Having completed The Autobiography of Malcolm X today, which is coincidentally also Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I have both a newfound knowledge and appreciation towards the leaders and participants of the Civil Rights Movement. Although I did have some basic knowledge about Malcolm X’s life before I read his autobiography, given that I come from two African-American Muslim parents who at one time were themselves members of the Nation of Islam, I am now far more aware of the personal struggles and sacrifices that he went through to leave the mark he did. I am, however, curious as to why MLK is discussed and taught about in school so much, but when it comes to Malcolm X, he is rarely talked about, if even mentioned at all. I understand that MLK had a greater influence than did Malcolm X, but I still believe Malcolm made more than a big enough impact during the Civil Rights era to at least be referenced in history textbooks and school lessons. Perhaps it is because, unlike MLK, Malcolm did not preach that one should be peaceful while being violently attacked. In fact, Malcolm encouraged blacks to fight back if they were unjustly attacked by anyone, including police. Regardless, he was a great man and I refuse to allow his legacy to be ignored and looked over, intentionally or not.
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| Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia |
Aside from attaining more knowledge on his life, after reading his autobiography, the greatest takeaway I personally gained was knowing the amount and degree of sacrifice one must undergo before improving oneself or becoming successful at almost anything. Additionally, it reinforced the importance of networking and the idea that it isn’t necessarily all about what it is you know, but rather who it is you know. Overall, I’m very pleased I decided to read this book and would recommend it to anyone capable of both appreciating what Malcolm X went through as well as the circumstances he was under.
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