Malcolm X's contributions to the civil rights movement cannot be viewed in isolation, without taking into account his influences and contextual variables. By the time Malcolm X wrote his Autobiography, he had already developed a well-articulated and logical political philosophy. His influences as stated in his autobiography include Marcus Garvey, from where Malcolm X's father learned the ideas he passed onto his son. It was Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam that had the most formative personal influence on Malcolm X Although he does not explicitly refer to W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, or even much to his contemporary Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., these thinkers did have some influence on Malcolm X because of their great influence on American culture in general. Malcolm X did develop his political and social philosophies in light of the views and methods of King, DuBois, and Washington. While all of these prominent...
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