On this day in 1965, African American nationalist and religious leader Malcolm X was assassinated in New York City. Malcolm, then 39, was shot by religious rivals while addressing a crowd at the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights. When he was 21, Malcolm was sent to prison on a burglary conviction. It was there he learned the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. Muhammad’s teachings had a strong effect on Malcolm, and when he was released from prison after six years, he became a loyal and effective minister of the Nation of Islam in Harlem. In contrast with other civil rights leaders, Malcolm X advocated for self defense and the liberation of African Americans “by any means necessary.”Watch the video above to see the full story.