The Autobiography of Malcolm X
by Malcolm X and Alex Haley
13 jurisdictions · Banned 1965-2025 · Published
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, as told to Alex Haley, is the 1965 memoir of one of the most influential Black political figures of the twentieth century, banned or restricted in 13+ U.S. jurisdictions.
Why it was banned
The book has been challenged regularly since publication, most often for its political content and its account of Malcolm X's break with the Nation of Islam. It was the source material for Spike Lee's 1992 film Malcolm X.
Cited reasons
- political content
- anti-American framing claim
- religious content
Primary states
Tennessee, Virginia, Texas
Why it matters
The Autobiography was published shortly after Malcolm X's assassination in February 1965. It is one of the foundational works of twentieth-century American political memoir. Malcolm's account of his evolution from street life to the Nation of Islam to a broader internationalist Black politics is one of the most important political conversion narratives in American history. The book has been continuously in print for sixty years.
Themes
- civil rights
- Nation of Islam
- political memoir
- American history
Where to buy
The Ledger recommends Black-owned booksellers. Each stocks this title or can order it.
- MahoganyBooksNational Harbor, Maryland · Founded
Independent bookstore specializing in books written for, by, and about people of the African diaspora.
- Marcus BooksOakland, California · Founded
The oldest independent Black-owned bookstore in the United States, named for political activist Marcus Garvey.
- Hakim's BookstorePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania · Founded
Philadelphia's oldest Black-owned bookstore, specializing in African American history, philosophy, and religion.
- Uncle Bobbie's Coffee and BooksPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania · Founded
Coffee shop and bookstore in Germantown, Philadelphia, named for the founder's uncle.
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Related banned books
Books in the catalog that share themes with this one.
Documented by The Ledger. A record of what Black America built and what was taken.
Book cover via Open Library. Editorial use under fair use.