Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in 1925 in Nebraska. He dropped out of school and later moved to Boston and New York, where he was involved in criminal activities and drug dealing. In 1946, he was arrested and sentenced to prison, where he joined the Nation of Islam and adopted the surname X. He became one of the organization's most influential leaders, establishing new mosques around the country and growing its membership significantly. However, he later left the Nation of Islam and made comments critical of its leader Elijah Muhammad. In 1965, at the age of 39, Malcolm X was assassinated by three gunmen while giving a speech in Manhattan.