Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
importance of education in prison
impotance of education in prison
importance of education in prison
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: importance of education in prison
The Savior, Malcolm X
The decade of change as so many people called it, the United States of America was becoming a better place, for some. People began to speak their minds, tell the truth, and give their opinion even if it wasn’t wanted. All of that forced changes, changes from whites and blacks. No longer would our country stand as a racially divided society, the protesting had began. It was the sixties, and so many of the most memorable people in the history of our country, made their voices be heard by everyone. One of the few, who spoke so clear, was Malcolm X, a man who would risk his life for his brothers and sisters of America. Malcolm X told his faith, told his truth, and that made him an ideological hero, especially among the young black culture.
Malcolm Little grew up in Lansing, Michigan, where he witnessed first hand his home being burned to the ground by white supremacist, like the Ku Klux Klan. Two years later Malcolm’s father was murdered, tied to the tracks and ran over by a steam train. That same year his mother was placed in a mental hospital and Malcolm was situated throughout detention homes the following years. In his early years he moved to Boston to live with his sister Ella. Malcolm found good and bad around the outsized Boston area, and became involved in the dealing of cocaine, hustling, and gambling profoundly. The name Malcolm no longer existed to him, he was known as “Detroit Red” for his slicked back, greasy hair. Red decided it was time to hit the big show, and moved to New York, specifically Harlem where he could deal and “strike it big.”
Dealing wasn’t enough for the gang banging slinger, he had to have it all and just when enough was enough he took it a step further. Malcolm teamed up with a white girl named Sophia he had known, her sister, and to other black male friends, to pull of some house burglaries. A few went well and turned out successful, and then Malcolm made a mistake. Malcolm had dropped off a stolen watched needed for repairing at a local jewelry store, and when he was returned to pick it up the New York Police Department was there to arrest him. Malcolm was convicted of larceny and sentenced eight to ten years in prison.
In 1946 Malcolm began reading and educating himself to become a better person while in prison.
The reading on Malcolm X had lots of points that hit everyday society in America for African Americans. Malcolm X was like any other man hustling on the streets to get by, like a lot you see in today society with the drug dealers and such. Starting off Malcolm X was not an intelligent man; he didn’t know how to write without a little slang to his words, he didn’t know how to articulate what he wanted to be said. Malcolm X was convicted of robbery and was sent to Charleston Prison, but was later sent off to the Norfolk Prison Colony School, this is where he gave himself the educated needed to be a well productive citizen. Malcolm X stated, “I saw that the best thing I could do was get hold of a dictionary-to study, to learn some new words (p.211). “I spent two days just riffling uncertainly through the dictionary’s pages.” “Finally, just to start some kind of action, I began copying.” Here Malcolm X is seeing his time being served in prisons to not only be a lessoned learned but to learn something that he knew he would never learn...
The experience of prison was eye-opening for Malcolm and helped him make some pretty big decisions. Malcolm soon began reading to educate himself while later converting to Islam. When Malcolm was released from prison, he changed his last name to X because he believed that his true heritage was lost when his ancestors were forced into slavery.
This did not stop them and they came in anyway. Malcolm, without family discipline and restrictions, often could be found wandering the streets of Roxbury. Without parental or adult guidance of any kind and due to the poor conditions in his home, Malcolm began to steal food. Finally, he was caught. The police did not make a big deal about it, because it was his first offense. The Social Workers however, began investigating his family even more intensely. They used this incident against the family. They reported that Malcolm’s mother could not take proper care of her children and recommended that they be split up and placed in different foster homes.
Both Fannie Lou Hamer and Malcolm X rejected the idea that the main goal of the civil rights movement should be based on an aspiration to gain rights “equal” to those of white men and to assimilate into white culture. They instead emphasized a need to empower Black Americans.1 Their ideas were considered radical at a time when Martin Luther King Jr. preached the potential of white and black americans to overcome “the race issue” together and in a gradual manner. Malcolm X’s attempt to achieve his goals through revolutionary top-down methods and Fannie Lou Hamer’s focus on the need for grassroots movements contributed to the Civil Rights movement significantly by encouraging and assisting Black Americans.
His quest for an education had begun, but it would be a long one. He decries how it all really began while he was being held at the Charlestown Prison. Bimbi, a fellow prisoner, was very intelligent and Malcolm envied his gift. Bimbi encouraged him to read and Malcolm would try but would end up quitting because he would skip the words he didn't know and keep reading. The problem with this was that he could never fully understand what he was reading and would put the book down. So he decided that he needed to learn how to read and write properly.
In 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected president of the United States. During his campaign he had promised to lead the country down the right path with the civil rights movement. This campaign promise had brought hope to many African-Americans throughout the nation. Ever since Lincoln, African-Americans have tended to side with the democrats and this election was no different. The Kennedy administration had noticed that the key to the presidency was partially the civil rights issue. While many citizens were on Kennedy’s side, he had his share of opposition. Malcolm X differed on the view of the President and observed that the civil rights movement wasn’t happening at the speed Kennedy had pledged. Malcolm X possessed other reasons for his dislike of John F. Kennedy and his brothers, especially Robert. The Kennedy government stood for racial liberalism and Malcolm X argued their true intentions for the civil rights movement weren’t in the best interest of the black population. This tension streamed both ways. John Kennedy and the Federal Bureau of Investigation felt that Malcolm X had become a threat to national security. James Baldwin has written essays that have included the repeated attacks on the white liberal and supports Malcolm in many of his theories and actions.
After leaving prison Malcolm X used his drive for fulfilling a higher purpose to lead thousands
His developing enthusiasm for Allah and the religion of Islam displayed the amazing turnaround in Malcolm's life. With every minute spent reading was a minute spent on creating the humbleness of a man with a series of unforgettable sins. At this point it would be hard to say the audience wasn’t entirely relieved. A man with time and desire is almost impossible to discourage. He began to speak with a greater knowledge and purpose. Soon enough, he felt the need to teach his cellmates. “My reading had my mind like steam under pressure” (page 187). You begin to notice a difference in Malcolm's character once again. He has restrained himself from being the self centered, primitive individual he once was and has toned in on the “True Knowledge”. “It was right there in prison that I made up my mind to devote the rest of my life to telling the white man about himself -- or die” ( page 188).Coincidentally he gave what he had left of his life to sharing the reality of the African American
Later in 1937, Malcolm’s mother Louise, who never got over her husband’s death, was admitted into a mental institution. Malcolm and his other siblings were split up into various foster homes (Malcolm X bio, 2013). Youth Malcolm graduated junior high at the top of his class, with aspirations of being a lawyer, until a teacher told him that being a lawyer was “no realistic goal for a nigger,” suggesting that he be something practical, like a carpenter (J. Simon, 26).... ... middle of paper ...
Malcolm’s life may have ended more than 50 years ago, but his struggle lives today. Regardless of his imperfections, his example of courage and desire for truth should be an example for all. Trying to live a life true to your beliefs of right and wrong can be the most intimidating task a human ever faces. Malcolm X took on that challenge with courage and did the best he could, with the means provided to him. As with Malcolm’s example, keep an open mind, be willing to change your beliefs and misconceptions, and this book can provide insight into his life and possibly your
After completing his eighth grade, Malcolm moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to live with his sister, Ella. In Boston, Malcolm involved in a metropolitan nightlife. He wears flashy clothes, gambling, drinking, consuming drugs, and dating an older white woman named Sophia. Once he worked as a railway porter but then when he moved to New York, he began to work as a hustler in Harlem. His jobs include running numbers, selling drugs, steering white people to black brothers as well as committing armed robberies.
In the 1960s it was a hard time for black Americans. There was a revolution being driven by two well know black civil rights leaders. The first phase of the revolution was driven by a young Islamic black man, Malcolm X, who was a spokesperson for the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X was adamant that blacks needed to take care of their own business. In the issue of black integration in American culture.
African Americans are fortunate to have leaders who fought for a difference in Black America. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X are two powerful men in particular who brought hope to blacks in the United States. Both preached the same message about Blacks having power and strength in the midst of all the hatred that surrounded them. Even though they shared the same dream of equality for their people, the tactics they implied to make these dreams a reality were very different. The background, environment and philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were largely responsible for the distinctly varying responses to American racism.
Until the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his life’s work was dedicated to the nonviolent actions of blacks to gain the freedoms they were promised in the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 by Abraham Lincoln. He believed that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (King, 1963). These injustices had become so burdensome to blacks that they were “plunged into an abyss of despair” (King, 1963). The nonviolent actions of the sit-ins, boycotts, and marches were so the “individual could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths…to help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism” and ultimately lead to “inevitably opening the door to negotiation” (King, 1963). Not only was King’s approach effective with the older black generation, it was also successful with white people. They did not feel threatened when approached by King. White people gained a sense of empathy towards the plight of black freedom as King’s promise of nonviolence did not threaten their livelihood. Malcolm X viewed the world similarly to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., however; his beliefs to changing the status quo were slightly different from his political counterpart. Malcolm X realized that “anger could blind human vision” (X, 1965). In realizing this, X knew that in order to achieve racial freedom blacks had to “forget hypocritical politics and propaganda” (X, 1965). While Malcolm X was more so an advocate for violent forces against white people than King, X merely used force when it became necessary for defense. According to X, “I don’t go for non-violence if it also means a delayed solution. I am for violence if non-violence means we continue postponing a solution to American black man’s problem” (X, 1965). However, this le...
Malcolm X while in prison completed his first transformation. Like many great figures and history makers had a low point in is life. At this time Malcolm was into drugs, hustling, women and money. He became so dependant on making a lot of money he and some of his friends decided to rob the house of an old white man. They were caught for this crime and were not only charged with this crime but were also charged with having sex with white women. Malcolm and his friend "Shorty" were sentenced to six years in prison. The two white women that were Malcolm and Shorty’s accomplices were sentenced to a year in jail. During the first couple days of prison Malcolm was coming off a drug high and was having withdrawals. These withdrawals led Malcolm into solitary confinement for two months. When he was let out of his chamber he met the man that would later be responsible for Malcolm’s transformation. This man was a follower of the nation of Islam and the great Alijah Muhammad. Malcolm learned a great deal form him. This shows us that even in the worst of circumstances we can learn and become better. This transformation was a great test for Malcolm and starts to let us see what a great influence he would end up being in the lives of many Americans.