Malcom X

Yesterday, I was reading for the umpteenth time the autobiography of Malcolm X. Its something I usually do when commuting to school or whatever. I love to read, but Malcolm X is on of my favorite, and I always get dirty looks from my fellow commuters when I pull it up from my purse...because it does give the impression that I might be of the legion of "Black Muslims". Although I am black, and I am Muslim and people can clearly see that, because of my hijab, they either give me this.... scared menacing look or, they straight come up to me and ask me if I am a black Muslim, the Elijah Muhammad following kind. Usually I smile and answer their questions just because I don't want to be associated with that group of people.... but yesterday, this guy was terribly annoying and I didn't answer him, leaving him to his own means to draw his own conclusions...

Anyway the controversy of even reading his book in public shows just how powerful the book is. Even 40 years after his death, mention of his name still gives people a reaction, if they like him, their loyalty to his memory is infallible, but if they were scared, nothing and no one could tell them that he was a figure in the end of his life of peace.

When I read his book the first time, I was probably 14 years old, my sister was completely fascinated with him, and I just had to know what it was that was fascinating about a book, that had been made into a movie. I mean why would I read a book knowing its end. He dies; there is no way around it. But to assure myself that my assumption were adequate, I had to read it. All 466 pages, I had to be as engrossed as she was about this man, who had died 20 years prior to my birth.

When you read this book, I hope you feel the same as I do. Seeing the movie was great as long as you hadn’t read the book because the book was...in one word a masterpiece. Alex Haley made this book to be read as if one was talking to this inspired man, this strong and willful human being through the traumas of his very public and tragic ending.

From the words of an inspired youth...go pick up a copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.