When Malcolm X was in prison, he heard the message of Elijah Muhammad. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad's message enlightened Malcolm's heart to read because he wanted to know whether the message that reached him was true or not. He read books in prison that changed his life forever.

Here are some of his reads in prison:

- Story Of Civilization by Will Durant

- The Souls of Black Folks by W.E.B. Du Bois

- Negro History by Carter G. Woodson

- Sex And Race by J.A. Rogers

- Journeys and Explorations in the Cotton Kingdom by Frederick Olmsted

- Findings in Genetics by Gregor Mendel

- Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

- Outline of History by H.G. Wells

- Abolitionist Anti-Slavery Society of New England

- Mahatma Gandhi



He read everything about black history that he could get his hands on. He also read about Asian history, paying particular attention to the rise and fall of white power.

He was interested in Schopenhauer, Kant and Nietzsche because he had heard they laid the groundwork for Fascist and Nazi philosophy.


Malcolm himself was glad he went to prison because he'd never have the chance to read books in the streets. Let's not forget that greatness doesn't happen overnight. Malcolm struggled and read a lot because facing the white needed a lot of knowledge and confidence.