History Vs Hollywood

Director: Spike Lee Starring: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall Country: USA Released: 1992 A sweeping biopic that seemingly leaves no stone unturned

Does Malcolm X speak truth to power?

01

Just as depicted in the movie, Malcolm lived in Harlem, New York, as a young man and became involved in criminal activities. He was arrested and convicted of larceny and breaking and entering in 1946. It was while in prison that he would find Islam.

02

Contrary to the movie, it was his siblings who introduced him to Islam, not a fellow prisoner. John Elton Bembry got him interested in reading, which later expanded to religion. In the movie a character named Baines takes on this role, merging the two stories.

03

Upon leaving jail Malcolm drops his surname Little and adopts X as his last name, becoming a minister in the Nation of Islam. As shown in the film, he rises up through the ranks as a fiery and sometimes controversial speaker, building a strong base in Harlem.

04

The film accurately depicts Malcolm X’s pilgrimage to Mecca (he actually travelled abroad on a number of occasions) and the revelation he experienced of seeing Islam as a multi-ethnic faith. His newfound openness was always through conversion to Islam, though.

05

The assassination of Malcolm X remains a hotly debated event. Spike Lee took his depiction largely from the FBI report, which is disputed. The overall series of events, from scuffle in the Audubon Ballroom to Malcolm X being shot, appear accurate.