On March 8, 1964, Malcolm X publicly announced his break with the Nation of Islam. He said he was still a Muslim, but that the Nation had arrived "as far as possible" because of his rigid religious teachings. Malcolm X announced that he was going to make a black nationalist organization that would try to "increase the political consciousness" of African-Americans. He also expressed his desire to work with other civil rights leaders.
After his break with the Nation of Islam, he traveled to Mecca, where he saw that his religion did not distinguish races and encouraged coexistence. From then on he would become more tolerant with whites.