The man who made Malcolm X the revolutionary hero he became.

This is two-minute black history, what you didn't learn in school.

The story of the man who helped Malcolm X become Malcolm X.

Malcolm X might have stayed as Detroit Red if it wasn't for a chance of meeting in prison

with Elton Vembury, better known as Bimby, who showed him the power of education.

But who was Bimby? Malcolm X wrote that Bimby was the first man I had ever seen,

command, total respect with his words. Other inmates and even prison guards would sit around

and listen to him. Bimby's inspiration motivated X to become the legendary figure we all know

today. But who was he? John Elton Vembury grew up during the Great Depression in North

Carolina and was orphaned young despite his brilliance work was scarce.

He tried to survive however he could and ended up spending time in jail.

During one of those stints his passion for education would change the world.

In the Malcolm X film Bimby is called Bains and not only encourages X to read but introduces him

to Islam. But that part wasn't true. Bimby and Malcolm did develop a friendship and Bimby's

intellect and power inspired X to develop his own. The push towards self-enlightenment put him on

a path to become one of the greatest black leaders of all time. Education

and self-improvement are powerful forces that can enlighten us in the worse circumstances

even incarceration. But they can also empower others for what might have become of Malcolm X

if he had never met and been inspired by Bimby and how radically different might our lives

have become. In order to move towards the future you've got to learn from the past.

This has been Two Minute Black History, a podcast from Push Black.