Malcolm X—Ella Little-Collins House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Malcolm X—Ella Little-Collins House
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 72 Dale St. Roxbury Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 0.16 acres (0.065 ha) |
| Built | 1874 |
| Architect | William Rumnil |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 100005455 |
| Added to NRHP | February 12, 2021 |
The Malcolm X—Ella Little-Collins House is a special historic home in Roxbury, a part of Boston, Massachusetts. This house was built in 1874. It was once the home of Ella Little-Collins, who was an important leader in the fight for civil rights. Her younger brother, Malcolm X, also lived here when he was a teenager. During his time in this house, Malcolm X learned about Islam. This was an important step on his journey to becoming a leader in the Nation of Islam. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2021. It was still owned by the Collins family at that time.
Discovering the Malcolm X—Ella Little-Collins House
This historic house is located southwest of Roxbury's Nubian Square. You can find it on the south side of Dale Street, just east of Malcolm X Park. The house is a two-and-a-half story building made of wood. It sits on a strong foundation of Roxbury puddingstone, which is a type of rock. The roof has a classic gabled shape.
Architecture and Design of the House
The outside of the house still shows parts of its original Queen Anne style. This was a popular way to build homes when it was first constructed. Inside, many of the original features from that time are still there. At the back of the property, there is a brick garage. It is built in the Art Deco style, which was popular much later.
A Home with History: Ella and Malcolm X
A local builder named William Rumnil built this house in 1874. The land it sits on used to be a large country estate and farm. In 1941, Ella Little-Johnson bought the house. She was an African-American woman from Georgia. She moved to Boston as part of a big movement of African-Americans leaving the southern United States.
In that same year, Ella welcomed her brother Malcolm into her home. Malcolm had become an orphan after his mother needed special care in 1939. This house was Malcolm's main home until 1944. While living in Roxbury, Malcolm learned about Islam. This was the start of his journey that led him to adopt the name "Malcolm X." In the 1950s, he returned to this neighborhood to help start a temple for the Nation of Islam. His sister Ella, who married Kenneth Collins in 1942, was also very active in the Nation of Islam. She was involved in many other community groups too. Ella passed away in this house in 1984.
