Editing Malcolm X (section)

== Disillusionment and departure ==
During 1962 and 1963, events caused Malcolm&nbsp;X to reassess his relationship with the Nation of Islam, and particularly its leader, [[Elijah Muhammad]].

=== Lack of Nation of Islam response to LAPD violence ===
In late 1961, there were violent confrontations between the Nation of Islam members and police in [[South Los Angeles|South Central Los Angeles]], and numerous Muslims were arrested. They were acquitted, but tensions had been raised. Just after midnight on April{{nbsp}}27, 1962, two [[Los Angeles Police Department|LAPD]] officers, unprovoked, shoved and beat several Muslims outside Temple Number 27. A large crowd of angry Muslims emerged from the mosque and the officers attempted to intimidate them.<ref name="Branch"/><ref name="Marable205"/>

One officer was disarmed; his partner was shot in the elbow by a third officer. More than 70 backup officers arrived who then raided the mosque and randomly beat Nation of Islam members. Police officers shot seven Muslims, including William X Rogers, who was hit in the back and paralyzed for life, and Ronald Stokes, a Korean War veteran, who was shot from behind while raising his hands over his head to surrender, killing him.<ref name="Branch">{{harvnb|Branch|1998|pp=3–20}}.</ref><ref name="Marable205">{{harvnb|Marable|2011|pp=205–210}}.</ref>

A number of Muslims were indicted after the event, but no charges were laid against the police. The coroner ruled that Stokes's killing was justified. To Malcolm&nbsp;X, the desecration of the mosque and the associated violence demanded action, and he used what Louis{{nbsp}}X (later Louis Farrakhan) later called his "gangsterlike past" to rally the more hardened of the Nation of Islam members to take violent revenge against the police.<ref name="Branch" /><ref name="Marable205" />

Malcolm&nbsp;X sought Elijah Muhammad's approval which was denied, stunning Malcolm&nbsp;X. Malcolm&nbsp;X was again blocked by Elijah Muhammad when he spoke of the Nation of Islam starting to work with civil rights organizations, local Black politicians, and religious groups. Louis{{nbsp}}X saw this as an important turning point in the deteriorating relationship between Malcolm&nbsp;X and Muhammad.<ref name="Branch" /><ref name="Marable205" />

=== Sexual misbehavior by Elijah Muhammad ===
Rumors were circulating that Muhammad was conducting extramarital affairs with young Nation secretaries{{mdashb}}which would constitute a serious violation of Nation teachings. After first discounting the rumors, Malcolm&nbsp;X came to believe them after he spoke with Muhammad's son [[Warith Deen Mohammed|Wallace]] and the girls making the accusations in April 1963.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Muslim Leader Elijah Muhammad Is Sued for Paternity {{!}} EBSCO Research Starters |url=https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/muslim-leader-elijah-muhammad-sued-paternity |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=www.ebsco.com |language=en}}</ref> Muhammad confirmed the rumors that same year, attempting to justify his behavior by referring to precedents set by Biblical prophets.<ref>{{harvnb|Perry|1991|pp=230–234}}.</ref>

Over a series of national TV interviews between 1964 and 1965, Malcolm&nbsp;X provided testimony of his investigation, corroboration, and confirmation by Elijah Muhammed himself of multiple counts of child rape. During this investigation, he learned that seven of the eight girls had become pregnant as a result of this. He also revealed an assassination attempt made on his life, through a discovered explosive device in his car, as well as the death threats he was receiving, in response to his exposure of Elijah Muhammad.<ref name="youtube-interview-malcomx">{{cite web | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBDzhG3qsIM | title = Malcolm&nbsp;X Exposes Elijah Muhammad | website = YouTube | date = February 2, 2019 | access-date = August 24, 2022 | archive-date = August 24, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220824224426/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBDzhG3qsIM | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Timeline of Malcolm X's Life {{!}} American Experience {{!}} PBS |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/malcolmx-timeline-malcolm-xs-life/ |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=www.pbs.org |language=en |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109215346/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/malcolmx-timeline-malcolm-xs-life/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Malcolm X's Speech After the Firebombing (Feb. 14, 1965) |url=https://www.icit-digital.org/articles/malcolm-x-s-speech-after-the-firebombing-feb-14-1965 |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=ICIT Digital Library}}</ref>

=== Remarks on Kennedy assassination ===
On December{{nbsp}}1, 1963, when asked to comment on the [[assassination of John F. Kennedy]], Malcolm&nbsp;X said that it was a case of "{{Wikt-lang|en|the chickens come home to roost|chickens coming home to roost|i=no}}." He added that "chickens coming home to roost never did make me sad; they've always made me glad."<ref name="Times63-12-02">{{cite news |title=Malcolm&nbsp;X Scores U.S. and Kennedy |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1963/12/02/archives/malcolm-x-scores-us-and-kennedy-likens-slaying-to-chickens-coming.html |newspaper=The New York Times |page=21 |date=December 2, 1963 |access-date=June 19, 2018 |url-access=limited |archive-date=July 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727231635/https://www.nytimes.com/1963/12/02/archives/malcolm-x-scores-us-and-kennedy-likens-slaying-to-chickens-coming.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Likewise, according to ''[[The New York Times]]'':<ref name="Times63-12-02" />

<blockquote>[I]n further criticism of Mr. Kennedy, the Muslim leader cited the murders of [[Patrice Lumumba]], Congo leader, of [[Medgar Evers]], civil rights leader, and of the [[16th Street Baptist Church bombing|Negro girls bombed]] earlier this year in a [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]] church. These, he said, were instances of other "chickens coming home to roost".</blockquote>

The remarks prompted widespread public outcry. The Nation of Islam, which had sent a message of condolence to the [[Kennedy family]] and ordered its ministers not to comment on the assassination, publicly censured their former shining star.<ref>{{harvnb|Natambu|2002|pp=288–290}}.</ref> Malcolm&nbsp;X retained his post and rank as minister but was prohibited from public speaking for 90 days.<ref>{{harvnb|Perry|1991|p=242}}.</ref>

=== Media attention to Malcolm&nbsp;X over Elijah Muhammad ===
Malcolm&nbsp;X had by now become a media favorite, and some Nation members believed he was a threat to Elijah Muhammad's leadership. Publishers had shown interest in Malcolm&nbsp;X's autobiography, and when [[Louis Lomax]] wrote his 1963 book about the Nation, ''When the Word Is Given'', he used a photograph of Malcolm&nbsp;X on the cover. He also reproduced five of his speeches but featured only one of Muhammad's, which greatly upset Muhammad and made him envious.<ref name="Perry214" />

=== Departure from Nation of Islam ===

On March{{nbsp}}8, 1964, Malcolm&nbsp;X publicly announced his break from the Nation of Islam. Though still a Muslim, he felt that the Nation had "gone as far as it can" because of its rigid teachings. He said he was planning to organize a [[Black nationalism|Black nationalist]] organization to "heighten the political consciousness" of African Americans. He also expressed a desire to work with other civil rights leaders, saying that Elijah Muhammad had prevented him from doing so in the past.<ref name="Times64-03-09">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/09/archives/malcolm-x-splits-with-muhammad-suspended-muslim-leader-plans-black.html |title=Malcolm&nbsp;X Splits with Muhammad |access-date=June 19, 2018 |last=Handler |first=M. S. |date=March 9, 1964 |page=1 |newspaper=The New York Times |url-access=limited |archive-date=April 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407003742/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F07E6DA1230E033A2575AC0A9659C946591D6CF |url-status=live }}</ref>