Watching Make It Plain showed me so much more about the life of Malcolm X than I ever thought I would know. Before viewing the documentary, I did not know much about this man. I knew he was a vocal member of the Nation of Islam, I knew that he changed his views when he left that group, and I knew he died. I had no idea who he was and what he was trying to do. Now I feel like I have a much better understanding of Malcolm X.
After learning about Malcolms childhood and early adulthood, I did gain a greater understanding of his philosophies. I did not know that he lost both of his parents when he was so young, one to death and the other to mental illness. His father was murdered and because of his mothers illness, his family was separated. These experiences must have really shaped Malcolm into the man he became. Listening to his brothers and sisters speak really added a stronger connection to the documentary. Being sent to prison for a non-serious crime and having the law attempt to accuse he and his friend of rape, I am not surprised at how Malcolm felt towards the United States government and law enforcement.
Communication was the biggest influence on the African American community. When people started speaking and leading, the rest began to follow. Malcolm knew that being an educated speaker was important to being a good leader, and he was able to back up himself up with facts. This made people believe and trust him. When he encouraged African Americans to take over their neighborhoods, by being the business owners, by being the teachers, by being the ones who took care of their homes, the people of Harlem really listened and tried to follow through with this plan.
It was not surprising that African Americans wanted to defend and separate themselves. The oppression they faced was so great, it is amazing that worse things did not happen. I think Malcolm was speaking for a lot of African Americans when he asked why they should be trying to sit at a lunch counter that whites did not want them to sit at. Maybe for some it is hard to imagine, but listening to Malcolm and the people interviewed made me understand how painful forced segregation is and why people could choose to self-segregate.
Seeing the clip of Malcolm X appearing on City Desk was eye-opening. There is obvious hostility coming from host Jim Hulburt while Malcolm appears very composed and non-hostile. I was surprised to see how composed Malcolm was and to learn that he had a sense of humor. Many of the people interviewed in the documentary mention Malcolm smiling and being humorous. From everything I had seen before, I never would have believed that this man had any sense of humor. The last line in the movie, when he is asked if he considers himself militant and he laughs and answers I consider myself Malcolm really shows that he was not a monster, but just a man. The white reporter mentions that while he didnt think he and Malcolm could have ever been friends, they were able to respect each other like men.
Watching Make It Plain made me realize that not all African Americans in the 1960s supported the passive methods of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his followers. Listening to the people interviewed, now I understand how frustrating it could have been to just have to wait. Wait for people to stop being prejudice, wait for laws to be changed, wait for those laws to be enforced. When we look back at the Civil Rights Movement, the main focus is always on Dr. King, because his message was always about peace and acceptance. I think it is important for people, especially students, to learn more about the other important figures from this movement. Because of his extreme views, Malcolm X might not be an easy subject to approach in school, but that should not matter. Showing this documentary to students would be an excellent way to introduce this historical figure.
After learning about Malcolms childhood and early adulthood, I did gain a greater understanding of his philosophies. I did not know that he lost both of his parents when he was so young, one to death and the other to mental illness. His father was murdered and because of his mothers illness, his family was separated. These experiences must have really shaped Malcolm into the man he became. Listening to his brothers and sisters speak really added a stronger connection to the documentary. Being sent to prison for a non-serious crime and having the law attempt to accuse he and his friend of rape, I am not surprised at how Malcolm felt towards the United States government and law enforcement.
Communication was the biggest influence on the African American community. When people started speaking and leading, the rest began to follow. Malcolm knew that being an educated speaker was important to being a good leader, and he was able to back up himself up with facts. This made people believe and trust him. When he encouraged African Americans to take over their neighborhoods, by being the business owners, by being the teachers, by being the ones who took care of their homes, the people of Harlem really listened and tried to follow through with this plan.
It was not surprising that African Americans wanted to defend and separate themselves. The oppression they faced was so great, it is amazing that worse things did not happen. I think Malcolm was speaking for a lot of African Americans when he asked why they should be trying to sit at a lunch counter that whites did not want them to sit at. Maybe for some it is hard to imagine, but listening to Malcolm and the people interviewed made me understand how painful forced segregation is and why people could choose to self-segregate.
Seeing the clip of Malcolm X appearing on City Desk was eye-opening. There is obvious hostility coming from host Jim Hulburt while Malcolm appears very composed and non-hostile. I was surprised to see how composed Malcolm was and to learn that he had a sense of humor. Many of the people interviewed in the documentary mention Malcolm smiling and being humorous. From everything I had seen before, I never would have believed that this man had any sense of humor. The last line in the movie, when he is asked if he considers himself militant and he laughs and answers I consider myself Malcolm really shows that he was not a monster, but just a man. The white reporter mentions that while he didnt think he and Malcolm could have ever been friends, they were able to respect each other like men.
Watching Make It Plain made me realize that not all African Americans in the 1960s supported the passive methods of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his followers. Listening to the people interviewed, now I understand how frustrating it could have been to just have to wait. Wait for people to stop being prejudice, wait for laws to be changed, wait for those laws to be enforced. When we look back at the Civil Rights Movement, the main focus is always on Dr. King, because his message was always about peace and acceptance. I think it is important for people, especially students, to learn more about the other important figures from this movement. Because of his extreme views, Malcolm X might not be an easy subject to approach in school, but that should not matter. Showing this documentary to students would be an excellent way to introduce this historical figure.
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