The Autobiography of Malcolm X - Tapa blanda

The Autobiography of Malcolm X was intended to be a true autobiography, with the name of Alex Haley appearing not at all or as a ghost writer or as a mere contributor or assistant. However, with the assassination of Malcolm X having occurred in Harlem in New York City on February 21, 1965 just before this book could be published, it became necessary to reveal the important role of Alex Haley in creating this book.

Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska as Malcolm Little. Later he was also known as el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz. On February 21, 1965 he was assassinated in Harlem by three Nation of Islam members. The Autobiography of Malcolm X, published shortly after his death, is considered one of the most influential nonfiction books of the 20th century. Alexander Murray Palmer "Alex" Haley was born on August 11, 1921 in Ithaca, New York. He only wrote two books, but both of them became immense best sellers. His other book was “Roots”. Nowadays, it is not unusual for a person to be able to trace his ancestry ten generations back. Without DNA testing, Alex Haley was able to trace his ancestry back six generations to a slave named Kunta Kinte who was abducted in Juffure, a village in Gambia, West Africa. Kunta Kinte was brought at the age of sixteen to America on a slave ship named Lord Ligonier. He was brought ashore on September 29, 1767 in Annapolis, Maryland and sold to a Virginia planter, who changed his name to Toby. Now with DNA testing, it is possible to verify whether this is true or not. However we lack a subject to test, Alex Haley himself, as he died on February 10, 1992 in Seattle, Washington leaving no heirs before DNA testing was widely available. Betty Shabazz a/k/a Betty Dean Sanders was the wife and widow of Malcolm X. She was born on May 28, 1934. She witnessed the assassination of her husband Malcolm X. She died on June 23, 1997 in a fire that had been set by her grandson, Malcolm. "Barney" Rosset, Jr. was the owner of Grove Press and the publisher of The Autobiography of Malcolm X. He was famous for publishing books no other publisher would touch, including Lady Chatterley's Lover and Tropic of Cancer. He was born on May 28, 1922 and died on February 21, 2012. Michael S. Handler was considered a veteran news reporter, primarily associated with the New York Times. Malcolm X reportedly believed Handler had "none of the usual prejudices or sentimentalities about black people". As a result, he entrusted Handler to write about ongoing developments in his political life as well as his changing outlook. Handler's stories concerned his break with the Nation of Islam (NOI), his journey to Mecca, his assassination and the aftermath.