Malcolm X Intro Draft

            Malcolm X was in prison. He had been a criminal, stealing and peddling drugs, while taking many drugs himself. He was so badly educated he was basically illiterate. He hated even the thought of religion, wore a conk, and had a white girlfriend who was married to another man. In prison he changes drastically, even thinking of his old self as a different person, as he says himself (pg. 173) “I would be startled to catch myself thinking in a remote way of my earlier self as another person.” During prison he is exposed to the Nation of Islam through his brother and educates himself, becoming a prominent minister and public speaker.

            However, Malcolm had said that, when he was writing letters to his old friends about the Nation of Islam, (pg. 174) “Neither would I have replied to anyone writing me something as wild as ‘the white man is the devil.’” He says he would not listen to someone telling him one of the, if not the, main point in the Nation of Islam’s teachings. In addition, even early in his life he (pg. 5) “Had very little respect for most people who represented religion.” Despite being in a mindset were he would not listen to teachings of Elijah Muhammad, and having a negative view of people like him in the first place, he still joins the Nation of Islam. If Malcolm would not normally listen to the teachings of the Nation of Islam, and he did not respect religious leaders, but he joined and became a prominent member anyway, what caused him to join? What does this tell us about Malcolm?

            With so many things going against Malcolm joining, it would seem that the only thing that enabled this drastic change was his brother, Reginald, and how he introduced Malcolm to the Nation of Islam. Reginald, along with the rest of Malcolm’s family, had converted to join the Nation of Islam previously, and they decided to send Reginald to try to convert Malcolm as well. Reginald knew Malcolm well, and was able to pull him out of his previous state. This Reginald did despite the many obstacles in converting Malcolm. Without Reginald, Malcolm would most likely have never joined the Nation of Islam, and would never have become the man we know now.

Exploratory Draft Reflection

Me:

1: Claim: Reginald wasn’t very important, Malcolm joined the Nation of Islam so quickly because prison gave him time to reflect on his past life, which made him get the idea of the Nation of Islam, regardless of how Reginald told him.

2: Question: How important was Reginald to Malcolm joining the Nation of Islam?

3: Trouble: Most of what Reginald told Malcolm hinged on the fact that Malcolm had many past experiences that agreed with what the Nation of Islam taught.

4: Situation/Status Quo: Reginald was the main reason that Malcolm joined the Nation of Islam.

5a: Reword: If Reginald appeared to be the main reason that Malcolm joined the Nation of Islam, but the experiences that Malcolm had previously led him to agree, how important was Reginald in this situation?

5b: Fatten Up: Add how Reginald couldn’t have been very important if Malcolm just dumped him later when Reginald split from the Nation of Islam. What would have happened if Reginald hadn’t introduced Malcolm to the Nation of Islam? Could add evidence to show he probably would have joined it anyway.

Annalivia:

1: Claim: In prison Malcolm had lots of time to think on his past and educate himself, which allowed him to finally see the problem of racism directly.

2: Question: What in prison caused Malcolm to actually think and act on racism in a direct manner?

3: Trouble: Malcolm has been very affected by racism before prison, but he thought about it casually and indirectly.

4: Situation/Status Quo: Malcolm has been affected by racism all his life and acts upon it.

5a: Reword: If Malcolm has been affected by racism his whole life, but he had only thought about it indirectly, what in prison caused Malcolm to actually act on it?

5b: Fatten Up: More evidence on how he had only thought about racism casually before prison. Malcolm reading books in prison giving him a new view on racism and getting him to act upon it would be a good point for this.

Brielle:

1: Claim: Malcolm’s ideas on equality are flawed and not fully developed.

2: Question: Why does Malcolm stress getting rid of stereotypes yet sees all women as weak?

3: Trouble: Malcolm wants to fight stereotypes of black people, but still gives stereotypes of women being weak and just following the man.

4: Situation/Status Quo: Malcolm wants brotherhood of all people, and is for the Oneness of Man.

5a: Reword: If Malcolm wants equality and brotherhood for all people, but still portrays all women as weak and untrustworthy, why does he fight one stereotype and contribute to another?

5b: Fatten Up: Maybe give more evidence after Mecca of his actions, most of it here is from before. This argument could also extend to Malcolm being hypocritical in general, there is evidence of him saying stereotypes of white people as well.