The Honorable Elijah Muhammad became the leader of the NOI June of 1934 when the old leader disappeared. He allegedly was born October 7, 1897 in Sandersville, Georgia. The exact date of his birth was not kept because he is a decedent of a slave and in Georgia those were not kept. He said his birth date was sometime in October of 1897 so the 7th was set as the date. He original name was Elijah Robert Poole he was the 7th of 13 children. Elijah was in school until he was in the 4th grade because he was to work in a sawmill and in brickyards. He worked so he could help support his family. He got married to Clara Evans March 7, 1917, he had 8 children with Evans. He mentored Malcolm X before Malcolm left the Nation of Islam to be a Sunni Islam. Elijah died February 25, 1975 and left the leadership of the NOI to his son Warith Deen Muhammad.