Why is Malcolm especially impressed by his older stepsister Ella?

When Malcolm first met Ella, he was most impressed by her sense of pride.

I think the major impact of Ella's arrival, at least upon me, was that she was the first really proud black woman I had ever seen in my life. She was plainly proud of her very dark skin. This was unheard of among Negroes in those days, especially in Lansing.