Malcolm X and Alex Haley
Posted by climach on 2008
Malcolm X loved talking, and he loved blaming, and he did both with eloquence.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X increased my respect for him as a man with integrity. And it greatly increased my respect for Alex Haley as a man with a tremendous amount of patience for posturing.
He had an exciting life, and nothing I can say will take that away. I’m glad I read it. The film version with Denzel Washington was even more complex and inspiring than the book.
I do, however, have a complaint with the way schools have exploited his life.
I’ve found dozens of English and ESL textbooks—all designed for lower-income students—that include Malcolm X’s chapter on learning to read in prison. Without fail, these textbooks, glorify him by asking questions like, “Describe a time in your life when you’ve shown similar perseverance?” or “How was initiative and self-motivation important for the development of this great leader?”
Come on.
Most children learn to read by working on it part-time for a few years before the age of seven. Most people get a college-level education while having friends and family and jobs, and it only takes them four years.
It’s not exactly a miracle if a college-aged adult can do the same thing if he works at it full-time, with no real-world responsibilities, for four years.
I admire the man, but not the myth.
