonerated after it was determined that the FBI and NYPD withheld key evidence during their trials.

Ashley: 1:55:28

Malcolm's half-sister, ella, assumed control of the OAU after Malcolm's death, but the organization soon disbanded without his leadership. Betty gave birth to twin girls seven months after her husband's murder, with the help of friends and allies. The single mother of six earned her PhD in educational administration from the University of Massachusetts, amherst, and worked as an administrator at Medgar Evers College. That is insanely impressive. I can't imagine going through grad school with one kid, much less six.

Ashley: 1:56:05

She continued her advocacy throughout the 70s and 80s by serving on the American Revolution Bicentennial Council and the Advisory Committee for the US Department of Health and Human Services. She also became active in the NAACP. She took in her 10-year-old grandson, malcolm, after her daughter Kubela was arrested in 1995 for allegedly conspiring to murder Louis Fargon, the then leader of the NOI. She accepted a plea bargain involving mandated counseling and substance use treatment. On June 1, 1997, betty's grandson set fire to her home. She had five skin graft surgeries to treat the third-degree burns that covered 80% of her body, but sadly died three weeks later at the age of 63. She is buried next to Malcolm at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsfield, new York. Her grandson was sentenced to 18 months in juvenile detention for manslaughter and arson.

Remi: 1:57:04

What a truly tragic end for Betty, a truly tragic end for Betty.

Ashley: 1:57:10

The Nation of Islam continued under Muhammad's leadership until he died in 1975 at the age of 72. As promised, leadership passed to his son, wallace, who over the next few years transformed the organization into Orthodox Sunni Islamic Group, later named the American Society of Muslims. He spoke against his father's teachings, rejected the idea that Fard Muhammad was Allah and his father a prophet, invited whites to join and honored Malcolm by turning Harlem Temple no 7 into the Malcolm Shabazz Mosque. Malcolm X is described as one of the most influential African Americans in history. Malcolm X is described as one of the most influential African Americans in history. He is credited with rising the self-esteem of Black Americans and reconnecting them to their African heritage. After his death, many Black activists based their organizations on his teachings.

Ashley: 1:58:01

The Black Power Movement and Black Arts Movement directly traced their roots to Malcolm X. His message has also been adopted by youth groups fighting their own struggles across the world, like the Arab European League in Belgium and the natives of the Republic Party in France. His first childhood home in Omaha and the residence he shared with Ella in Boston are on the National Register of Historic Places. Cities across the country have dedicated memorials, educational centers and charter schools to his and Betty's memory. Some cities even declared his birthday Malcolm X Day. His influence has also seeped into popular culture, thanks largely to Spike Lee's film and hip-hop artists, who adopted him as a cultural icon in the early 90s. Marvel comic writer Chris Claremont has confirmed that Malcolm X was the inspiration behind Magneto and MLK, for Professor X in X-Men. He was also the inspiration for Eric Killmonger, michael B Jordan's character in Black Panther, and that is the true story of Spike Lee's Malcolm X.

Remi: 1:59:08

Wow, what a truly fascinating, tragic, remarkable story of this civil rights leader's life. I just want to point out again that the film is based on his autobiography, but the similarities between the film and his real life are really undeniable and again, I'll save a lot of this for my verdict section. But I do think a lot of this was very accurately depicted in the film.

Ashley: 1:59:38

I think something that really stuck out to me reading the last, third or fourth of this book is when I did the math he was assassinated less than one year after he left the Nation of Islam. He formally announced his departure in March 1964 and was killed by the end of February 1965. He achieved so much in such a short amount of time. I can't even begin to fathom what his life would have been like if it wasn't cut short far, far, far too soon.

Remi: 2:00:11

How old was he when he was assassinated? 39. You can't help but wonder what he would have done from that point forward. It seems like he really did start thinking differently towards the end, and it would have been interesting to see where he would have gone in life from that point forward well, with that keeping an eye on time, let's just dive right into our objection of the week, shall we? Your honor. I object. And why is that miscreant?

Remi: 2:00:44

because it's devastating to my case overruled good call I will kick things off this week with our season finale objection. Just reiterating our objection is based on the most superfluous change made from true story to cinematic adaptation, and I had a few this week. One might not qualify because it had to do with his siblings. It seems like Malcolm's siblings had a greater influence on him than the film depicted. In the film they are separated once Malcolm is sent to the foster home and they're never really mentioned again. However, in real life his brother influenced his interest in the nation of Islam to begin with, and his sister was one of the reasons that he traveled to Mecca in real life. However, I think that might be too big for this specific category.

Ashley: 2:01:43

Two things I do agree it's too big and Ella not only influenced him going to Mecca, she financed that trip.

Remi: 2:01:50

So to qualify within the grounds of the most meaningless change, I'm going with the fact that when Malcolm met Betty in the film she was teaching Muslim women hygiene and proper diet, while in reality she had been a nurse who converted to the nation due to Malcolm's influence. So I'm going with that one she was a nurse as opposed to a teacher.

Ashley: 2:02:18

That's a good one too, and that's kind of a change. I really don't understand why it was made it kind of like downgrades her a bit.

Remi: 2:02:26

It fits perfectly into this category. Why change that? It really doesn't make any sense in my mind.

Ashley: 2:02:34

What I picked was I believe you said earlier that Louise Little had five kids when she was hospitalized. In reality, she had eight.

Remi: 2:02:42

This is a common change though, so I don't know I might fight you on this one, because a lot of movies downplay the amount of children that people really have and even if they show that they have children, they're really in the background and, honestly, the focus of this film was not at all on the kids and they were primarily in the background. So I don't know, I think that's kind of a cheap victory, but I'll give it to you, why not?

Ashley: 2:03:09

Well, another one I had dealing with, betty, was the fact that they depicted them going on one-on-one dates when in reality that was banned in the nation, so all their dates were with other people.

Remi: 2:03:21

I think mine wins in this. I'm debating you. I think that the changes to Betty and Malcolm's original meeting qualifies for this. I think the children thing that's done in so many movies. I'm going with the Betty one.

Ashley: 2:03:35

I'm going to disagree. So, listeners, let us know who you think wins the objection.

Remi: 2:03:41

And that brings us to the final portion of our season finale, our verdict.

Narrator: 2:03:49

At the conclusion of each episode, our hosts will deliver a verdict based on the film's accuracy. If the film is an honest portrayal of the events, then it will earn a not guilty verdict. If the adaptation is mostly factual but creative liberties were taken for the sake of entertainment, the film will be declared a mistrial. But if the film ultimately strays too far from the truth, then film will be declared a mistrial. But if the film ultimately strays too far from the truth, then it will be condemned as guilty and sentenced to a life behind bars.

Ashley: 2:04:17

Okay, since you went first with the objection, that means I'm up first for the verdict and I'm going to preface this by saying the movie is based on the autobiography of Malcolm X.

Ashley: 2:04:28

So I am going to and I believe, remy, you're taking the same approach we're going to compare it to not only the story I just told, but I did mention when there were changes from the autobiography to what the Paynes wrote in their latest book, the big one, obviously, being the KKK meeting meeting and also how it's depicted of the KKK killing Malcolm's father, because those were, one, what he believed at the time and two, obviously, something he was ashamed about, which I'm sure we'll get into that more in a second.

Ashley: 2:05:02

But with that being said, I have vacillated between not guilty and mistrial. I think the biggest change is something you pointed out, which was that it was really his brothers who introduced him to the NOI, not an inmate in prison. But other than that, all of the changes that I heard were pretty minimal. Like Malcolm and Betty didn't have one-on-one dates, malcolm really wasn't bullied in school, he was actually very popular and well liked, and just little things like that. So, with the biggest changes being so minor, with the exception of one or two of them. I guess I'm going to give Spike Lee a not guilty.

Remi: 2:05:43

And I am right there with you. It's nice to have two not guilty verdicts for our season four finale. The changes made from the true story to the film, in my opinion, were made to streamline everything. Malcolm dealt with a lot of different people and a lot of different situations. He traveled a lot, so a lot of it I can understand for economic purposes and, as you mentioned previously, the film is based on Malcolm's autobiography and he clearly changed certain aspects or omitted certain things, especially the KKK situation, which is completely understandable. I think it's a situation that Malcolm is ashamed he even did in the first place. I think it's a situation that Malcolm is ashamed he even did in the first place. I think it's something he did under duress. He did not seem like someone who would ever want to be in a discussion with members of the KKK, so it is understandable why that would not be included in his autobiography. It's something he was ashamed of.

Ashley: 2:06:48

And I don't want listeners to get the message that I'm saying Malcolm X's autobiography is false and fabricated. It's really not, really. The only two changes that were mentioned in the book I read was the omission of the KKK meeting and framing his father's death as a K clan attack, which is what he truly believed, and I agree with you. I think he left out the fact that he was involved with that clan meeting because it was something that went against his core values and something that he deeply felt ashamed of for doing.

Remi: 2:07:25

He was a man of principles and I think in that situation he compromised his values because Elijah Muhammad wanted him to do so and he trusted Elijah and I do believe he was a fully devoted, 100% supporter, believer in this cause and he just slowly realized that this man he was following was a charlatan. I can point out two other random differences, again the omission of the siblings throughout the story. But primarily, it seems like any change made was for streamlined purposes and because it was based on Malcolm's own autobiography. So I too give Spike Lee's Malcolm X a not guilty verdict.

Ashley: 2:08:10

Well, that concludes season four of Criminal Adaptations. I rest my case. You rest your case what?

Spike Lee: 2:08:18

Oh no, I thought that was just a figure of speech. Case closed.

Remi: 2:08:31

I am so happy that we ended on a not guilty verdict, because this season we had so few of them. It has been a wild ride. We have covered such a wide variety of movies and true stories this season, but next season we are going full force. Still, we are covering a Leonardo DiCaprio movie. Catch Me If you Can. We are also covering our very first foreign film from the director of Parasite, as well as a lot of other films.

Ashley: 2:08:54

Including our first Meryl Streep movie, which I'm so stoked for.

Remi: 2:08:58

So please join us next season. Again, we will be returning on September 1st. That gives us enough time to do enough research and we are currently in the process of planning a wedding and also trying to fit in all of our podcast stuff in between that stuff as well, and we love doing it and we are super appreciative of anyone out there listening. If you listen this far, please send a like, leave a comment, say that you enjoyed it or tell a friend. Anything like that really helps.

Ashley: 2:09:32

And until then, court is adjourned until September 1st.