“We need to find a real estate solution,’’ said Kathy Kottaridis, executive director of Historic Boston. “This will not be a museum. We want to honor the role Malcolm X played in American society and the role this house played in his life.’’
Before converting to Islam and changing his name to Malcolm X, young Malcolm Little spent about 10 years in Boston. During much of that time, he lived in the home of Ella Collins, a Roxbury businesswoman, civil rights activist, and matriarch of a large extended family.
This week, contractors hired by Historic Boston completed emergency repairs to the building, which has been unoccupied or used only sporadically by family members since the 1960s. Collins died in 1996.
In his autobiography, Malcolm X refers to Ella Collins as “the first really proud black woman I had ever seen in my life.’’ He credited her with helping to rescue him from a troubled youth, during which he moved often and lived in foster homes.
As a teenager in Boston, Malcolm X fell into a life of petty crime and served time for burglary. While in prison, he converted to Islam and upon his release joined the Nation of Islam - led by Elijah Muhammad, a staunch proponent of black empowerment - soon emerging as one of the group’s leaders.
A controversial national figure, Malcolm X advocated black empowerment and shunned accommodation under the white establishment. Later, he split with the Nation of Islam. He was assassinated in 1965 by men with ties to rivals in the religious organization.
Since his death, Malcolm X has become a cultural icon and symbol of black pride. He has been credited with fostering the spread of Islam in the African-American community and helping to connect American blacks to their African heritage.
