Tensions and departure from the Nation of Islam
In the spring of 1963, Malcolm started collaborating on The Autobiography of Malcolm X with Alex Haley. Malcolm would later, in the Autobiography, explain his break with Elijah Muhammad by saying that in the early 1960s, he had begun to hear rumors of Elijah Muhammad's extramarital affairs with young secretaries. Adultery is condemned in the teachings of the Nation of Islam. At first, he claimed, Malcolm brushed these rumors aside.
Later, he spoke with Elijah Muhammad's son and the women making the accusations and believed them. In 1963, according to the Autobiography, Elijah Muhammad confirmed to Malcolm that the rumors were true and claimed that this activity was undertaken to follow a pattern established by Biblical prophets.
Malcolm viewed the March on Washington critically, unable to understand why black people were excited over a demonstration "run by whites in front of a statue of a president who has been dead for a hundred years and who didn't like us when he was alive." When asked to comment upon the assassination of John F. Kennedy, he replied that it was a case of "chickens coming home to roost," and added that "Chickens coming home to roost never made me sad. It only made me glad."
This comment led to widespread public outcry and led to the Nation of Islam's publicly censuring their former shining star. Although retaining his post and rank as minister, Malcolm was banned from public speaking for 90 days by Elijah Muhammad.
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, March 26, 1964
Malcolm publicly announced his break from the Nation of Islam on March 8, 1964, and founded the Muslim Mosque, Inc. four days later. Malcolm mostly adhered to the teachings of the Nation of Islam but began modifying them, explicitly advocating political and economic black nationalism as opposed to the NOI's religious nationalism.
In April, he made a speech titled "The Ballot or the Bullet." Malcolm was in contact with several orthodox Muslims, who encouraged him to learn about orthodox Islam. He soon converted to orthodox Islam, and as a result decided to make his pilgrimage to Mecca.