Malcolm X, the activist and outspoken public voice of the Black Muslim faith, challenged the mainstream civil rights movement and the nonviolent pursuit of integration championed by Martin Luther King Jr.He urged followers to defend themselves against white aggression “by any means necessary.” Born Malcolm Little, he changed his last name to X to signify his rejection of his “slave” name. Charismatic and eloquent, Malcolm became an influential leader of the Nation of Islam, which combined Islam with black nationalism and sought to encourageand enfranchise disadvantaged young blacks searching for confidence in segregated America. After Malcolm X’s death in 1965, his bestselling book The Autobiography of Malcolm X popularized his ideas, particularly among black youth, and laid the foundation for the Black Power movement of the late 1960s and 1970s.
Une émission de France Culture sur Malcolm X
7 Things You May Not Know About Malcolm X
He moved around constantly as a youth.
He spent six-and-a-half years in jail.
With his help, the Nation of Islam took off in popularity.
He opposed integration.
He bitterly broke with Elijah Muhammad.
The FBI followed his every move.
Sources: http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/malcolm-x
PROBLEMATIQUES:
How does a man/a woman become a legend ?
What makes a man/a woman a legend?
Malcom X was a complex hero but he remains one of America’s most influential civil rights leaders and his legacy of black empowerment continues to resonate half a century after his assassination.
People who get remembered for such long periods of times are the legends who have done things that inspired generations and generations after their death.
How have they inspired generations ?
You can illustrate this statement with other black leaders and artists who have indeed become legends : MLK, Rosa Parks, Louis Amstrong, Duke Ellington etc..
You may ask yourself why such leaders as Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela who died more recently are already legendary heroes.
Make sure you know the difference between myths and legends although these two terms are often interchangeable.
A legend is presumed to have some basis in historical fact and tends to mention real people or events. In contrast, a myth is a type of symbolic storytelling that was never based on fact. Throughout time, myths have sought to explain difficult concepts (e.g., the origin of the universe) with the help of common story devices, such as personification and allegories.
These words are commonly used interchangeably to refer to the fictitious nature of something. Historically and academically, however, there is a difference.
Comparison chart
Legend | Myth | |
---|---|---|
Evidence that events occurred / people existed? | Yes, but evidence may be insubstantial. | No |
When and where did it happen? | Typically in more recent historical past. Usually from a specific culture. | Usually the ancient past from a specific culture. |
Is it fact or fiction? | Facts are distorted or exaggerated. Some fiction. | No evidence to prove it as fact. Fictional stories explaining how « the world was created » or some type of natural situation that occurred on Earth. |
Who are they about? | Notable people from history. | Gods, supernatural realm. |
What are they about? | Often about heroic deeds, overcoming obstacles, but may also be about evildoing. | Traditional narrative that explains natural phenomena through symbolism and metaphor — often involves the gods of ancient cultures. |