What does the X in Malcolm X represent?

Answer 1

X represents the same thing it does in math or algebra, the unknown.

Upon becoming a member of the Nation of Islam the member's given last name is replaced by the X symbolic of the fact that as descendants of enslaved africans that person has no knowledge of what their original family name was in Africa. Until that name is discovered or until that member has earned the right to be given a Muslim name then that member uses the X instead.

If another member has the same first name the a number is added in front based on when that person became a member. So if Sam X was already a member then the next Sam would be Sam 2X and so on.

Malcolm also went by his earned Muslim name of El Hajj Malik El Shabazz.

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