How did Malcolm X influence the use of the terms “Black” and “Afro-American”?

Through the influence of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X played a pivotal role in shifting the terminology used to refer to African Americans. He helped move the discourse away from terms such as "Negro" and "colored," which he often critiqued, toward the use of "Black" and "Afro-American".1

This linguistic shift was deeply connected to his broader efforts to emphasize Black identity, integrity, and independence over the integrationist goals of the mainstream civil rights movement. By promoting these terms, Malcolm X fostered a sense of race pride and autonomy that became foundational to the Black Power and Black consciousness movements of the 1960s and 1970s. His commitment to this identity was further reflected in his later establishment of the Organization of Afro-American Unity, which sought to internationalize the struggle for human rights.123