Malcolm X

Malcolm X, 1964.

Malcolm X has often been described as one of the most influential African Americans in history. He’s credited with the spread of Islam in the black community in America.

Published shortly after his death, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, cemented his legacy as a civil rights hero. The book was named one of the ten most influential nonfiction books of the 20th century by Time in 1998.

Credit: Ed Ford/Library of Congress