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Archive of documents related to the incarceration of Malcolm X by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including: a contemporary photographic reproduction of the fingerprint card of "Malcolm Little," dated February 27, 1946, showing impressions of his ten fingers; four documents signed by Assistant Clerk Frederick C. Bean, all dated February 27, 1946, recording his conviction "of the crime of Breaking and entering in the nighttime a dwelling house and larceny…sentenced to confinement at hard labor in and within our State Prison for a term no exceeding ten years, or less than eight years"; a document signed by Deputy Commissioner Richard G. Holland, dated March 23, 1950, ordering Little's transfer to the "State Prison"; a typed true copy of the grand jury indictment, recording Little's initial plea of not guilty, his retraction of the plea to plead guilty, and his sentence of eight to ten years; and a seven-page "Institution History of Malcolm Little, MSP #22843, SPC #8077, MR #33428," documenting his personal history, criminal background, and years in prison, interestingly describing his personality: "Mass. State Prisoner interviewer commented on his moody manner, his serdonic smile, and superior attitude cloaking unhappiness over the racial problem of the colored man…This tenet of racial injustice looms largely in his mind." In overall fine condition.
Malcolm Little was found guilty of larceny and breaking and entering in 1946, and began serving his eight-to-ten year sentence at Charlestown State Prison in February. He made efforts to reform and educate himself while there, and with his sister Ella began a letter-writing campaign in hopes of getting transferred to the Norfolk Prison Colony. He ultimately found success, and was transferred to Norfolk on March 31, 1948. In The Autobiography of Malcolm X, he described the colony as 'comparatively, a heaven, in many respects,' observing: 'Norfolk Prison Colony represented the most enlightened form of prison that I have ever heard of. In place of the atmosphere of malicious gossip, perversion, grafting, hateful guards, there was more relative ‘culture,’ as ‘culture’ is interpreted in prisons. A high percentage of the Norfolk Prison Colony inmates went in for ‘intellectual’ things, group discussions, debates, and such.' He joined the weekly debate team, where he honed his oratorical skill, and devoted much of his time to studying in the prison library. Most importantly, it was during his sentence that Malcolm discovered the Nation of Islam. In August 1952, after seven years served, Malcolm Little left prison as Malcolm X, a devout member of the Nation of Islam and a committed disciple and pupil of Elijah Muhammad.
