The Metro: How Detroit Red became Malcolm X
Malcolm X was a leader during the Civil Rights Movement known for his more radical approach to advancing the rights of Black Americans. He was also known as Detroit Red when he was growing up in Michigan.
Wayne State’s Department of Anthropology has been working with the nonprofit Project We Hope Dream & Believe (PWHDAB) since 2021 to restore the once-home of civil rights leader Malcolm X.
Malcolm X was a leader during the Civil Rights Movement known for his more radical approach to advancing Black Americans rights. But he was also a young man that grew up in Michigan, known as Detroit Red.
Though most only recognize “Malcolm X,” he went by several names throughout his life. His birth name is Malcolm Little, which progressed to Malcolm X. He ended his life as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.
Who was Detroit Red and how did his name change reflect his personal transformation?
Dr. Tareq A. Ramadan is an anthropologist, historic preservationist, and interdisciplinary adjunct professor of Anthropology and Near Eastern Studies at Wayne State University and at Henry Ford College. He’s also the co-founder of The Malcolm X House Historic Preservation Project along side Aaron Sims.
This month, Ramadan will take part in The Black Cannon’s program “Martin and Malcolm” where they will discuss the lives and legacies of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
Tareq joined The Metro’s Tia Graham to discuss how Detroit Red became Malcolm X.
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