Many people in Black history paved a way for African-Americans to have a voice in today's society whether it was through violence or non-violence. The movie Malcolm X begins with Malcolm, being played by Denzil Washington sitting in a barber's chair getting a perm. This opening was important because it focuses on society's view of beauty and hair care at the time. During this era, many African-American men and women were perming their hair because they felt it will result in them being socially accepted by white people in society. The movie then shifts its focus to racial issues that were going on before and after Malcolm was Born. Before Malcolm was born, a group of Klu Klux Klan members showed up to his house for his father because his father …show more content…
Malcolm's father Earl Little believed that freedom, independence, and self-respect could not be achieved by the black man so the black man should return back to Africa. By returning back to Africa, the black man will finally be able to reach their full potential. I viewed this statement as political because back in the 1940's and 1950's African-American people had very limited opportunities given to them by their government and their peers based solely on the color of their skin. This statement brings me back to when the movie first began and you Malcolm's voice speaking to a crowd, He says, " You are a victim of an American because you were forced to come here, Being born here does not make you an American". The movie then shifts back to race when Malcolm begins to talk about his mother. Malcolm's grandmother was raped by a white man which resulted in the birth of his mother. Malcolm's mother hated the fact that she was bi-racial so she married his father because he was so dark. Malcolm's mother wanted her children to have some color because she hated the fact that she didn't have much color to her
On February 11th 1965 Malcolm X gave a speech at the London school of economics. In Malcolm’s speech Malcolm discussed the racism that plagued the United States during the 1960s. During this speech Malcolm brought up police brutality and the riots that it caused, saying that the riots were nothing more than a reaction by the African community because of police brutality. Since Malcolm x’s time many things have been accomplished for the equality of Africans in America; however In today’s society America still feels the anguish of riots based on police brutality. Malcom X’s view on racism was a “whatever it takes” type of theology, justifying violence to end racism. During Malcolm X’s speech on February 11th 1965 Malcolm sheds light on many of
The Ku Klux Klan was a big threat to Malcolm's family so it forced them to move around quite a bit. Then suddenly one day, Malcolm's mother and father got into a big dispute that forced Malcolm's father to go out and take a walk to clear his head.
He talks about the extent of brainwashing the Black community was under at the time. He wants to begin addressing the issue with African Americans in releasing themselves from the mindset that they are inferior in comparison to what he calls the “White man”. Malcolm X stresses the importance of the Black community of having to understand that their success isn’t dictated by another race rather than their own selves. He wants his race to change their mindsets as desegregation laws are taking place, because if they don’t, that will still exist mentally within their community and they won’t be able to properly value themselves as who they are. Belief in yourself is essential for your
“I’m for the truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole” (X). This quote by Malcolm X represented his attitude towards equality and self-empowerment. The true Malcolm X was a passionate human rights activist as well as an extremely outspoken man during the fifties and sixties. X encouraged millions of African Americans to fight for what they believed in and to take pride in their ethnicity. X persuaded a multitude of African Americans that they are supreme and should not be degraded for their skin color. He learned at a very early age if he wanted something in life, he had to make some noise
“Malcolm Little was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska” (Perry Page 2). Everyone was excited to have a baby boy born into the family, except Malcolm’s father, Earl Little, because he was ashamed that Malcolm had light skin, blue-green eyes and ash-blonde hair. Malcolm’s mother, Louisa was the same complexion as Malcolm, which is where he got his looks from. Louisa’s father was Scottish, and this made her complexion so light that she passed as white. Earl was very into his color. He was a strong believer of being proud to be black. “Earl was a disciple of Marcus Garvey and was elected president of the Omaha branch of Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association. Louisa also joined the UNIA, which emphasized that blacks should be proud of their blackness and their African heritage. It urged them to free themselves from their dependence on whites, economically and otherwise. Garvey taught that instead of integrating whites, blacks should establish their own sovereign nation” (Perry Page 3). Garvey’s philosophy influenced Malcolm’s beliefs. “Malcolm’s father reportedly decided to leave Omaha after Ku Klux Klan horsemen brandishing firearms and blazing torches besieged the Littles’ home, shattering the window panes with their gun but...
When comparing and contrasting movies and books, the majority of the time the book presents more of a detailed atmosphere and illustration of events. However, in this case I think the book, "Autobiography of Malcolm X” and the movie, “Malcolm X” quoin side with one another.
...ica. Anna Hartwell states, “Christianity occupies a central place in Malcolm’s account of white supremacy, in both its global and domestic incarnations” (Hartwell). She also states, “Against this Christian tainted legacy, Malcolm X counterpoises Islam as “the true religion of the black man”. Islamic universalism proffered for him an alternative to U.S. citizenship, which had constantly failed to live up to its promises for African Americans” (Hartwell). Malcolm X had an understandable dislike of the system of white supremacy because it is a system that thrives from people being on the bottom who have higher percentages of taxes taken out paychecks even though they make far less than everyone else. The thing about white supremacy is that it affects in a negative way poor people of all colors, but black people suffer the most for obvious reasons. This was the message
Malcolm was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska to Louise and Earl Little. His Father, Earl, was a Baptist minister and an active member of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (founded by Marcus Garvey). Due to his involvement in civil rights, Malcolm and his family were harassed and experienced racism from an early age, and Malcolm’s encounter before he was even born. In his own words, Malcolm said: “ When my mother was pregnant with me, she told me later, ‘ a party of hooded Ku Klux Klan riders galloped to our home, brandishing their guns and rifles, they shouted for my father to come out’.”
When the movie starts Malcolm Little is getting his hair cut. The appearance is that he wants to look more like a white person. Malcolm X's father is a preacher, but the KKK came to the house to burn it down. Later, Malcolm's father is killed by being tied to the rail road tracks when a train comes. His father died when Malcolm was just a child.. After Malcolm's dad died A white woman came to tell Malcolm that they were going to take her kids away because she was an "unsuitable mother". They then sent Malcolm to a detention home which drove his mother insane.
...ly. Malcolm’s travels to the Middle East transformed his spiritual aspects, and how he looked at the current issues facing the United States. He underwent a quick conversion, which later made him an international figure, later in his life. After visiting Mecca, he realized that Africans needed to embrace brotherhood by converting to the Muslim faith in order to fight racism. Malcolm became a different person who instead of fighting radically for equality, he encouraged his people to fight for their human rights. The generosity and the kindness he saw from Muslims while in the Middle East changed his views on change in America. In essence, Malcolm X was a man who promoted a society whereby, all human beings were equally respected, in spite of their race or color.
Malcolm X wanted to properly educate his people with the wisdom and knowledge that wasn’t being taught to African Americans as they have been misguided all these years. He stressed the importance of unity in the black community and coming together as one because in all actuality they are all fighting the same war. This speech did a good job empowering. In the end, the goal of Malcolm X’s speech was to reveal the necessity of Black Nationalism and building a black community that stands up to white manipulation, in addition to the urgency for black people becoming politically intelligent, so that they can make wise choices about officials and only choose people who will help the black community. This speech had a dramatic effect on society because it pertained substance. It spoke of the racial injustice and was coming out the mouth of someone that endured their pain and struggle, also relentless and a truth-teller but most importantly black. Nonetheless, “The Ballot or the Bullet” gave African Americans a voice in which they
Passion is known to be contagious. Many would consider civil rights leader Malcolm X as being one of the most passionate individuals no matter the circumstance or stage in his life. He is known to have been bursting with passion regardless if he had been hustling on the streets of Harlem, doing time behind a jail cell, delivering sermons on behalf of the Nation of Islam or finding his definition of being a real Muslim. The movie, Malcolm X is a Spike Lee produced biographical drama focused on the Afrocentric upbringings of an activist who spends his life seeking the truth. In the scene where Malcolm is giving a sermon at a Nation of Islam rally, the audience is able to realize how big of a devotee he is to co-founder and minister Elijah Muhammad,
The white people around Malcolm consistently views and treats Malcolm as an animal instead of the human he has the right to be. Malcolm's ambitions to change this acknowledgment drives his fight for human justice for blacks. He experiences unpretentious racism in his childhood from his family and school, who treat him in a different way from others because he is light-skinned. Malcolm foster parents and a couple of the people he encounters in school treats him different in a good manner. Malcolm concluded that these treated him wonderfully in order to show that they are not dehumanizing him and not racist. He feels that they are playing him for a fool because different, in a way that he refers to a "pink poodle." Malcolm thusly dehumanizes certain white people as revenge for the racism he has felt over the years. In Boston, he demonstrates on his white sweetheart Sophia as a status picture, seeing her less as a person than and more like a piece of property he owns. This shows Malcolm the power of dehumanization as if he was European. After years of practicing anti-white behavior for years, Malcolm finally meets white people that treats him as equal, and begins to acknowledge some white individuals as humans. This experience leads him to realize to true power dehumanization has furthering the drive to change this injustice action, once and for
Malcolm X, born in 1925 as Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska lived with the knowledge that his family house was burned down and that his father was killed by the Ku Klux Klan because he refused to vacate an area that was “supposed” to be for Whites only. His father was an independent man who wanted to fend for his family by himself and not have to rely on anyone
Malcolm X Malcolm X is a movie about Malcolm Little. He was born in the era which was full of racial violence and discrimination. They later relocate to Michigan where they still counter violence and persecution. Later the white people kill his father and forcefully admit his mother to a mental hospital while Malcolm is taken to Michigan detention home. After completing his eighth grade, he moves to Boston to stay with Ella, his half-sister.