The chapter seventeen, of the autobiography of Malcolm X, is about Malcolm X’s experiences during his visit to Mecca to perform hajj He was a Muslim minister, a leader in Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam. In the beginning of this chapter, Malcolm X starts off by telling the readers that all Muslims must attempt the pilgrimage, or hajj, to Mecca at least once, "if humanly able". Malcolm X was often encountered by Muslims from other countries who wished to “enlighten” him with what they felt was true Islam. He was initially very skeptical towards these claims but eventually his curiosity got the better of him. To get to know the religion better, Malcolm was directed by his friends to an Egyptian professor in New York, Dr. Mahmoud Youssef …show more content…
As soon as Malcolm called Omar, everything about his visit drastically transformed: Malcolm was put up in the author Abd-Al-Rahman Azzam's suite at the Jedda Palace Hotel. Malcolm was overwhelmed by the Azzams' generosity. At the hotel, later that day there was a surprise for Malcolm. The Deputy Chief of Protocol for Prince Faisal was there to tell him a special car will drive him to Mecca after dinner. When the car arrived, it contained two Arab men who were also going with Malcolm to Mecca. He remarks to readers that white people had never done anything for him without a purpose of their own. In the morning Malcolm thinks about what a white man is. He decides "white man" describes a set of "actions and attitudes" in the United States as much as color. The Azzams and the other white-complexioned Muslims Malcolm has seen on his pilgrimage lack those attitudes; they have been "brotherly." Malcolm says this morning was "the start of a radical alteration" in his "whole outlook about 'white' men". Malcolm thinks of his new saviors as white men, and that forces him to reevaluate his idea that all white people are evil. Finally, after the court approved, Malcolm X was allowed into
In this essay “Saved,”’ by Malcolm X. Malcolm is talking about how he went to prison and how that made him want to improve his language. So he got a holed of a dictionary and read it. while doing this, he though to himself he also could improve his hand writing so when he would read the dictionary he would also write down what he read. than he would read what he wrote down out loud, this made him a faster writer and a good reader. Now because of this, Malcolm loved reading he said he would stay up all night reading and only would get 4 to 5 hours of sleep, but that was all he needed.
During his stay in prison, Malcolm continually lashed out at the guards and fellow inmates. After realizing that this would never get him anywhere, he began to study the teachings of Islam. With the aid of a fellow convict he cam to the mindset that it was his new mission in life to convert fellow blacks in order to unify them as a people. He felt that there was no real way that blacks and whites could come to a mutual agreement in America, and the only solution would be a great Diaspora back to his "homeland" of Africa.
Malcolm Little was born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. At the time of his birth, Malcolm's father was a Baptist Minister. His mom was a writer of Marcus Garvey. Before he was born, his father had 3 children with his previous marriage and 3 before him with his mom.
Malcolm gained permission from Muhammad to search for more recruits out in Detroit, and this is where Malcolm earned the legendary “X”, to represent the unknown African name he would have had if his ancestors not been kidnapped and enslaved. Islam gave Malcolm X a chance to forgive others, but to first forgive himself. Short after Malcolm is appointed as a leading spokesperson for the Black Muslims. Malcolm continues to gain recognition as well as loyalty from his fellow muslim brothers, he travels from city to city, to aid in the foundings of new temple’s for Elijah Muhammad. After Muhammad becomes ill, Malcolm faintly takes the lead while calling shots without asking Muhammad. The Nation of Islam becomes more and more furious with his actions although his comment on J.F.K’s assassination “the chickens coming home to roost”, is what exiled him from the Nation and every muslim brother was told to never speak to him
Malcolm set everything in motion when he converted to the Nation of Islam, an African American movement that combined elements of Islam with Black Nationalism. While in prison, his siblings persuaded him to write to the Nation’s leader, Elijah Muhammad. X was uneasy at first, but came around shortly. Malcolm wrote Muhammad a one-page letter each day in curiosity about the Nation of Islam. Muhammad replied as the “Messenger of Allah” welcoming Malcolm into the “true knowledge” (Haley 195). Before X’s release in nineteen fifty-two, he went under an intense self-educated program by reading books in the prison library, and even memorizing an entire dictionary. He also sharpened his forensic skills by participating in debate classes. When Malcolm was released from prison he had his first official visit with Muhammad in Chicago, he devoted his life to the Muslim ministry. Soon Malcolm began traveling and preaching with other ministers. He picked up their techniques and devoured their knowledge. Malcolm quickly rose in the Nation of Islam ranks becoming minister of Temple number eleven in Boston and Muhammad’s most effective recruiter and spokesman. Soon after, X was rewarded minister of Temple number seven in Harlem, New York, the largest and most prestigious after the Chicago Headquarters and eventually named the National Representative of the Nation of Islam, second in rank behind Muhammad himself. Under X’s lieutenancy the nation claimed a membership of five-hundred thousand, as the numbers grew X’s teachings began to change; he wanted to make a vast difference. He spread the glorious history of African Americans. He urged the Nation to become more active in the civil rights protest instead of being a critic on the side. X articulated the Nation’s racial doctrines of evil
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.
In conclusion, ‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X’ is an interesting and infromative book that should be read by everyone. However, for those does not have any interest in History, you must prepare yourself physically and mentally to completing this book. From the book, we can extract many moral issues that arises without we know. Hence, as a Muslim, we should always concern and be knowledgeable as possible in order to preserve our
...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
Autobiography of Malcolm X takes place during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, and illustrates the life of an African American man spent majority of his life fighting for equal rights. Throughout the book, Malcolm X expresses his negative perspective toward white supremacy and actively speaks on behalf of his people for equality. One of the most life changing event in his life was when he converted to Islam. Religion played an important role in his awakening because it removed the blindness from his eyes and showed him that white people were the reason African Americans are suffering on a day to day basis. This essay investigates how Malcolm X’s autobiography puts into perspective how race is extremely complex race that no one can truly
Malcolm X was a great Civil Rights leader that was ahead of his time, dealing with the inequalities and the black struggle of the 1960's. The 1960's was an era that defined the black race as a lower status than the white race merely based on color. Malcolm X defined race through his Muslim religion believing that blacks would one day reign supreme if only they accepted Allah as God, took Islam as their only religion, and followed the honorable Elijah Muhammad as their messenger. He also believed that the White race was ungodly and they were doomed for their unjust rule unable to accept Allah because of there evil nature. Clearly X's definition of race was that the Black race was "good" and "godly", and the White race was wrong and evil. This idea of race was taken from author David Howard Pitney's book, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and the Struggle of the 1950s and the 1960s A Brief History with Documents. The main source document of these ideas is based on one of "Malcolm's classic, fiery denunciations, as spokesperson for the Nation of Islam, of white America and the Western word" (Pitney113). Called "From God's Judgments of White America". The strengths of Malcolm X s approach towards his definition of race appealed to Black America by giving hope to the struggle of the civil rights movement. However, the weakness of his approach was one-sided alienating the white race, non-violent black people taking part in the Civil Rights struggle, and all other religions besides Islam. Malcolm X's intended audience for his views on race were the American people of the 1960's during the civil rights movement and all future generations of America. Malcolm X's views both fit into and countered the views of the time.
Malcolm traveled to Chicago to meet Elijah Muhammad and there, he became assistant minister of Nation of Islam’s Detroit Temple. Suddenly and without warning in 1961, Elijah Muhammad got violently ill. Malcolm does everything that he can to help the situation, but he knew deep down that he liked how the Nation was growing. Little did he know another hardship would be coming his way. People start getting mad and saying that he was trying to take credit for what Elijah was trying to teach and making money off of it. Although he denies all of the allegations, the news gets around and Malcolm states “What astonished me even more- a telegram had been sent to every New York City newspaper and radio and television station.” This would ding his reputation for a long time, because it was everywhere and that makes him go crazy. He was offended at all the remarks, but this would help him reevaluate his views on white people and people of different
Before, Malcolm believed that all white people were the devil, even the ones who did not have issues with the blacks. He believed that racism was so deeply rooted in them, that even if they claimed to not be a racist, if put in the position where his status was threatened by the black man, he would find away to make himself better. However, this perception of white people changed—“I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept in the same bed, while praying to the same God, with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, and whose hair was the blondest of blonde, and whose skin was the whitest of white.” (p.347). Malcolm realized that in Mecca, people did not pay attention to someone’s race because they were all there to worship the same God. This event shows systemic oppression in the text contrasting the different societies in America and Mecca. In America, if one were black, they would have a certain standard to which they had to live by. In Mecca, race did not matter and it was over looked—people were not expected to fit into a certain class and act particular way based on the color of their
...ack Nationalism to coexistence. He pointed out how America can live without racial problems that it had since slavery. This was a road trip for Malcolm X from the Nation of Islam which used the name of Islam to promote its own social and political agenda to that of true Islam, which allows Malcolm X to see an alternative approach towards his objectives.. George Breitman in his book “The Last Year of Malcolm X” states “…if they adopt Malcolm’s strategy, accept his legacy and develop it n accord with the logic of the direction in which he was moving during his last year, then all of America will be transformed…” Reading the Ballot or the Bullet after knowing this will make one think beyond the actual words that are mentioned in the speech. Today, because of his boldness, Malcolm X is viewed by many, alongside Martin Luther King Jr., as a great civil rights leader.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley is about a man who changed the history of America. Malcolm (Little) X preached what he believed about racism, discrimination, and segregation. He went through many changes in his fight for equality. The three transformations that really changed the way Malcolm thought and preached where his transformation in prison, his transformation into the Islamic religion (following Elijah Muhammad), and the biggest transformation of all, his pilgrimage to Mecca. In all of Malcolm actions, teachings and transformations we learn different points of view and we get a good look at different aspects of events. The life of Malcolm (Little) X as told in his autobiography should be read by all.
The history of the United States has in it much separation or segregation due to race. For a long time our country has seen racism as a large problem and this has caused ethnic groups to be looked down upon and forced into a lifestyle of difficulties and suppression. Due to this, races, particularly African-Americans, have been forced to deal with unequal opportunity and poverty, leading to less honorable ways of getting by and also organizations that support change. Malcolm X is one strong example of an African American man who became apart of a group acted against it, uniting people to promote the advancement of colored people and change. Malcolm's thoughts towards race and civil right in the previous years were displayed in a less way to the people and "by any means necessary" perspective. After his pilgrimage in 1964 his view of civil rights had quickly changed into a more complete view of civil rights, and the peoples views towards him. No one really knows what kind of impact Malcolm X would have had on history if he had not been assassinated. His beliefs and philosophy did gain him a place in history as one of the best-known Black Nationalist Leaders. Everyone seems to have known who Malcolm X was, and he ranks high with all other Black leaders. His ideas were radical and he was very out spoken. He was a major force in the development of black history. He fought not only for his people but also for all oppressed people everywhere. He was well spoken and he laid the groundwork for the black power movement of the late l960's.