Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How did Malcolm X get the nickname “Detroit Red”?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Malcolm X
Prominent figure in the Nation of Islam Malcolm X, 1965.
Malcolm X was known as "Detroit Red" during his teenage years, a period when he was involved in petty criminal activities in Boston and Harlem. He earned this nickname specifically because of the reddish tinge in his hair.1