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Why did Malcolm X want the Nation of Islam to take part in civil rights protests?
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Malcolm X
Prominent figure in the Nation of Islam Malcolm X, 1965.
During his final years with the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X urged the organization to move beyond its role as a critic on the sidelines and take a more active part in the civil rights protests of the era.1
While he had previously been critical of the mainstream civil rights movement—specifically challenging the focus on integration and the strategy of nonviolence—his philosophy evolved over time. By 1963, he felt that the Nation of Islam should be more directly involved in the widespread protests occurring across the country. This shift reflected his growing desire to engage more closely with the broader movement, a sentiment that continued to develop until his departure from the organization in 1964.21