The other Malcolm--"Shorty" Jarvis

Published in 2001 by McFarland & Company, The Other Malcolm—'Shorty' Jarvis serves as a vital primary source document regarding the early life of Malcolm X. The book is an autobiographical account written by Malcolm Jarvis, who was known as 'Shorty' during their time together in Boston in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Their friendship formed the basis of the experiences later chronicled in The Autobiography of Malcolm X, particularly those sections detailing their shared involvement in street life and their eventual imprisonment.

The narrative was developed as a counterbalance to the established historical record, offering Jarvis's perspective on the events that led to their conviction and imprisonment for burglary. By detailing his own path to self-transformation and his subsequent religious development, Jarvis aimed to provide a more nuanced look at the milieu that shaped the future civil rights leader. The work is noted by scholars for its candid, colloquial tone and its contribution to the broader body of literature surrounding Malcolm X's formative years in the urban North.