Part 1 Summary

One Day When I Was Lost: A Scenario is James Baldwin's screenplay of Alex Haley's book The Autobiography of Malcolm X. The screenplay, which was never produced as a film, portrays the events of Malcolm X's life within the context and limitations of text which is ready for the screen. The screenplay is divided into three parts to address Malcolm's life: first, his youth; second, his time spent in prison and the beginnings of his rise to leadership; and finally, his full immersion into the Muslim religion and ascension as a leader in civil rights in America.

The screenplay begins in the parking garage of the New York Hilton Hotel in New York City in February 1965. A man enters his car, hesitates a moment before turning the ignition and then starts the engine. As the radio announces the appearance of Malcolm X at...