The points of issue
Black cloth lettered in gilt; copyright page states 'first printing'; first-issue dust jacket designed by Roy Kuhlman and priced on the front flap. Includes the M. S. Handler introduction and Alex Haley epilogue, with sixteen pages of photographic plates.
Is this the true first?
US Grove Press (New York) true first, 1965.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issues lack the jacket price and the 'first printing' designation; verify the first-state jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Black cloth lettered in gilt; copyright page states 'first printing'; first-issue dust jacket designed by Roy Kuhlman and priced on the front flap. Includes the M. S. Handler introduction and Alex Haley epilogue, with sixteen pages of photographic plates.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Grove Press (New York) true first, 1965.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club issues lack the jacket price and the 'first printing' designation; verify the first-state jacket.
I have a first edition of The Autobiography of Malcolm X — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.