Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Autobiography of Malcolm X | Malcolm X
Now available as an eBook for the very first time! ONE OF TIMES TEN MOST IMPORTANT NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY With its first great victory in the landmark Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, the civil rights movement gained the powerful momentum it needed to sweep forward into its crucial decade, the 1960s. As voices of protest and change rose above the din of history and false promises, one voice sounded more urgently, more passionately, than the rest. Malcolm Xonce called the most dangerous man in Americachallenged the world to listen and learn the truth as he experienced it. And his enduring message is as relevant today as when he first delivered it. In the searing pages of this classic autobiography, originally published in 1964, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and anti-integrationist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Black Muslim movement to veteran writer and journalist Alex Haley . In a unique collaboration, Haley worked with Malcolm X for nearly two years, interviewing, listening to, and understanding the most controversial leader of his time. Raised in Lansing, Michigan, Malcolm Little journeyed on a road to fame as astonishing as it was unpredictable. Drifting from childhood poverty to petty crime, Malcolm found himself in jail. It was there that he came into contact with the teachings of a little-known Black Muslim leader renamed Elijah Muhammad. The newly renamed Malcolm X devoted himself body and soul to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and the world of Islam, becoming the Nations foremost spokesman. When his conscience forced him to break with Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity to reach African Americans across the country with an inspiring message of pride, power, and self-determination. The Autobiography of Malcolm X defines American culture and the African American struggle for social and economic equality that has now become a battle for survival. Malcolms fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American Dream, and the inherent racism in a society that denies its nonwhite citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time. The Autobiography of Malcolm X stands as the definitive statement of a movement and a man whose work was never completed but whose message is timeless. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand America. Praise for The Autobiography of Malcolm X Malcolm Xs autobiography seemed to offer something different. His repeated acts of self-creation spoke to me; the blunt poetry of his words, his unadorned insistence on respect, promised a new and uncompromising order, martial in its discipline, forged through sheer force of will.Barack Obama, Dreams from My Father Extraordinary . . . a brilliant, painful, important book.The New York Times A great book . . . Its dead level honesty, its passion, its exalted purpose, will make it stand as a monument to the most painful truth.The Nation The most important book Ill ever read, it changed the way I thought, it changed the way I acted. It has given me courage I didnt know I had inside me. Im one of hundreds of thousands whose lives were changed for the better.Spike Lee This book will have a permanent place in the literature of the Afro-American struggle.I. F. Stone
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
review
ChaoticMissAdventures
post image
Pickpick

I have so many thoughts and feelings about this. The language is interesting, a time capsule of how people spoke in the 1960s, the book feels intimate, like Malcolm is sitting you down and walking you through his life. I am so impressed with his ability to look over the different eras in his life and look at his actions, emotions, and thoughts in a balanced and reflective way. You can see his growth, and he can too. Normally I do not think 👇

ChaoticMissAdventures Young people should write autobiographies, but Malcolm was well aware that his life was in danger from multiple directions, and I think we are incredibly lucky he took the time to collaborate with Alex Haley so that we have such a complete record of his life and thoughts on it. (2/3) 2mo
ChaoticMissAdventures I am always curious about the wives, and how they are and are not mentioned in men's own biographies. Betty was so interesting and it was fascinating to read about how they were married, though it was less than a chapter, and she is randomly mentioned after. You can see in when he mentions her that he really loved and trusted her but that she barely registered in his written records. 2mo
Suet624 I read this so many years ago and was so moved by it. If you‘re interested, The Three Mothers tries to highlight the mothers and wives journey and importance in the lives of Malcolm, MLK and James Baldwin. 2mo
See All 7 Comments
TheBookHippie I just reread this for the third time. It‘s so very powerful. It‘s always interesting to note the wives and mothers of prominent men and their influence and part. Definitely doesn‘t get said enough. 2mo
ChaoticMissAdventures @Suet624 oh yes! I have read it. Mrs Little's story is absolutely heartbreaking. We should all know so much more about it, what the government did to his family from the jump is such important context for his life. 2mo
ChaoticMissAdventures @TheBookHippie a third time! That is impressive, I am sure you find new things in it each time? I was very intimidated by it. It has been on my self for a couple of years, and I have read a half dozen books about him but was nervous to pick this up. It is dense but a lot more readable than I had feared. 2mo
TheBookHippie @ChaoticMissAdventures I read it as a teen, then in my 30s, and now. Hits differently every time. 2mo
36 likes7 comments
blurb
ChaoticMissAdventures
post image

Language is interesting to me, there are some words that I am sure we do not use the same, and some words I thought were very new ideas so it is a bit jarring to see ideas of "reverse-racism" and people throwing "red flags" in X's writing.

quote
ChaoticMissAdventures
post image

"When my mother was pregnant with me, she told me later , a party of hooded Ku Klux Klan riders galloped up to our home in Omaha, Nebraska."

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

25 likes1 stack add
blurb
ChaoticMissAdventures
post image

It is Black History Month in the US. I have 3 books I want to focus on this year

Ward - I have read 2 of her books and I am excited to read this one that is supposed to have a bit of magical realism in it.

Saying It Loud - I have known for a long while that the Black Panthers were doing amazing good works I want to get into this and learn more

Malcolm - having read many biographies on him I need to get to his own words.

34 likes1 stack add
blurb
Leniverse
post image

📖✍️ The Autobiography of Malcolm X
📺 X-Files
🎤 🤷🏼‍♀️
🎶 XXX 88 (MØ ft. Diplo)

#LetterX so difficult it became #ManicMonday on a Wednesday! 🤣 @CBee

review
IndoorDame
post image
Pickpick

I expected this to be quite dry and hard to get through at 500+ pgs, & while I did find that to be true of the last 10% (the epilogue written in the voice of the reporter who was Malcom‘s ghost writer) on the whole I couldn‘t have been more pleasantly surprised. The writing itself for the bulk of the book was extremely engaging. I actually powered through this in 2 days. Really glad I decided it was time to pick up this piece of American history.

blurb
JoeMo
post image

Similar to many, I don‘t seem to have read a book title that begins with “x.” So instead, I‘ll recommend this autobiography by Malcolm X and Alex Haley. I absolutely devoured this book and learned a ton! Im left wondering what sort of influence Malcolm X would have had if his life hadn‘t been cut tragically short. Especially as he had been going through a sort of metamorphosis or evolution in his life and beliefs at the time of his death.

25 likes1 comment
review
TheBookbabeblog84
Pickpick

The Autobiography was very insightful; at times infuriating and at others deeply moving. I left this book with a better appreciation of Malcolm X. I wish this man had lived. I would have loved to see how his trip to Mecca continued to change him and how that would have impacted his work in the civil rights movement.

blurb
TheBookbabeblog84
post image

I‘m having a lot of issues with this book. As a Womanist I have a hard time with the misogyny of Malcolm X. I don‘t regret reading this at all but some of it makes me rethink all that I knew and loved about this man. #history #books

11 likes1 stack add
blurb
Smoores101
post image

Completely worn, barely being held together but this book changed the way I saw life and saw myself. So for my first entry I wanted to start with a book that I love.

JamieArc Welcome to Litsy! If you need help figuring out how to use it (who to follow) let me know. And Go Blue from a #mittenlitten 💙💛 2y
tenar Hi and welcome to Litsy! I read this in 2020 with a group here on Litsy and still think about it all the time. #litsywelcomewagon 2y
Nute My copy of this book looks like yours, Stephanie. It remains important to me.

Welcome to Litsy! It‘s a warm and friendly community. I know that you will enjoy yourself here. I‘m looking forward to getting to know you!🙂
Check out #LitsyEvents for a varied listing of fun-related happenings within this neighborhood of fellow readers.🤗
2y
5 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
JulieAly
post image

Finally reading this!

review
JoeMo
post image
Pickpick

This was an absolutely fantastic book! I knew about Malcolm X‘s views and it was interesting to learn about his personal life and what influenced him. His life was tragically cut short at a time when his views on the world and race were starting to evolve.

The audio version does not include Haley‘s epilogue. If you listen to the audio version, I heavily recommend reading the epilogue (which you can find at the author‘s site). 5/5

RaeLovesToRead I've got this on audio. Thanks for the tip! 3y
JoeMo You‘re going to love the performance by Laurence Fishburne it‘s amazing! Then if you read the epilogue that gives a behind the scenes look at the writing of the book and then an account of what happened after the book ends! I‘ll be interested to know what you think when you‘re done 3y
24 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
mandarchy
post image
Pickpick

I now see how my understanding of who Malcolm X was was shaped by pop culture and mainstream media. What an interesting life! I did not know that he was born in 1925. His life was shaped by violence and manipulation manifested by white supremacy. His story is an illustrates how we can't freeze people and evaluate people based on the ugliest point in their lives.

quote
mandarchy
post image

My goal in the last year: I want to bring people toward being antiracist instead of pushing them away by explaining how they are racist. One of the great things about readers is that we get to experience multiple points of view. My fellow whites, we can't get tired of this. #antiracism

KCofKaysville @mandarchy. You are right! I read this many years ago and was influeced. 3y
39 likes1 comment
review
PatriciaS
post image
Pickpick

This wonderful, AB-B, NF, LC-BC, autobiography of passion and struggle, tells his life story. Malcolm X became one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Biography & Autobiography/Cultural Heritage/Political/Political Science/Civil Rights. Audie Award for Audiobiography/Memoir 2021-Malcolm X & Lawrence Fishburne. Audie Award for Best Male Narrator 2021-Malcom X & Lawrence Fishburne. https://goodreads.com>show.

PatriciaS Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Nonfiction 1966-Alex Haley. https://anisfield-wolf.org>the autobiography of Malcolm X-Anis-Wolf Book Award. 3y
PatriciaS UDL#3.1 Activate or supply background knowledge and information from the resources supplied for this reading. 3y
See All 8 Comments
PatriciaS ESOL#1 Teach questioning for clarification through question and answer sessions and discussions. #6 Continually monitor students comprehension during reading through discussion sessions questions and answers. 3y
PatriciaS I really loved reading this book 📖 definitely for young adults ☺️ and book club activities, chapter readings, literary circle groups and discussions. 3y
PatriciaS I loved reading this book 📖 great for literary circles and discussion sessions, questions and answers, book 📚 clubs, recommended for young adults learners. 3y
DrSpalding Thank you for mentioning that this is more appropriate for young adults and not elementary age students. Helpful resource and your summaries are concise yet thoughtful. 3y
14 likes8 comments
blurb
mandarchy
post image

#Thoughtfulthursday @MoonWitch94
1. I'm conflicted. Wouldn't it ruin the stories if Aslan or Gandalf didn't die? They were the characters that made me feel safe, everything will be just fine because they'd get there just in time.
2. Paul Galdone's Billy Goats Gruff, "Trip trap trout..."
3. The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Thanks for the tag @Tattooedteacher
Happy Thursday! @JaneyWaneyB @Prairiegirl_reading @DarkMina

Litsi How do Ibgrab this image and post it on my page 3y
mandarchy @Litsi take a screen shot, then click on the add blurb. Have fun! 3y
JaneyWaneyB Thanks for the tag 😀 3y
DarkMina Thanks for the tag! 3y
MoonWitch94 Thanks for playing 🌸📖☺️ 3y
47 likes1 stack add5 comments
blurb
The_Penniless_Author
post image

#wondrouswednesday @Eggs

1. Read the tagged book in middle school and it's stayed with me ever since.
2. "Literary fiction" doesn't really work as a genre for this purpose, so let's go with Humor and Wodehouse
3. Michael Lewis

Eggs Thanks for joining in ❣️ Wondering...how to distinguish fiction from literary fiction? 3y
The_Penniless_Author @Eggs I guess if I had to define "literary fiction", I'd say any work of fiction that doesn't fit neatly into a defined genre, or that transcends the familiar tropes of the genre that it's in. I think that's why the term sounds snooty, because it suggests to some that it's declaring itself to be "better" than genre fiction. But I don't necessarily think of it that way, more of a catch-all for difficult to classify books. 3y
Eggs Great way to look at it - thanks❣️ @The_Penniless_Author (edited) 3y
38 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
mandarchy
post image

I have wanted to read this since the movie came out. How many years ago was that? Finally getting started. I'm fascinated by the story of his childhood. I didn't realize that he was older than my dad. It's shifting my historical perspective.

SamAnne Me too. I want to read this and then the new bio that came out last year. 3y
mandarchy @SamAnne which one do you mean? There are so many including the one by his daughter that came out in January. 3y
SamAnne @mandarchy I‘m thinking of The Dead are Arising by Les and Tamara Payne that won a National Book Award last year. (edited) 3y
mandarchy @SamAnne gotcha! I also found the Three Mothers published last year. So many books! 3y
59 likes2 stack adds4 comments
review
MarkoPDX
post image
Pickpick

Read in 2020. A compelling book.

review
ferskner
post image
Pickpick

Racking up the challenges points on this one! I don't know why this intimidated me. I guess it was subconscious residual prejudice absorbed from my very conservative neighbors growing up. Provocative, yes, but so much of what Malcolm X wrote in 1965 feels so current and applicable to today. Not crazy about his anti-woman/anti-Semitic asides, though.

Cinfhen Well played ♥️ 3y
Librarybelle Well played indeed! 3y
See All 6 Comments
BarbaraTheBibliophage I felt the same way when I read it a couple of years ago. Great job on ALL those prompts! 3y
PatriciaS I love this book 📖 I wish there were more like it depicting our strong black 🖤 heritage and not afraid to speak 🗣️ truth his truth 💯. 3y
ferskner @PatriciaS agreed! I really enjoyed the movie too. 3y
60 likes6 comments
blurb
Outofcontroltbr
post image

I finally finished it!!!!

Shmemilina Wow, congrats!! 3y
Come-read-with-me Amazing! 3y
PatriciaS That's amazing 😍 I am working on it. 3y
Nute That is amazing! Well done!🙌🏽 3y
10 likes4 comments
review
Outofcontroltbr
post image
Pickpick

It was interesting to read about this man that I grew up hearing about but that his name seemed to be associated with committing violence instead of peaceful protest. I also never knew about the Muslim movement for the African Americans in that time. All in all interesting and I will be looking for more information about that time

Smrloomis I want to read one that came out recently 3y
7 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
Butterfinger
post image
Andrew65 Well worth a read! I also enjoyed the fictional story base on the early part of his life. 3y
50 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
tenar
post image
Pickpick

I anticipated an educational read, but this was also one of the most vivid, engaging books I‘ve read all year. Traveling from nightclubs in Harlem to the US prison system to the ancient city of Mecca, Malcolm X and co-writer Alex Haley deliver a riveting account of a life & times marked by both tragedy and transformation. Malcolm‘s arc has a mythic, larger-than-life quality, even as his recollections are open, frank, and often painfully human.

review
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
post image
Pickpick

What a great read, so much history in this autobiography, and such a powerful story arc that it reads like a fictional narrative, but is based in our turbulent past. I don‘t think I can find all the words I need to describe this, and 451 characters surely won‘t do, but it‘s history we need, and the tragedy of his life being cut short (at 39!) just when he‘d found his place in the struggle is heartbreaking. His voice will be missed, forever. #XRead

Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️side note: this new autobiography was fabulous, Fishburne captured all the parts of his personality so well, he deserves every narration award for this performance. 3y
42 likes1 comment
review
Butterfinger
post image
Pickpick

I'm so glad that I spent time reading and learning about this enigmatic person. He was not afraid to speak his opinion, he acknowledged his wrongdoings, and he wanted a future for men like him - impoverished, addicts, downtrodden. That is his legacy. By reading his brutally honest account, he became one of my heroes. I don't think I can ever emulate his wit and shock value, but I can tell my opinion without backing down.

blurb
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
post image

The final, not included in this audiobook (pictured above), but in most print versions. Alex Haley‘s notes and thoughts from during his interviews with Malcolm, and the aftermath after his untimely death. If you have access to it, I recommend it, and feel free to just stop back to this post whenever you get a chance to finish it.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar

#XRead

tenar I haven‘t finished the epilogue quite yet, but I wanted to share this interesting article from the History Channel on a recently revealed cut chapter from this book. It also includes a little bit of one historian‘s analysis of the book overall.

https://www.history.com/news/malcolm-x-autobiography-lost-chapter
3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I haven‘t quite finished the epilogue yet either. Hopefully I‘ll finish it this afternoon and then I‘ll check out the link too. 3y
Butterfinger I just finished the epilogue and I am left angry. I just can't believe the words that Carl T. Rowan said. It reminds me of all the hate-filled Facebook posts about George Floyd. When a man dies in a despicable manner, you don't dredge up his past to validate the violence. Oh, I am so mad. This has been such an evocative read. Thanks @tenar for the link. 3y
See All 13 Comments
Butterfinger @tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa the article made me aware of Malcolm's essays and speeches. I'm going to find The Ballot or Bullet speech. Also, it aligned with one of our previous discussions about how he was so demeaning to successful black business people. I know that bothered me a lot. 3y
Butterfinger Oh, if hadn't died, his conversion and conversation would have been more inspiring. Such a great loss for America. I also want to learn about his daughters. I know one wrote a children's book about him. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I‘ve read that, it‘s actually very good, but it is a historical fictional narrative about his younger days. But a good read. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I finished up the epilogue today too, and had mixed feeling. I definitely liked seeing some of the scribbles and notes he was making during his interviews. It reminded me of someone I know with ADHD now, they have to be going on all cylinders all the time or they get bored and will have multiple conversations going at the same time. We think of it as a disability often because we can‘t keep up with them & they can‘t slow down... 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...anyway, those side notes made me smile, it was little glimpses into what he was thinking about on the side. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I agree, the press after his passing was disheartening, but I wasn‘t surprised. Even nonviolent King was considered a subversive by the US government, by organizing and causing trouble....so I‘m not surprised that Malcolm was viewed with even less authenticity. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa My version has a small section by Ossie Davis after the Epilogue, about why he gave the eulogy and why he felt Malcolm was important. I found that a bit more uplifting....it seemed to represent the man more like my thoughts of him while reading this. (edited) 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I finished the article, very good, and some of the quotes they shared, I could see in other parts of the book...so they weren‘t super new info (for me). I liked listening to him talk about the rifle clubs in the article, hearing him in his own voice was nice. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger @tenar I think the library may have a collection of his speeches on audio to check out. I think I might follow this up with that, the narration of this new audiobook was very well done...but I find myself wanting to read and listen more too. 3y
Butterfinger @Riveted_Reader_Melissa me too. I'm watching his speeches on YouTube today. Just finished a 60 minutes interview with Mike Wallace between Louis Farrakhan and his eldest daughter. Heart wrenching. 3y
28 likes13 comments
quote
Butterfinger

I had to share this quote so close to our Election Day.

"Is white America really sorry for her crimes against the black people? Does white America have the capacity to repent-and to atone? Does the capacity to repent, to atone, exist in a majority, in one-half, in even one-third of American white society?"

I acknowledge the crimes of the past and of today. I don't accept the white washing of our history. We need to do and be better.

Butterfinger @TheBookHippie thank you all for reading this book with me. 3y
TheBookHippie @Butterfinger it was surely the right time to reread it I enjoyed it and learned even more this time through. Having stuff on Netflix to watch as we read was really cool. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Such a great quote! If we don‘t understand and learn the past, it‘s even harder to fix it, atone for it, and move forward. 3y
sprainedbrain 🙌🏻❤️ 3y
25 likes5 comments
blurb
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
post image

The last few chapters contained quite a change. I honestly felt so sad and hurt for him when he learned his faith was put in the wrong person, and even as he tried to help with a crisis his efforts were turned against him. I also felt equally happy for him on his pilgrimage, to both see things outside the US perspective, but through a larger religious lens.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar

#XRead

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘ll post a separate discussion for the epilogue tomorrow, which is not included in this audiobook, but is in most print and ebook versions, so if yours has it... we can discuss Alex Haley‘s views tomorrow. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa How did you feel about these last few chapters? I was so impressed by what a self educated man he became, and touched that one of his greatest wishes was still that he would, if he could, go back to school and learn more. He was so well spoken, by the end, you‘d never guess he never finished school...and I can‘t help thinking he would have been a bit disappointed in structured classroom learning after his years of self taught, absorbing any ⤵️ 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...thing and everything that caught his interest. And despite his tough views on some things, he seemed honestly open to new ideas, information, thoughts. His shock at being reprimanded overseas over the word negro was so shocking to me and to him. We take it as for granted of that time in history, and it‘s important to know it was also just this place in history, not everywhere. And I felt so glad he got to see that larger world before... (edited) 3y
See All 17 Comments
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...his untimely end. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Sadly it‘s the time overseas, that I‘m glad he got to experience, that also made him more famous and probably a bigger target. 3y
tenar Yes! I shared the same feelings. I realized how deeply attached to Mr. Malcolm I had become when I felt deeply glad for him to have the positive experience traveling to Mecca after so much hardship. The last chapter was terribly bittersweet in that he both had reached such a height of learning and self-reflection and that his premonitions about his death and his legacy were spot-on. He lived an incredible life and had an incredible mind. 3y
tenar About his break with the Nation of Islam, I expected Malcolm to turn his back on Mr. Muhammad right away because of his strong personality, but I think that was silly of me. I felt this quote summed up the intensity of the cult atmosphere he was bathed in: “I didn‘t want Allah to ‘burn my brain‘ as I felt the brain of my brother Reginald had been burned for harboring evil thoughts about Mr. Elijah Muhammad.” 3y
tenar I was also shocked that he first defended Elijah Muhammad, and even still the Nation wanted him out! I wonder if we didn‘t get the whole story or if it truly was all about jealousy. And Elijah Muhammad‘s fear. I suppose if I had Mr. Muhammad‘s guilty conscience, I might think that Malcolm X with my secret was my greatest enemy, even if he was telling me he was my greatest friend. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I think because Malcolm was so well spoken, and in better health and could travel more...Elijah Muhammad was very jealous of his following, and that he might usurp him over time. At least based on what he told his secretaries. If he‘d been smart, when Malcolm showed up with a way out, a way to spin the story, he‘d have brought him in closer instead of ostracizing him. For me it almost read like a self fulfilling prophecy, he pushed ⤵️ 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...away, which caused the rift. And then when Malcolm traveled to the fight and then overseas, gaining more press and international clout, Mr Muhammad saw it as him trying to take his place. (edited) 3y
Butterfinger I apologise for being so late. I got caught up on Halloween. I'm glad both of you had similar feelings to my own. By the end, I loved him. I simply loved him. He was betrayed horribly by a father figure he adored who ordered his death. And that event resulted in Malcolm becoming stronger in the true Islam tenets. He owned up to his own racist views. The trip to Mecca changed him and I am so glad he got to experience true Brotherhood. He had craved it all his life. 3y
Butterfinger What a historical figure he has become. I'm so mixed with emotions. I dread reading about his death. King and Malcolm sacrificed so much for America's future, with different ideals and strategies, yet for the same goal. It just makes me realize I have to work too. 3y
tenar @Butterfinger I got emotional reading your comments! I think you summed the last chapters up perfectly. 3y
tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I had the same feeling of that self-fulfilling prophecy. Thinking about Mr. Muhammad, Malcolm‘s father figure and supposed hand of god, saying Malcolm would one day leave him and then pushing him out because of his own fear- the whole arc has a hugely mythic quality. I can‘t imagine how devastating it felt to live it. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I know, sorry about that. Holiday weekends are tough, but please know just stop in whenever you get the chance. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger @tenar I‘m glad I wasn‘t alone there. My heart broke for him when it all fell apart, and he learned the truth. Worse still when he tried to help his father figure and was basically rebuffed and kicked out. And then I felt so happy for him during his trip to Mecca, to meet real Muslims, of every color and nationality...I think he found the true belonging there that he always craved. He wanted to feel that brotherhood and ... (edited) 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ... connectedness his whole life, and everywhere he searched he was let down. By the system, his teachers, his foster parents, on and on he was searching for that connectedness and love, and I loved that he finally found it and was yet heartsick knowing he wouldn‘t be here long after. Yes. @tenar it was like a mythical heroic arc in many ways. I can see why he‘s a tough figure to teach and study, but there is so much resilience here. (edited) 3y
24 likes1 stack add17 comments
blurb
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
post image

This was a bit of a tougher section for me, but very informative to understanding both the pull and influence of The Nation of Islam in the US at that time, and Malcolm‘s personal transformation into a national figure (whether he wanted it or not). Some of his views on the Civil Rights Movement in the south, and the internment camps during the war will stick with me.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar

#XRead

Riveted_Reader_Melissa How are you all making out? I‘m interested to see how it changes after his visit to Mecca and since he‘s mentioned it, I know the autobiography goes at least that far. I curious how far it goes too. 3y
Butterfinger Whoa. Was this section hard to read? And I understand why he feels that way, but it is still hard. The way he puts down the black people who became educated and leaders of their communities was just harsh. And I feel that he is twisting the Quran? the same way some whites do to the Bible. Only using the parts that pertains to their hateful purposes. He was so hateful to these leaders. And, I wonder if Alex Haley agreed with him. I'm interested in learning what made Mohammed separate him from the Nation. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I‘m also interested in that and what he learned in Mecca. My understanding of the history, which is limited, is that after he traveled to Mecca he learned what Islam really was and how it was different from what he learned in Elijah Mohammed‘s teachings. So I‘m interested to see how he dealt with that after being so deep in the others belief system. (edited) 3y
See All 24 Comments
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger But yes...so tough to read. Some of it is that we were taught how great sit-in‘s and freedom riders were, and much less about the other side (whether that be Nation of Islam or Black Panthers). And even then the history I was taught in school was more...these horrible struggles, non-violence, all settled and better, it‘s in the past now. Of course as you get older you realize it isn‘t all exactly solved and in the past either. (edited) 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...so there is that struggle reading it, even if that‘s just confronting the white-washing of our history that we were taught (for me in the 80‘s). And as I read more you find out about the older things, similarly to how he found in the prison library. (edited) 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Then the other part is the corruption of a religion. And upfront, I should just add that I‘m not a huge fan of organized religion at all....whether it‘s Catholic, Westboro Baptist or any side shute of Christianity (which I‘m more familiar with). But the fact that Elijah had all his ministers come live with him to learn from him before they were sent out to preach was a problem for me right away...because he was already putting himself between ⤵️ (edited) 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...them and the holy book (Quran) he supposedly believed in. So he was teaching them his teachings over whatever the religion really was...and Malcolm repeated that and I think said it better...which led to jealousy. I‘m wondering if that‘s why he left/was asked to leave. But the cult-like feel of it at times is just oppressive, and the misogyny really gets to me too. (edited) 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa And yet...as much as all that was tough to read through, and they were long chapters. I can see his point in some things. Whites went south to help in the marches, because they could see that oppression was wrong, but couldn‘t see the issues in their own communities in the same way. Not that he would have wanted their help, but I can see why that would be very frustrating to him. 3y
tenar I actually was very engaged by this section! I think when he felt engaged, I felt engaged. He was certainly fired up when dictating these chapters. It stuck out to me how much he loved being challenged intellectually when speaking at universities & colleges. I felt like that bolstered his common thought that so many black minds could & should have been put to use in science, medicine, etc. 3y
tenar So many of his comments were obviously beyond the pale, from white money in the intellectual black pocket to ‘Negroes eating snails‘, but like you both, I sometimes understood where he was coming from. I did read a little bit on the internment of German & Italian-Americans in WWII, which definitely took place, but not nearly to the numbers of Japanese Americans. I‘d like to do more research on the government & public‘s attitudes at the time. 3y
tenar @Butterfinger @Riveted_Reader_Melissa It seems like he is hinting that he, too, eventually recognizes the danger of raising Elijah Muhammad to this level, even higher than the Quran. (Though he doesn‘t seem to have changed his hateful and misogynistic views.) My copy also has an 80-page epilogue by Alex Haley after ch 19, so I imagine we‘ll get even further info in there! 3y
Butterfinger @tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I also plan to read the epilogue. I'm interested in Haley's POV. I admired the dedication to getting people off drugs as one of the "fishing" strategies. They were very dedicated to their beliefs and they became rescuers of the trodden down addicts. Even though he was spiteful during this section, I enjoyed reading it. I felt sorry for Betty. I may have become a follower when I was young and easily impressed, but I bet being his wife was a chore. 3y
Butterfinger I'm at a corn maze with my family and I just had a thought. Malcolm probably studied how the indigenous people tried to integrate by emulating the customs of the white settlements and we know how that turned out. Maybe, that is why he was so strict when white and black were working together. He knew, from past history that it wouldn't work. And he was right. There is still deep-seated racism in 2020. I just had an epiphany and had to share. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I thought that about his examples with the Jews in Germany too, who tried to assimilate too, but were never really considered part of. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger Have fun out at the corn maze! 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I understand that... it was tougher subject material to absorb, but not tougher get through...if that makes sense. I found his views sometimes hard, raw, but I still had no trouble listening to the narration. I‘d say it was just the excellent narration, but we know Malcolm was known for his persuasive speeches too. So I was drawn in by his arguments and world view, even though I recoiled a bit about some things like his views on women.... 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ..and the southern civil rights movement. But I will still say this is a must read, the arguments are so clear, I understand both sides of the arguments so much better know. Although we learn some about Martian in school, Malcolm and that arm is rarely mentioned. And I can definitely understand the push pull there, between the two and how they both pushed in their own way for more equality. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger @tenar. I don‘t know if the audiobook has the epilogue, but I have an ebook copy too, so I‘ll be reading that as well. 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger & @tenar Would you prefer to discuss the epilogue with this last section of chapters this weekend, or the chapters this weekend and put the epilogue on its own discussion the week after? 3y
Butterfinger I plan to read it all Friday. It really doesn't matter to me. 3y
tenar I might not be totally finished, but I‘ll probably be pretty close, so either is fine for me as well! 3y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger @tenar ok, I‘ll post the chapters on Sat. as usual and the Epilogue on Sun., so 2 separate posts and discussions this weekend. Should be close enough to remember if you read it all, but give an extra day in there for any catching up. 3y
42 likes24 comments
blurb
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
post image

I am loving this narration, if he decides to stop acting, he has my vote for more narrating! As far as the autobiography, so enthralling! His young life, all before 21, was a wild ride of neglect, crime, Jazz, & in this section we get his conversion. He lays it all out there so well you can see how easy it was to believe, to promote, and how easily both religions and cults can gain traction when we disenfranchise whole sections of the people.

tenar Yes, it‘s been a roller coaster! To be honest, I did struggle to keep my sympathies with him as he expressed his sexism & violence against women and as he entangled one of his oldest friends in burglary, even though I understand exactly how he reached that point. I hope to learn from that. I am equally in awe of his years-long dedication to educating himself. 4y
tenar And I agree, Elijah Muhammad‘s radical teachings spreading through prisons and seeing those in charge fear it as an organizing influence was food for thought. I read this brief article on black Muslims as a major force in increasing prisoners‘ rights:
https://daily.jstor.org/what-the-prisoners-rights-movement-owes-to-the-black-mus...
From these chapters, I think what Malcom wrote about prison bars stuck with me the most.
(edited) 4y
See All 29 Comments
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I agree, from a kid you felt sorry for, to someone you have little sympathy for as he spirals downwards with the help of drugs and crime. These first chapters read like some crazy soap opera, how could all of that have happened to 1 individual, and he wasn‘t even 21 yet....which to me is also sad and reminds me why we, as a society, owe more to the children we collectively raise. From a bright child to a menace to society. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I have such a hard time reading his misogyny and racial hatred too, but I can also see how he came by it, which in this case I think helps me understand his story more instead of just going...ugh...pass...and close the book. I also like that he‘s honest about it after he grew past that instead of just glazing over it. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa It‘s so hard to read at times, but yet, I can‘t stop listening. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar and the Elijah Muhammad parts are so interesting...he‘s bending Islam to his cause, and that helps empower a bunch of people who need it, and yet it‘s also what causes a lot of Islamophobia to this day, that we are still dealing with in many ways. Again, tough to read, but important to understand. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar That was a great article! And it‘s a shame, but a lot of prisons have just gotten rid of their libraries all together. Which is extra sad considering how much that wonderful library did prisoners on this book. 4y
Butterfinger Some of the things I noticed - like both of you I was amazed by his new found love for learning and reading from prison. He was actually thankful for prison. And if it hadn't been for Muhammed's cult, he wouldn't have started learning for his own ben 4y
Butterfinger Benefit. That is what most won't do today. They just follow someone else's translation of the Bible without studying and forming their own opinion. I find this admirable of Malcolm. It bothered me with the liberally described sex and drug life. And forgive me for saying it, old,rich, white men are still the ones who control trafficking in this nation. The research shows Nascar, furniture shows in the 80s - Charlotte is one of the top cities currently for trafficking. 4y
Butterfinger I apologise. I got way off topic, but it's a topic very close to my heart and I couldn't help but agree with Malcolm where he was talking about the sex houses. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger I understand, some is really hard to read, he definitely did not live a soft life. Some parts are super...gritty?, I guess, that‘s the closest word I can come up with at the moment. They aren‘t really graphic, but they don‘t sugar coat it either. I do appreciate the honesty though, at this point in his life he didn‘t have to share much of that, but I liked what he said about telling his whole life so you can ⤵️ 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ understand the parts that formed his later thoughts. And yes.... I agree, trafficking is such a problem. I still can‘t believe how little details we‘ve learned about Epstein for instance since his “death”...it‘s like he‘s gone, it‘s over and done. And all those separated children at the boarder, that were “lost”, forgive me, but that is unacceptable, and a crime against humanity. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger You are welcome to go off topic whenever you want! We all need to have places to talk about serious matters with other thoughtful people. Our current affairs in this country (and many others) with its division often doesn‘t lend itself to serious informed discussions or airing of opinions AND we need that for our sanity and to move forward at all. I think more people agree then disagree about topics like child separation or ⤵️ 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ trafficking, but we‘ve made things so decisive we can‘t even talk about the topics honestly. 4y
Butterfinger @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I get so passionate about things that my words don't make sense sometimes. Thank you for understanding. I guess I am trying to say is I understand how Malcolm's hatred of the white devil came to be. It does seem that as a collective, we are still keeping non-white suppressed and exploited just as you mentioned with the separation of children at the border. Thank you for leading this discussion. I'm learning so much from the articles and discussion as I am from the book. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger oh yes! When he was listening off all the conversation things about “the white devil” doing XYZ, I honestly was thinking....he‘s not wrong. But I‘ve also been reading Sarah Vowell‘s history books these 2 weeks as the Pilgrims came and quickly the Native tribes diminished & last night I just finished her book on Hawaii, which also didn‘t end well for the natives as the islands were basically stolen out from under them by the end. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ so my frame of mind has been a little down on explores, slavers, and missionaries lately. 🙄. But I will say, I can‘t blame just the “white devils” pretty much it‘s the upper class in any society who thinks they deserve more because they are “special” and entitled to more, and that‘s a human problem, not a white problem, it‘s just that throughout history the entitled monied elites were often white Europeans, again in any history we learned. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa Oh, the books were Wordy Shipmates, and Unfamiliar Fishes if you are interested. And on that note I watched the Chicago 7 trial on Netflix by Aaron Sorkin this morning too, which was excellent, but equally infuriating. (edited) 4y
tenar @Butterfinger @Riveted_Reader_Melissa This was a great discussion, I really enjoyed reading your comments. I agree with so much of what you both wrote, especially about the hidden complexity but real believability of the “white devil” ideology. I felt the same way. And thanks for sharing books and films! 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar You are welcome. And thank Litsy for a place where people can still discuss complex things. For him, it made perfect sense, and sadly we still teach a very white washed history. You read the last book with me, where things that are for “voter safety” were really voter suppression, mostly copied from Jim Crow rules and just dusted off...so the more I read the more I can put pieces together that I might ... 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...not otherwise. And for him learning all that hidden history for the first time must have been shocking, and then to have an extensive library where he could check it and learn more, plus the new findings that were being made by archeologists at the time about man‘s origins. I can see how convincing an argument it would have been. Even the crazy eugenics story they used to back it up would have meshed with the WWII eugenics propaganda ... 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ..coming out of Germany at the time. It was like a perfect storm of information that all seemed to verify it all. It makes me realize how easy cults can be started. Scary stuff at this time when we seem to be building a population with some interesting beliefs. 🤷‍♀️ 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa I just can‘t even imagine learning all that history of slavery and oppression, at the same time Lewis Leakey is discovering the oldest human remains in Africa, and Hitler is going on about an elite white race, and killing off anyone he thinks is less than. Just like the Jazz age he described, it‘s almost surreal when I think of that time. (edited) 4y
Butterfinger So right you are. I really admire him for his thirst of education to combat the discrimination that made some non-white people complacent. At this moment, I am asking myself, whom would I follow - King's peaceful demonstrations or Malcolm's fiery debate to not be anglicized? 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger Yes... such divergent sermons, both so powerful. There was a line early in the Trial if the Chicago 7 that I watched...the Black Panthers were sending 1 guy to give a speech. His friend said, don‘t go, it‘s too dangerous, what would Martian do? He said (paraphrasing here) Martin‘s dead, Malcolm‘s Dead, Bobby‘s (Kennedy) dead, even Jesus is dead...I‘m just flying in giving a speech and flying back out 4 hours later, what could ... 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ...happen. Spoiler: lots 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa I can‘t help thinking about his trip to Mecca later, that he‘s just mentioned briefly at this point, and thinking how he met Muslims there that taught him about real Islam...and how much that might have shifted if he went today. The Islamic world was shifted and reordered so much after WWII... they might have been more likely to agree with the version he learned depending on the group he met if he went today. Crazy world 😕 4y
35 likes1 stack add29 comments
quote
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
post image

This is the specific quote I mentioned on our group discussion. I‘m still struck by the fact that his father was 1 of seven brothers....only 1 died in bed of natural causes, the other 6 by violence. And out of the six that died by violence, 5 of those were killed by white men. If that isn‘t a statistic to set up the times before a movement, I‘m not sure what is!

#XRead

GingerAntics Wow, it certainly is. 4y
31 likes1 comment
blurb
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
post image

You grow up and learn about historical figures, maybe just the name, if you‘re lucky only that relatively short period they are on the visible social stage. So far this hasn‘t even touched that, but I honestly had a hard time stopping myself after our section for this week.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar and anyone else that wants to join us.

#XRead

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘m listening to the new audio version, narrated by Fishburne, and he really does a great job. And so much detail about the depression, the racial strife he grew up in, the struggle to be independent and not just go along to get along, and surprising I‘ve learned a lot about the music of the era and the Lindy, how the war effected the people at home, and early Harlem. So much in just a few chapters, lots of fascinating history, and all before⤵️ 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️ he becomes “historical” himself. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘m still struck by the fact that his father was 1 of seven brothers....only 1 died in bed of natural causes, the other 6 by violence. And out of the six that died by violence, 5 of those were killed by white men. If that isn‘t a statistic to set up the times before a movement, I‘m not sure what is! 4y
See All 20 Comments
tenar I had a hard time putting it down, too! Right away I was engaged in the way he‘s recounting his story. His breaks to, “and this is how I learned that....” or, “so that‘s why I believe....” helped me get into his head.

I had to keep reminding myself in chapters 3-5 that firstly, this is not a fiction book, despite how vividly and excitingly the setting and time is brought to life, and secondly, he is only 16 & 17 during these experiences!
4y
tenar I don‘t read a lot of autobiography, and I‘m realizing what I have read is heavily sanitized. I‘m finding the frankness of his thought bracing, even as I struggle with his excessive generalizations of many groups.

I, too, was struck by the trauma of both the racist violence against his father‘s side and his belief that, more insidiously, the government‘s (white) welfare system was used to destroy his family. The arms of a racist state are many.
4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar Yes! I agree, his frankness definitely helps you see why he thought the things he did. And yes, so much so young...through this whole part he‘s really just a child yet. Lying to be old enough to work, and by the end he‘s just turned old enough for the draft. So a lot of life at a very young age. Yes, the generalizations about women, etc pull you out of the narrative at times....but I can‘t say he‘s wrong about women in the 40‘s ⤵️ (edited) 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ..during a war, or about how he‘s interpreting the women he‘s encountered. And the honesty about what he knows at that age based on his experiences is so interesting. (edited) 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I‘m also loving the first hand account, as opposed to a sterilized history, it‘s gritty but real. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar sadly during the Depression years, and for awhile afterwards, many children were taken and separated from single mothers after fathers died or left. Women still didn‘t have many rights then, they still couldn‘t sign for any credit or housing or many jobs without a man‘s approval (husband or father). So it was very hard for them to financially support their kids alone, unless they had extended family nearby. Those rights didn‘t come ⤵️ 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ↪️until the 60‘s or 70‘s. And the number of women institutionalization for “insanity” in asylums was high too. Sadly just believing you could be independent might be a sign of being crazy. 🙄 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa ^ I probably should have said, whatever was going on was probably worse for any group in a minority group. 4y
Butterfinger What stays with me is how his teacher treated him. Malcolm was such a bright, popular student and he had his dreams dashed by a thoughtless, uncompassionate teacher. I think I relate to it because I am a teacher and I wonder have I been so cruel. 4y
tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Butterfinger His experiences with his teacher and the family housing him brought home for me again a theme a lot of the modern books about racism I‘m reading have touched upon- kindness and racism are not mutually exclusive. I believe his teacher thought he was being kind. We can treat things we see as less than us with kindness. Kindness isn‘t antiracism. 4y
tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa Wow. His and his mother‘s experiences with child welfare and the asylum made me want to learn more. I so felt for his mom, I think dealing with worry of losing my kids literally showing up at the doorstep over and over would be truly devastating to my mental health. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar @Butterfinger Yes, his teacher and his temporary “foster” family who thought he was great and treated him with kindness... but couldn‘t accept him if he deviated at all from the perfect child. So sad, but there was only 1 mold for a model black child, and any deviation was considered unacceptable. Sadly I recently read Pushout, and that problem still exists with schools and kids being pushed into the criminal justice system for basic issues 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I agree, I can‘t imagine. You are already struggling to keep a job and feed your kids....it was the depression so that was true for everyone....but the extra stressor couldn‘t have helped at all. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I know in the 20‘s women were institutionalized for anything out of their mold too...too outspoken/mouthy/obviously crazy. There was a meme going around for awhile... and here‘s what snopes had to say about it. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/reasons-admission-insane-asylum-1800s/ (edited) 4y
Butterfinger I enjoyed reading this discussion @tenar @Riveted_Reader_Melissa 4y
tenar @Butterfinger Thank you for posting! You reminded me of a really important moment in the book that I had forgotten in the excitement of the chapters on Boston and Harlem. And @Riveted_Reader_Melissa thank you for sharing your knowledge and those two articles! I always love to learn more. 4y
39 likes20 comments
blurb
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
post image

Just reposting the schedule for the #XRead, our first discussion will be this Saturday, so if you haven‘t started it yet, it might be time to think about it.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar and anyone else that wants to join us... just let me know if you want added to or removed from the tagging group.😉

AnneFindsJoy I‘m 3 chapters in! So good!!!!! Really brings the time period/location alive! 4y
34 likes1 comment
blurb
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
post image

Here‘s the schedule for the #XRead, if you are listening to the new audiobook edition it‘s about 4 hours a week, if you are reading it depends on your reading speed (of course). The chapters line up in either version though, whichever way you choose to go.

@Maria514626 @Butterfinger @TheBookStacker @AnneFindsJoy @tenar and anyone else that wants to join us.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa @KVanRead Just in case you are interested in this one too. 4y
TheBookHippie Just finished spending the summer rereading this .. so timely. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @TheBookHippie Yes, and I‘m really looking forward to this new narration, he has a great voice for it. 4y
See All 7 Comments
TheBookHippie @Riveted_Reader_Melissa couldn‘t pick a better person! 4y
KVanRead Thanks! Looks really good but I‘m feeling like I‘ve committed to too many books at the moment 😆 4y
AnneFindsJoy Awesome! Thanks for organizing this! It‘s on my phone all queued up and ready@for the 10th! 4y
JazzFeathers I read it years ago and found it illuminating. 4y
51 likes7 comments
blurb
Riveted_Reader_Melissa
post image

Announcing the #XRead for October. If you‘ve been meaning to read Malcolm X‘s Autobiography but just never got around to it, or if you are interesting in rereading it at this time in history or in this brand new narration by Laurence Fishburne, or just looking for an X author for a challenge, or all of thee above...please let me know and I‘ll tag you with for this read along going forward.

SamAnne Dang, I wish I hadn‘t committed to other reads. I really want to read the new bio coming out in October. 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @SamAnne I know, we were discussing Oct or Nov...but I‘m honestly afraid to leave anything too serious for November. I‘m worried Nov will be a rough month, I think I‘m going to plan on lots of escapism fantasy for myself for November. 4y
See All 7 Comments
SamAnne @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I‘m backing off the throttle on serious books in October because I‘m already in a bad state of mind. Continuing my slow read of Stamped From the Beginning but then reading fiction book club reads and participating in #Scarathlon2020 for some escapism, reading outside my usual go to genres. Whew. 4y
tenar If I can shuffle some books I have planned around, I would love to join you for this. Please include me in your tag list! 4y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @tenar I will, and good luck with the shuffling, I know that can be really difficult. 4y
Butterfinger Yes. I'm interested. 4y
48 likes1 stack add7 comments
review
Esin
Pickpick

I carried this book with me everywhere for the few weeks while I was reading it, and I wish to take it with me everywhere now that I‘ve finished it. An absolute must-read.

Nute I get this! 3y
4 likes1 comment
blurb
KVanRead
post image

📚 Autobiography of Malcolm X (still TBR)
✒️ AleXander Solzhenitsyn/Ibram X Kendi
📽 Midnight EXpress/The EXorcist/EXcalibur
📺 The X-Files
🎸 Jimi HendriX/XTC/INXS
🎧 FoXy Lady - Jimi HendriX/SeX on Fire - Kings of Leon
#ManicMonday #LetterX

vivastory Very creative and excellent choices!! 4y
KVanRead @vivastory Thanks! Had to get creative with X😂 4y
23 likes2 comments
quote
Neesay

Children have a lesson adults should learn, to not be ashamed of failing, but to get up and try again. Most of us adults are so afraid, so cautious, so 'safe,' and therefore so shrinking and rigid and afraid that it is why so many humans fail. Most middle-aged adults have resigned themselves to failure.

2 likes1 stack add
quote
Butterfinger

We were in that world of Negroes who are both servants and psychologists, aware that white people are so obsessed with their own importance that they will pay liberally, even dearly, for the impression of being catered to and entertained.

Just like on Facebook today.

30 likes1 comment
quote
TheBookHippie
post image

https://alexhaley.com/2018/08/14/malcolm-x-remembered/

https://www.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/~moritz/Archive/malcolmx/malcolmx.playboy.pdf

Playboy printed Malcolm X verbatim
Only people at the time to do so
Hughs love of the first amendment right did many good things
This is one of those two things can be true at the same time things

#malcolmmondays #xsummer2020

quote
Butterfinger

It was a surprising thing that I had never thought of it that way before, but I realized that whatever I wasn't, I was smarter than nearly all of those white kids. But apparently I was still not intelligent enough, in their eyes, to become whatever I wanted to be.

I despise his teacher for being so discouraging.

#XSUMMER2020 @TheBookHippie

TheBookHippie This part really bothers me -I cannot stop thinking about it. 4y
29 likes1 comment
quote
Butterfinger

And knowing that my mother in there was a statistic that didn't have to be, that existed because of a society's failure, hypocrisy, greed, and lack of mercy and compassion. Hence I have no mercy or compassion in me for a society that will crush people, and then penalize them for not being able to stand up under the weight.

Powerful!!

#XSUMMER2020 @TheBookHippie

TheBookHippie EXACTLY. The privilege of people who don‘t get this exacerbates me. And they don‘t care because it doesn‘t affect them 🤦🏽‍♀️ 4y
Butterfinger @TheBookHippie I know. I'm tired of seeing all lives matter on my Facebook. They twist a serious issue and make it about them. My family treats me like a traitor because I admire the athletes kneeling. I think it is a very respectful way to protest. But, my family thinks of disrespect toward soldiers. NO - ITS NOT IT'S TOWARD THE GOVERNMENT. So, I am betraying my nation. I'll keep fighting because of my friends and my students. I want them to have a great future. 4y
38 likes2 comments
quote
Butterfinger

He denounced Christianity as a religion designed for slaves and the Negro clergy as the curse of the black man, exploiting him for their own purposes instead of seeking to liberate him, and acting as handmaidens of the white community in it's determination to keep the Negros in a subservient position.
M. S. Handler

#XSUMMER2020 @TheBookHippie

Butterfinger I have to agree with this opinion and I hate that Christianity is pared down to hatred of differences. As a Christian, my Bible doesn't teach me to hate, but to love and to witness with Christlike love. But now, the organized church acts just like the Pharisees - keep out, you are not like us - and IT IS WRONG. I have made so many enemies of family and friends because I don't accept today's Church. This is why. 4y
Butterfinger This may be my -to have people leave me alone- for #Readwithmrbook @MrBook I don't want people to group me with the only white, only Republican Christian Church, but to group me in I will read, study, and search for the Lord's way of love and forgiveness. #BlackLivesMatterToMe 4y
eanderson So this is what stinks about being a Christian. We get lumped in the radical group of prejudice, racist, and super judgemental. Not all of us fit this. I 100% agree with you that I‘m here to love and witness with Christlike love. I know that I stay silent more than I should because it sucks to be called something when I‘m definitely not in that grouping. I always say, I‘m here to ‘Love God and Love People.‘ That‘s it. I pass no judgement or hate. (edited) 4y
See All 9 Comments
TheBookHippie @Butterfinger SAME !!!! I am the EXACT SAME!!! 4y
TheBookHippie @eanderson only thing I follow love . Love others as self. Just love. I have a relationship -not a religion. I don‘t call myself Christian anymore it‘s such a bad connotation especially where I live. @Butterfinger white evangelicals have long ago ruined church. They are the Pharisees of today for sure. Today‘s church is not in any way reflective of Jesus. 4y
Scochrane26 @eanderson @Butterfinger I get frustrated, too, with some churches. And with the divisions among churches. There‘s a lot of denominations who are very accepting & focus on love, but often get lumped in as “the church”. Most of my denomination is very left. (edited) 4y
eanderson @Scochrane26 I attend a nondenominational church that is definitely very accepting and diverse. I agree. It‘s frustrating because we don‘t want to be lumped in as that ‘the church‘ when we aren‘t of the same disappointing attitude. 4y
Butterfinger @eanderson @Scochrane26 @TheBookHippie thanks for your comments. I was really hesitant about putting myself out there because I do not get the same support and understanding from those close to me. 4y
TheBookHippie @Butterfinger ❤️ Neither do I! 4y
20 likes9 comments
quote
Butterfinger

My inherent idealism yearns for the issuance of the commemorative stamp and the living document of The Autobiography of Malcolm X to continue to bridge ignorance with insight, and despondency with hope. Attalla Shabazz

#XSUMMER2020 @TheBookHippie

21 likes1 stack add
quote
TheBookHippie
post image
quote
TheBookHippie
post image
GingerAntics Sadly, this is so true. 4y
50 likes1 comment
quote
TheBookHippie
post image
GingerAntics There are actually classroom resources for this? So someone is teaching this, or trying. I want to meet this person, shake there hand, then help them make this taught everywhere. 4y
37 likes2 comments