# Is "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Malcolm X with Alex Haley a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X with Alex Haley (Grove Press, 1965) is identified by: Black cloth lettered in gilt; copyright page states 'first printing'; first-issue dust jacket designed by Roy Kuhlman and priced on the front flap. US Grove Press (New York) true first, 1965.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 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
- Publisher imprint reads Grove Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Malcolm X with Alex Haley |
| Publisher | Grove Press |
| Year | 1965 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Black cloth lettered in gilt; copyright page states 'first printing'; first-issue dust jacket designed by Roy Kuhlman and priced on the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## 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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Autobiography of Malcolm X* by Malcolm X with Alex Haley a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-autobiography-of-malcolm-x
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.