Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1925. After living as a petty criminal, he went to prison, where he adopted the Black Muslim faith and taught himself to read and write. Malcolm X became a strong and influential leader among African Americans. He also became a source of controversy for his outspoken beliefs. Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965.

Alex Haley is best known for his 1977 Pulitzer Prize-winning book Roots, which was made into an epic film. He assisted Malcolm X in writing The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which was published in 1965. Haley was born in 1921 in Ithaca, New York. A member of the Coast Guard, he served as editor of Out Post, the official Coast Guard publication.