Name:

DexterMueller

Group:
Red

ByJimMogge

TheAutobiographyofMalcolmX
,astoldtoAlexHaley.

Foreachofthefollowingquestions,provideajournalentry.
Intheresponseanswerallpartsofthequestion.
Eachanswermustbeatleastonecompleteparagraph.
Youmayeitherrecordyouranswersinacompositionbookorcompletethe
assignmentusingawordprocessor.

BeforeYouRead

1.
InabriefwrittenstatementsharewhatyoualreadyknowaboutMalcolmX.
Whatareyourmajorsourcesofinformation?Regardlessofhowmuchyou
know,whatdoyouthinkherepresentedtotheAmericanpeople?
a. HewastheoppositeofMLK,insteadofadvocatingequalityhewanteda
separation,evenareversalofpowerholdinginwhiteoverblack.Iknow
fromreferencestohimtoday.Herepresentedblackempowerment.

Iwasbornbytheriver.(ch.19)

2.
PleasedescribethebackgroundandexperiencesoftheReverendEarlLittle.
WhowasheandhowdoyouthinkhislifeanddeathinfluencedMalcolm?
a. HewasthefatherofMalcolmX,asupporterofMarcusGarveyandthe
backtoAfricacampaign.HegaveMalcolmearlyexposuretoaseparatist
blackpridemovement.Hisdeathisaacatalysttorevealingtheunfairness
oftheworldMalcolmlivedin.ThisisbecauseitthrustsMalcolmintoa
punishingandharshworld
3.
HowdidMr.OstrowskisinteractionwithMalcolminfluenceMalcolms
thinking?TowhatextentwasthisinteractionatragiceventinMalcolms
life?
a. Itrevealedhowwhitesdidnotexpectblackstoperformwellinlife.It
changedthewayMalcolmviewedthewaywhitestreatedhim.Itdidthis
byshowingOstrowskisdifferentresponsestodifferentstudentswhen
informedofstudentambitions.Thiseventrevealedtheextenttowhich
blackswerentexpectedtoperformwellinlife.
4.
HowisMalcolmsdescriptionofhishairandconkarepresentationofthe
physicalandculturalexperienceofAfricanAmericans.?Howmightphysical
appearanceshapepersonalandsocietalconsciousness?
a. ItshowshowMalcolmbelievedAfricanAmericansweretryingtobe
morewhitelooking.TheculturalidentityofAfricanAmericanswas

beingerasedbytheirinequality.Peoplewouldjudgebasedon
appearance,andhavingawhiterappearancewouldleadtopeople
assumingonehadahighersocialstatus.

5.

DidMalcolmsparticipationinthejazzscenehaveapositiveornegative
impactonhislife?
a. Ithadabitofboth.Itleadtothecatalystthatopenedhiseyestotheevils
ofhisworld,andgavehimabackgroundwhichallowedhimtomakehis
teachingsmuchmoredowntoearth.However,hewhollyregretshaving
beeninvolvedinthejazzscene,andfeelsimmenseguiltoverthe
perversionofLaura.

6.

WhichofthemanycolorfulcharactersinMalcolmslifehadthegreatest
impactonMalcolm?

CadillacDrake
AlabamaPeach
Jumpsteady
CreoleBill
SammythePimp
WestIndianArchie

7.

WhateventsledtoMalcolmsincarcerationandwasprisoninevitable?
a. Hisdesperationandeventualburglaryringleadtohisincarceration.I
believeprisonwasinevitableforMalcolm,ashehadtoresorttomore
riskyhustlestosurvive.

Iwentdowntown
.(Ch.1019)

8.
WasMalcolmsprisonexperiencemostlyeducational,spiritualor
rehabilitative?Wasitanequalcombinationofallthree?
a. Itwasmostlyeducational.Iteducatedhiminspirituality,andheusedthe
educationtorehabilitatehimself,butheusedhistimeinprisontogive
himselfsomethingresemblinganeducation.
9.
ElijahMuhmmadclaimedthathistoryhasbeenwhitened.Whatdidhe
meanbythisandisthisstillthecasetoday?
a. Noonefocusedonwhatblackhistoryconsistedof,shovingittotheside
infavorofteachingwhitehistory.Ignoringtheculturalsignificancethat
AfricanhistoryhastoAfricanAmericansandalmosthidingitfromthem.
Itstillhappenstoday,somewhat.ThereisntasmuchafocusonAfrican
historyasthereisblackhistoryinAmerica.

Heloveshimselfsomuchthatheisstartledifhediscoversthathis
victimsdontsharehisvaingloriousselfopinion.

10.WhatisMalcolmsayingaboutwhitepeopleinthisquote?Isthisan
accuratestatementtoday?
a. Theyaretooselfabsorbedtocareaboutothers.Theyarenarcissists.No,
allpeople,includingwhites,areveryconsciousaboutoffendingothers
basedonrace.
11. MalcolmdescribestheUncleThomasandtheProfessionalNegro.Whatishe
talkingaboutinthatsectionofthebook?
a. TheAfricanAmericansthatparticipateintheracistsysteminordertolive
aslightlybetterlifeandreceivemorehandoutsfromthoseinpowerwhile
pretendingthemselvestobeadvancedintermsofcivilrights
12.WhatfactorscausedMalcolmtomoveawayfromtheNationofIslam?
a. Jealousyamonghispeers,therevelationthatElijahMuhammaddidnt
followNoIsvalues,andtheostracizingfortryingtojustifyElijah
Muhammadsactions.
13.HowdidMalcolmstravelabroadtoMeccachangehisworldview?
a. Itshowedhimthatwhitescouldbealright,butthattheculturalclimatein
Americawascreatingandurgingracisminthewhiteman.Itshowedthat
whenpeopleofallracescanliveinatrulyintegratedandequalsociety,its
notallthatbad.
14.Readthequoteonpage377aboutthecrimesofexploitingandenslaving

theworldsnonwhitepeoples.Isthisthoughtstillrelevantinourcentury?
a. Yes,imperialismstillhaslastingeffectsamongcountriesthathave
nonwhitepopulations.Manypreviouscoloniesarestillstrugglingto
recreatetheirownnationalidentitythathadbeendestroyedand
overwhelmedbythewhiteimperialists
15.AccordingtoMalcolm,whathasbeenhisgreatestlack?Howmighthisideas
andactionsbeendifferent?
a. Hisgreatestlackwasalackofformalhighereducation,accordingto
himself.Ifhehadreceivedahighereducation,hewouldhavehadthe
opportunitytousehisstatusasaneducatedmantogaingreater
influenceinmorerespectablecirclestoexertagreatersocialforceofhis
ideology

Achangeisgonnacome
(epilogue)

16.
ShouldMalcolmhavetakenmoreprecautionsintheend?Whydidhechoose
toliverelativelyunprotected?
a. Malcolmshouldhavetakenmoreprecautions,becauseIwanttoseewhat
wouldhewouldhavedoneandhowhewouldseetheworldcloserto
presentday.Thefactthathediddie,however,madehimamartyrto
many,andinspiredmanyotherstofightagainsttheiroppressors.He
chosetoliveunprotectedsoastoprovetohimselfthatheissafeamong
hisownkind,andasamessagethathebelievesthatunityisthewaytogo.

Itsnotverynicetopreachunityandgoodwillamongfellows,andthen
turnaroundandshowthatyoudonttrustthosefellows.
Nowthatyouhavereadthebook,gobacktotheoriginalquestion.Whowas
MalcolmXandwhatdidherepresent?
a. MalcolmXwasaspeakerwhopreachedAfricanAmericanunityand
pride.Hespokewhathefeltwastheobjectivetruth,andwasalways
searchingforwaystochangehistruth.Herepresentedcenturiesofpent
upfrustrationwiththeunfairandcruelwaysAmericatreatednonwhites.

17.

ThedirectorSpikeLeesaidthisabout
TheAutobiographyofMalcomX
.

ThemostimportantbookIlleverread.ItchangedthewayIthoughtit
changedthewayIacted.IthasgivenmecouragethatIdidntknowIhad
insideme.Imoneofthehundredsofthousandswhoselifewaschanged
forthebetter.

18.

WhydoyouthinkthisbookwassoimportanttoSpikeLee?Didthebook
haveanyimpactonthewayyouviewtheworld?Explain.
a. ThebookhadalittleimpactonhowIviewedtheworld.Ibecamemore
curiousinhowIviewedracerelationstoday.MalcolmXsstrugglesare
powerful,butwhatchangedmemostwasthewayMalcolmXthoughtand
perceivedtheworld.AfterhistriptoMecca,hebecameopenandwilling
toallowhisviewstochangebasedonhisexperiences.Hedidhisbestto
explainhisviewsinawaythatwasthoroughandproductive.Iwanttotry
toemulatethewayMalcolmXwaseventuallywillingtolearn,becauseI
feelthisopennesstolearningiswhatmadeMalcolmXsuchapowerful
inividual.