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NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 19: A man’s legacy can often change given time and distance from his death. Before he was felled by an assassin’s bullet in 1965, Malcolm X was depicted in the American media as “a pimp, a cocaine addict and a thief. He was an unashamed demagogue. His gospel was hatred.”Fifty-three years later, views about the civil rights icon and global luminary have taken a 180-degree turn.The man who once disrupted the political and social hierarchy in this country, with no formal training beyond the eighth grade, is now universally accepted and looked upon as a source of pride for blacks, non-blacks, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Malcolm X’s ability to transform his life and condition continues to be probably the most appealing aspect of his existence for those who share an affinity for the man and his legacy.Abdul Osman used the example of the life of Malcolm X to change his own from convicted felon to one that now tries to illustrate to others how personal difficulties and setbacks can be used in furtherance of self-empowerment and economic independence Malcolm X taught. “I like his transitioning from being a drug dealer, from being a pimp, from drinking alcohol -- reforming his life, from doing those things,” he told Anadolu Agency while standing in front of a closed storefront along 125 St. in Harlem, New York. “And I lived a similar lifestyle because I had prison experience … so I can relate to him so I changed my life around for the better. Now I’m trying to teach people another way to live life instead of robbing people and stuff like that, you could come out here and work for yourself and try to make a living for yourself and better yourself and your community and change the frequency of the world in that manner.” So inspired was he, Osman decided to study the entire dictionary. (Footage by Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)