Ella Little-Collins (1914 – 1996, aged 82) was an American civil rights activist and the half-sister of Malcolm X.[1] She was born in Butler, Georgia, to Earl Little and Daisy Little (née Mason); her paternal grandparents were John (Big Pa) Lee Little and Ella Little (née Gray), and her siblings were Mary Little and Earl Lee Little Jr. She had seven half-siblings from her father's second marriage: Wilfred, Philbert, Hilda, Reginald, Malcolm, Wesley, and Yvonne.[2] She worked as congressman Adam Clayton Powell's secretary, the manager of her mother's grocery store, and an investor in house property, which she let out as rooming houses.[1] She joined the Nation of Islam in the mid-1950s and helped establish its mosque in Boston and a day-care center attached to it, although she left the Nation in 1959 to become a Sunni Muslim.[1][2] She supported black and ethnic studies programs in universities across the United States and founded the Sarah A. Little School of Preparatory Arts in Boston.[2]
Ella Little-Collins in an undated photo
In his autobiography, Malcolm X wrote about the impact his first meeting with his half-sister had on him. She came to visit when he was in seventh grade, and he described her as "the first really proud black woman I had ever seen" and wrote "I had never been so impressed with anybody."[3] At the end of the school year, he moved to Roxbury to live with her, and she was his guardian until he turned 21.[1][2] Her home, the Malcolm X—Ella Little-Collins House, is the last known surviving childhood home of Malcolm X.[4] Its exterior was designated a Boston Landmark by the Boston Landmarks Commission in 1998,[5] and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.[6]
When Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam in 1964, Little-Collins paid for him to make the Hajj. She also paid his funeral and business expenses after his assassination, and took over his Organization of Afro-American Unity, including his project of giving 35 scholarships from Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, and from the University of Ghana to students wishing to study overseas.[2] In 1986 she merged the Organization of Afro-American Unity with the African American Defense League.[7]
In 1988, both of Little-Collins' legs were amputated due to gangrene.[2] She died in 1996 at age 82.[1]
The Ella Collins Institute at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center is named after her; its goal is "to establish a vibrant community by joining a classical understanding of Islam with modern scholarship and a healthy understanding of the current cultural context."[8]
Referencesedit
^ abcdeHodgson, Godfrey (August 6, 1996). "Obituary: Ella Collins". The Independent. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
^ abcdef. Ella Collins Institute. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
^Millere, Mauricelm-Lei (2021). Malcolm X and The Organization of Afro-American Unity: African American Defense League (A2DL - OAAU). online: Kindle Books. ASIN B097YR2SBH.
^. Ella Collins Institute. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
Further readingedit
Collins, Rodnell P.; with A. Peter Bailey (1998). Seventh Child: A Family Memoir of Malcolm X. Secaucus, N.J.: Birch Lane Press. ISBN978-1-55972-491-3.
"Ella Collins, 82, Relative Who Aided Malcolm X". The New York Times. August 6, 1996.
"Malcolm X – Ella Little-Collins House Boston Landmarks Commission Study Report" (PDF). Boston Landmarks Commission. August 21, 1998.
April 15, 2024
ella, little, collins, 1914, 1996, aged, american, civil, rights, activist, half, sister, malcolm, born, butler, georgia, earl, little, daisy, little, née, mason, paternal, grandparents, were, john, little, ella, little, née, gray, siblings, were, mary, little. Ella Little Collins 1914 1996 aged 82 was an American civil rights activist and the half sister of Malcolm X 1 She was born in Butler Georgia to Earl Little and Daisy Little nee Mason her paternal grandparents were John Big Pa Lee Little and Ella Little nee Gray and her siblings were Mary Little and Earl Lee Little Jr She had seven half siblings from her father s second marriage Wilfred Philbert Hilda Reginald Malcolm Wesley and Yvonne 2 She worked as congressman Adam Clayton Powell s secretary the manager of her mother s grocery store and an investor in house property which she let out as rooming houses 1 She joined the Nation of Islam in the mid 1950s and helped establish its mosque in Boston and a day care center attached to it although she left the Nation in 1959 to become a Sunni Muslim 1 2 She supported black and ethnic studies programs in universities across the United States and founded the Sarah A Little School of Preparatory Arts in Boston 2 Ella Little Collins in an undated photoIn his autobiography Malcolm X wrote about the impact his first meeting with his half sister had on him She came to visit when he was in seventh grade and he described her as the first really proud black woman I had ever seen and wrote I had never been so impressed with anybody 3 At the end of the school year he moved to Roxbury to live with her and she was his guardian until he turned 21 1 2 Her home the Malcolm X Ella Little Collins House is the last known surviving childhood home of Malcolm X 4 Its exterior was designated a Boston Landmark by the Boston Landmarks Commission in 1998 5 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021 6 Malcolm Little left two unknown women and Ella Little Collins right in Franklin Park RoxburyMalcolm X Ella Little Collins HouseWhen Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam in 1964 Little Collins paid for him to make the Hajj She also paid his funeral and business expenses after his assassination and took over his Organization of Afro American Unity including his project of giving 35 scholarships from Al Azhar University in Cairo Egypt and from the University of Ghana to students wishing to study overseas 2 In 1986 she merged the Organization of Afro American Unity with the African American Defense League 7 In 1988 both of Little Collins legs were amputated due to gangrene 2 She died in 1996 at age 82 1 The Ella Collins Institute at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center is named after her its goal is to establish a vibrant community by joining a classical understanding of Islam with modern scholarship and a healthy understanding of the current cultural context 8 References edit a b c d e Hodgson Godfrey August 6 1996 Obituary Ella Collins The Independent Retrieved July 5 2016 a b c d e f Who Is Ella Collins Ella Collins Institute Archived from the original on December 16 2013 Retrieved July 5 2016 Malcolm X with the assistance of Alex Haley 1992 1965 The Autobiography of Malcolm X New York One World pp 39 40 ISBN 978 0 345 37671 8 Malcolm X Ella Little Collins House National Trust for Historic Preservation Retrieved July 5 2016 List of Boston Designated Landmarks PDF Boston Landmarks Commission January 2014 p 4 Retrieved July 5 2016 Weekly listing National Park Service Millere Mauricelm Lei 2021 Malcolm X and The Organization of Afro American Unity African American Defense League A2DL OAAU online Kindle Books ASIN B097YR2SBH Our Mission Ella Collins Institute Archived from the original on December 16 2013 Retrieved July 5 2016 Further reading editCollins Rodnell P with A Peter Bailey 1998 Seventh Child A Family Memoir of Malcolm X Secaucus N J Birch Lane Press ISBN 978 1 55972 491 3 External links edit nbsp United States portal nbsp Biography portalElla Collins at IMDb Say Brother Episode Malcolm X 1969 Ella Collins interview American Archive of Public Broadcasting Ella Collins 82 Relative Who Aided Malcolm X The New York Times August 6 1996 Malcolm X Ella Little Collins House Boston Landmarks Commission Study Report PDF Boston Landmarks Commission August 21 1998 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ella Little Collins amp oldid 1217507092, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
