Forbidden Fruit: The Lives Of Malcolm X And Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X were great revolutionary leaders. Their motives inspired others to be against the segregated 20th century. Frederick Douglass is famous for writing “Learning to Read”. The intended audience would have been anyone. Learning to Read was written in 1845 and it is a narrative.

The legendary abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass was one of the most important social reformers of the nineteenth century. Being born into slavery on a Maryland Eastern Shore plantation to his mother, Harriet Bailey, and a white man, most likely Douglass’s first master was the starting point of his rise against the enslavement of African-Americans. Nearly 200 years after Douglass’s birth and 122 years after his death, The social activist’s name and accomplishments continue to inspire the progression of African-American youth in modern society. Through his ability to overcome obstacles, his strive for a better life through education, and his success despite humble beginnings, Frederick Douglass’s aspirations stretched his influence through

Summary of "Learning to Read" by Malcolm X In his essay "Learning to Read" from the chapter "Saved" in Malcolm's Autobiography published in New York (Grove Press, 1965). Malcolm was born in Omaha, Nebraska and his father was a political activist on behalf of Marcus Garvey. After he and his family moved to East Lansing, Michigan, where his father was killed and his mother placed in a mental institution. he became an orphan and ended up on the streets of Detroit where he was known as "Detroit Red".

Overall, Douglass' narrative addresses the serious problems and misconceptions of slavery and it reveals the truths. Douglass urges his readers to not believe in the so-called romanticism of slavery, or that blacks are intellectually inferior, or inferior at all, or that their prospects are better as slaves. He begs that his readers discover the truths, by reading about them through his own life experiences. Within Douglass' experiences, he successfully debunks the mythology of slavery by disproving that there is anything positive about. Because Douglass reached freedom, he knows that it can never be attained unless it is fought for.

What were Malcolm X’s beliefs? What did he hope to see change, and how for that matter did he believe he could make those changes happen? While analyzing Malcolm X and Black Rage, written by Cornel West, questions such as those are brought to light. Malcolm X’s motives are further explored as author Cornel West goes into depth and critiques Malcolm X’s tactics, such as black rage and psychic conversion, why they were such an important part of his philosophy, and if he believed said tactics were effective.

The story of Malcolm X puts our right to an education in a perspective light. The luxories of attending class, reading, and sleeping form the comforts of our own home are not an option for prisoners. His story of determination inspires me to appreciate the opportunity I have to continue my education and grow as a

Frederick Douglass develops self-determination through the discovery of education and its pathway from slavery to freedom. Frederick already understood the physical brutality of slavery, but becomes aware of the mental brutality and the psychological control of withholding literacy. [He would at once become unmanageable and no value to his master X. 409.] Hearing his master's words, Douglass found a purpose to become literate. He looks at the situation with an analytical eye and is able to fight back with his sarcastic and ironic tone, referring to his masters as “pious.”

Frederick Douglass Overcoming many obstacles, Frederick Douglass became a very influential African American in the antislavery movement. Growing up a slave, he lived the harsh lifestyle that many African Americans were suffering through. However, he escaped from slavery.. After his escape, he donated his life work to support the extinction of slavery in America. Using his personal, powerful slave stories from his horrifying childhood, he was able to influence many listeners.

In Malcolm X’s autobiography, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, he says “All of our experiences fuse into our personality. Everything that ever happened to us is an ingredient” (153). This quote holds true throughout the whole autobiography. Malcolm tells us about his whole life from the time his family suffered through the Great Depression to the time he was fighting for black rights during the civil rights movement. Malcolm goes through many challenges in his lifetime and throughout this book we witness him struggle to get by living on his own and eventually convert to Islam and find his path in life.

Both Frederick Douglas and Malcolm X were born into situations where they did not know much about or interact frequently with their parents. In Frederick Douglas’ case, he was separated from his mother when he was an infant, and he only saw her a few times when he was very young (Douglas 13-14). When it comes to Douglas’ father, all he knew of him was that he was a white man who may or may not have been his master (Douglas 13). Malcolm X ’s

This story told by Malcolm X described his personal life starting at a very young age. At a very young age, he already noticed the huge amount of racism in America in the late 1920’s. Black Americans were set up for failure and it was made very hard to succeed. Malcolm Little fell into that path. After getting caught with many illegal activities, he is sent to prison, where he finds his faith and becomes the influential leader that helped to end segregation in America.

To be truly educated is to be in a position to inquire and to create on the basis of the resources available to you. Having the motivation and the ability to pursue inquiry and discovery on one’s own is an essential tool. Two examples of people who were seen as truly educated were Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X. The qualities that helped Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X become truly educated were intellectual curiosity, being well read, and having self-awareness. These qualities are shown in Learning to Read and Write by Frederick Douglass, a famous slave, and A Homemade Education by Malcolm X. Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X displayed intellectual curiosity on certain occasions in their life.

Frederick Douglass believes America has been altered by a mass hysteria, slavery, thus affecting its ideals, values, culture, practices, or myths. At the time, no one knew better when it came to slavery. In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Douglass depicts certain instances where he exploits the American perspective of slavery rather than challenging it. To begin with, Frederick Douglass intertwines witnessing graphic events with his personal experiences to represent how slave owners exploited African American female slaves.