"Malcolm X"

Paper Summary:

The paper considers Malcolm X's 1965 autobiography and maintains that it reveals as much about one man's personality and lifestyle as it does about an entire social and political revolution taking place in the United States. The paper emphasizes that Malcolm X shows how racism and problems associated with racism, such as poverty in African-American communities, are endemic to American society. The paper describes Malcolm's upbringing, and discusses how after experiencing the results of racial bigotry and rising from the ghetto underworld, Malcolm became one of black America's most important social, political and spiritual leaders.

From the Paper:

"Malcolm X's early childhood and young adulthood show the origin of his views on race relations in America; his experiences were not all that unique. Malcolm's family was not poor until his father was shot by white supremacists. When his mother was forced to take care of her eight children she descended into despair and depression. Malcolm recalls the effects of his father's death and his mother's subsequent destitution: "something began to happen. Some kind of psychological deterioration hit our family circle and began to eat away our pride. Perhaps it was the constant tangible evidence that we were destitute," (p. 14). Gradually Malcolm and his siblings looked to other families to provide the emotional and financial support that their mother could not provide."

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