To commemorate Black History Month I will discuss some of the most
important Black leaders that impacted my life - the first being Malcolm X.
Growing up as a Black man I learned to live with racism, stereotypes
and fear. Each has become intertwined in my personality, characteristics and
actions. Often causing me to lose myself and making it even more difficult to
find myself. My struggles and triumphs were often bittersweet simply because I
was Black. In high school, I traveled almost 2 hours every day from my
predominantly black neighborhood to a predominantly white high school in the
north suburbs of Chicago and then 2 hours back home. I realized the differences
and similarities of our cultures. However, one of the most intriguing things
that I discovered was that I no longer fit in my culture. I was now an outcast
because I talked different and went to a White school. Nevertheless, in school
I was still the Black kid that didn't quite fit in because of the cultural
differences. The great thing about my position in life was that I was young and
nonchalant. But feelings of inadequate and doubt lay dormant, and would awaken
from time to time. It is during this time I met Malcolm X.
For an assignment, we were given the option to read The Autobiography of Malcolm X with
Alex Haley. While I simply chose this book because I had seen the movie & thought
it would be an easy A, little did I know that Malcolm’s story would open my
eyes to a better understanding of my life as a Black man. Interestingly, his
life gave me confidence in the plan God had for my life. His ability to basically
self-educate & impact so many lives gave me a vision of what God had called
me to become. I also connected with the struggles he had fitting in with his Muslim
family & the burden he carried when he transformed his beliefs of the
Muslim teachings. His leadership showed me that being a leader was more than
just coveting the spotlight, but being an example even when your closest
friends & others around you have fallen & may be against you. As I look
back now it amazes me how God used the life story of Muslim to impact the life
of a Christian. So I would definitely
encourage all to read The
Autobiography of Malcolm X with Alex Haley.
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