Why is Malcolm X called Malcolm X?

Answer 1

because Elijah Muhamad, who is the founder of the Black Muslims, told Malcom and all of the other Black Muslims that their ancestors were forced to take the name of their slave owner and that they should change it to x, which means nothing.

Answer 2

It was used to represent the surname he would have had, had his ancestors not been captured or enslaved. It followed the tradition of his religion, Nation of Islam, to change your surname if you thought it was of slave holding white people's descent.

Answer 3

Malcolm was born Malcolm Little. He considered Little to be a slave name and changed it to X to represent his lost tribal name.