Malcolm X Influence On Education

Malcolm X was a prisoner at Charlestown Prison. At the prison he educated himself on how to read and write. He wanted to write letters to his friend Elijah Muhammad, but he could even write simple English. Therefore he couldn’t convey what he felt in his letters. This motivated him and he took it upon himself to learn how to read and write. He did so by copying the dictionary. He stared from the letter A all the way to Z. By the time he finished he expanded his vocabulary and writing skills. Along the way he found interest in reading and picked up on a subject that deeply motivated him. Malcolm X was very passionate about the topic of slavery. His readings fueled his hatred towards the “White Man” and this allowed him to continue reading on

By learning to read, Malcolm X gained a universal knowledge that helped him to become in one of the most articulate and famous spokesman. He didn’t just learn the appropriate English grammar; he went beyond to more serious readings. These readings helped him to discover a new world of knowledge “Anyone who has read a great deal can imagine the new world that opened” (X 190). Moreover, his interest for Mr. Muhammad teachings led Malcolm to want to know more about black people history through the time. Books as Will Durant’s Story of Civilization and Negro History gave him some knowledge about the topic “Book after book showed me how the white man had brought upon the world’s black, brown, red and yellow peoples every variety of the suffering

He immediately picked up acknowledgement, his relationship with Muhammad enabled individuals to understand that he was somebody worth tuning in to. This relates back to the quote because he is educating them about the world and the Islamic nation. This quote was made to express the way that despite the fact that Malcolm X didn’t have the education at the time. He was still able to connect with his audience and develop a movement and change after his

Malcolm X began to read and found out that he loved reading. As he discovered and read more, he became interested in the civil rights movement. He started to read more about history and slavery. He was so

Malcolm X also risked his life when wanting to read. As referred in the essay as “lights out,” this represented the time when inmates were required to go to sleep. Malcolm X would still be in the middle of reading while this happen. He was able to find very dim light and continue reading his book. Nothing, not even the risk of being caught by guards was going to stop him from reading. When Malcolm X realized he wanted to further his education, he obtained a dictionary. It took him days to actually take action and start. “I spent two days just riffling through the dictionary's pages.” This is an obstacle in itself because he had to start what he said he was going to do. It is easy for many to set a plan, but it is harder to go through with it. If you wait for the right moment to start something, it will never

He had specific goal for his reading and learning although he spent seven years in prison. His goal was to serve the black man in term of Black and White separatism in the 1950’s in United States. His meaningful goal led to great reading and learning of certain subjects, such as Black history, Genetics, slavery, Chinese world history and philosophy. Constantly, he says, “You will never catch me with a free fifteen minutes in which I’m not studying something I feel might be able to help the black man (X 85). Moreover, Malcolm’s education is really an educational experience. Unlike Mark’s education, Malcolm had to begin his fundamental education by learning the vocabulary. Henceforth, he daily spent numerous hours on reading books to gain knowledge and understanding. He himself did that spectacular job without any specific guidance, except for his curiosity only. He said, “I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity-because you can hardly mention anything I’m not curious about” (X 85). On the other hand, reading for the sake of knowledge was a significant way to help Malcolm feel a sense of freedom in spite of being in prison. Truly, the more he read, the freer he felt. He concludes that “I don’t think anybody ever got more out of going to prison than I did. In fact, prison enabled me to study far more intensely than I would have if my life had gone differently and I had attended some college.” (X 85)

He saw educated prisoners achieve a certain celebrity status and desired these skills as well as status. Malcolm X describes these inmates and the status they possessed: “There were a sizeable number of well-read inmates, especially the popular debaters. Some were said by many to be walking encyclopedias. They were almost celebrities” (212). He envied these educated men and became determined to grow to be educated. In pursuing his self-taught education, “Malcolm X emerged as the leading spokesman for black separatism, a philosophy that urged black Americans to cut political, social, and economic ties with the white community” (intro 210). Not seeking the prestige or degree for his education, his efforts made him a leading advocate for the civil rights and liberties of African Americans and a leading spokesperson for the Nation of Islam.

At the start of Malcolm X’s journey toward his education, he realizes that education is more essential than getting trained to get a job or getting a college degree. In the essay “How I Discovered Words: A Homemade Education”, he talks about what he went through to become the person he is now. With that said, he was a civil right activist, speaker, and he encouraged African American to fight racism. When he was sent to Charlestown Prison he took the time to teach himself and become more knowledgeable. He envies the guy he meets in prison because he is more knowledgeable and understands things better. Malcolm X begins to read dictionaries and more books to gain expertise and comprehend what others have to say. Additionally, you don't necessarily need to attend a good school to have a positive outcome in your education. According to Malcolm X, reading books helps you develop more information, gives you a bigger idea, and you can understand things differently. I do believe in Malcolm’s understanding of why it is important to get an education. No matter what you do you'll work for what you want, you'll manage to teach yourself new things, and you'll accomplish to understand ideas better.

Instead of going to school to get a traditional education, he dropped out of school at fifteen and learned the ways of the streets. Malcolm associated himself with thugs, thieves, dope dealers, and pimps. He was convicted of burglary at age twenty and remained in prison until he was twenty-seven. During his prison sentence, he became a changed man. He educated himself and he learned about and joined the Nation of Islam, studying the teachings of Elijah Muhammed. Elijah taught Malcolm how history had been “whitened by the white man” (p.184) and he echoed “the black convict’s lifelong experience” where “the white man is the devil,” (p. 186). This thought process encouraged many black inmates to discover the Nation of Islam.

In the essay Learning to Read, Malcolm X details the process in which he learned to read and the tremendous effects it had on his perspective of the race issues in America. During his stay in prison, Malcolm X was given the opportunity to spend timeless hours learning as much as he could about reading and the English language. Furthermore, Malcolm X was fortunate enough to stay at a prison that had an extensive library. As a result, Malcolm X was able to discover and learn more about his own culture. Malcolm X learned that the African American culture is unfortunately cast in the shadows of the white population and neglected in textbooks as well as history. Not only does he believe the white population suppresses African Americans, but he believes

Malcolm X is an extremely critical figure that contributed in shaping American social life. He was a famous man who articulated the struggle, anger, and beliefs of African Americans. He was a radical man who fought for change despite the situation. His struggle for equality for the black nation landed him in prison. While in prison, Malcolm was able to study, and earned a college degree. However, most importantly while in prison, Malcolm X was introduced to the Islam faith by one of the prisoners. He received teachings from the Muslim faith, which made him realize that, his people were being oppressed and abused by the whites. While out of prison, he went to visit honorable Elijah Muhammad and later on went around preaching Elijah

He is truly one of the symbol 's who helps to promote this change and help black people of America to stop living lives that they are told are less meaningful, and forced to be unsuccessful in. Although many people may disagree with the exact teaching of Malcolm X and his views on the reasons that black people were struggling, his intentions to change the ways that black people were viewed was a strong turning point in the direction of the nation. His autobiography and experiences truly helped many white people and black people to see what had been happening to our society that they had been blinded by for so long, and gave us the opportunity to change this. Some ways our society is helping to change this is by improving welfare programs, providing additional aid for colored people to attend college, and requiring companies to employ a certain amount of minorities. Although racism still exists today, it is much less severe and active as it was back in the days of the life of Malcolm X. Malcolm X is certainly one of the most important catalysts for this change and his works should be known and appreciated by all who have been affected by this, or all who did not realize the extremity of the situation until he brought it to their

Being that the school system I encountered prior to college barely educates you on black history, I can only imagine how the education system was in Malcolm’s time. At this time in his life when he was Malcolm Little, he had little to no education about his history which is most likely the reason he carried himself the way that he did in the very beginning of his life. One who does not know where they come from nor value their history typically tends to fall into a stereotypical existence; the only way to break this cycle is the awakening of the mind. Something has to occur to drastically changes a man or woman’s life, whether it's in a positive or negative form.

Malcolm X was a strong advocate for the right of African Americans and can be considered one of Americas most influential people of the 1960’s followed be Dr. Martin Luther King. Malcolm X was born in a large family and has to move to place to place because of the “back to Africa” movement. This event will leads his father to be murdered and was thrown on the train track to make it look like an accident caused him to have a hate rid toward white people. Even though Malcolm X was an excellent student in schools, but because of the racial tension between him in the white teacher often showed Malcolm X with discouragement. Because for the discouragement that he would receive during school Malcolm X would drop out of school and seek out crime gaining respect on the streets. Malcolm X wanted to join the military, but was turned down because his he believed. After being turned down form school and the military Malcolm would commit grand larceny and will be sentenced to prison. In prison is where he would meet an intellectual by the name of Bembry who would inspire him to educate himself and become notorious “Malcolm X”. Upon meeting Bembry and developing has mind, he would also developed his spirtualality by devoting his life to the Nation of Islam (NOI). After he left the prison, he would create his legacy by preaching about the Nation of Islam and influencing huge crowd of people to fight for the rights of the African American people. A sided by side comparison between Dr Martin

Malcolm X made more of an impact on the Civil Rights Movement than Martin Luther King JR. Malcolm X lived through extreme hardship and poverty leading to a life of crime; prison eventually altered his whole perspective about his role in society. Unlike MLK JR, whose purpose was predetermined in a household with strict boundaries and Christian love. Most notably, it was his excellency as a scholar that gave MLK JR his signature; being that at only 15 years of age he enrolled into Morehouse College. However, it was Malcolm X with the intelligence of peace through the Nation of Islam and spirituality of Black Nationalism, these components made him the one who is best to philosophize accurately about removing blacks from oppression in the USA.