Natalie Nuzzo, Instructor – Brooklyn College English Department Spring 2012
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Monday, February 13, 2012
Malcolm X -- Chicago, 1963
Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) on family history, the Ku Klux Klan, and race in America. This interview with Jim Hurlbut aired on Chicago TV in 1963.
Seeing this excerpt of an interview with Malcom X in conjunction with the read brought up a lot of questions for me. For starters I am curious as to which came first, the autobiography or the interview. In his biography no mention is made of his first home (In Omaha, From birth to 1 yr) burning down. He mentions this occurring for the first time in Lansing, Michigan. That the stories do not match, I find puzzling.
Next, Malcom's comments regarding always being integrated with whites until he had in fact become a Muslim, I also found interesting. By the readings, I almost feel, it was when meeting his half-sister, Ella, and visiting Boston, that he stopped attempting to integrate with whites.
For me, memory is a tricky thing, and perhaps in both of these pieces (video excerpt vs autobiography) they are manipulated to prove the points that are on hand in the particular moments.
I have actually read most of the Autobiography of Malcolm X and I have already seen this interview. In response to Miriah's comment, he does mention his first home in the Autobiography but the Ku Klux Klax only smashed the windows, I believe it was the second house or third house he moved to that was burned down. I think he just made a mistake because those questions are on the spot and he was even stuttering when he answered that one.
Due to the fact that I have read most of the book, I can tell you that later on in the book he meets a white woman and they had relations, this is probably in the next chapter that we didn't get to read.
Malcolm X for me is a role model. He has showed me that no matter what situation you are currently in, you can always overcome. He has also taught me that you must stand up for what you believe in regardless of what others around you think.
He followed a philosophy that was being practiced in the wrong manner , even though he was told to be quiet, he expressed himself despite the fact that he was putting his life in danger and I respect that.
When I read the autobiography Malcolm X wrote, it was much more detailed and chronological. It started with his childhood life and his memories were portrayed in explicit details. It's as if the reader was in his shoes, for example, before the moment his father died, he described the family's psychopathic connection to each other. It's as if they had a bad feeling or epiphany of what was going to happen. In the television interview, he only answered certain questions and answers that the white people wanted to hear. You only get the general view of Malcolm X, just another black's right activist but when you read the autobiography before watching this, you will understand his hardship and why he was going through this. I felt the autobiography was more heart-touching and very detailed and clear.
I wonder if I am the only person watching this interview who feels that Jim Hurlbut is taking on the role of a prosecuter. It seems that his comments to Malcolm X are aimed at tripping him up and Malcolm seems quite defensive in his responses. It seems that society in the 1960's was not accepting nor tolerant of minority people. My comment is not based on facts, but rather on what I personally heard behind the politically "neutral" interview. It seems to be supported by what Malcolm X was trying to explain about the nonacceptance of ehnic groups in mainstream American society.
I agree with Tzirel's comment. The interviewer keeps speaking over Malcolm X, which is very rude. The interview and the autobiography correlate. He mentions his birthplace, his integration with whites,and his fathers death, in the text and video interview. Malcolm seems like a very firm believer of Islam. He also mentions in the interview that he began to separate himself from whites after converting to Islam; also stated in the text.
I had to watch the video twice and I also read a couple of the comments. I agree that the interview was very rude to Malcolm. The language, body energy and everything about the interview gives you a glimpse or a certain feel for how the white society viewed a blacks in society. Also, I love Malcolm's patience with the interview. There was no other way in which he could of handle it better. His com posture tells you how very educated and polite he is, but also how outspoken he can be, given the chance (which he wasn't) After reading the few chapters and seeing the video, I have a great respect for Malcolm.
I had to watch the video twice and I also read a couple of the comments. I agree that the interview was very rude to Malcolm. The language, body energy and everything about the interview gives you a glimpse or a certain feel for how the white society viewed a blacks in society. Also, I love Malcolm's patience with the interview. There was no other way in which he could of handle it better. His com posture tells you how very educated and polite he is, but also how outspoken he can be, given the chance (which he wasn't) After reading the few chapters and seeing the video, I have a great respect for Malcolm.
As previously stated, I noted the fact that Jim Hurlburt and O'Connor used tactics to make Malcolm X seem inconsistent, uneducated, biased and even foolish- and that it made the blatant racism very clear.
In conjunction with the reading I love the fact that there was an interview found to go along with it, not only to give a face and a voice (to those who are unfamiliar)to what we were assigned to read but also to see first-hand the insight and logic that Malcolm X is so renowned for today.
When Malcolm X referred to his past many interactions with white people my mind automatically thought of the reading, when he spoke for pages about him going to school with white people, his teacher that discouraged him to pursue a law degree, the times he would converse with white girls and etc.
I think that the discussion on the text in class tomorrow is sure to be an interesting, engaging one.
8 comments:
Seeing this excerpt of an interview with Malcom X in conjunction with the read brought up a lot of questions for me. For starters I am curious as to which came first, the autobiography or the interview. In his biography no mention is made of his first home (In Omaha, From birth to 1 yr) burning down. He mentions this occurring for the first time in Lansing, Michigan. That the stories do not match, I find puzzling.
Next, Malcom's comments regarding always being integrated with whites until he had in fact become a Muslim, I also found interesting. By the readings, I almost feel, it was when meeting his half-sister, Ella, and visiting Boston, that he stopped attempting to integrate with whites.
For me, memory is a tricky thing, and perhaps in both of these pieces (video excerpt vs autobiography) they are manipulated to prove the points that are on hand in the particular moments.
I have actually read most of the Autobiography of Malcolm X and I have already seen this interview. In response to Miriah's comment, he does mention his first home in the Autobiography but the Ku Klux Klax only smashed the windows, I believe it was the second house or third house he moved to that was burned down. I think he just made a mistake because those questions are on the spot and he was even stuttering when he answered that one.
Due to the fact that I have read most of the book, I can tell you that later on in the book he meets a white woman and they had relations, this is probably in the next chapter that we didn't get to read.
Malcolm X for me is a role model. He has showed me that no matter what situation you are currently in, you can always overcome. He has also taught me that you must stand up for what you believe in regardless of what others around you think.
He followed a philosophy that was being practiced in the wrong manner , even though he was told to be quiet, he expressed himself despite the fact that he was putting his life in danger and I respect that.
When I read the autobiography Malcolm X wrote, it was much more detailed and chronological. It started with his childhood life and his memories were portrayed in explicit details. It's as if the reader was in his shoes, for example, before the moment his father died, he described the family's psychopathic connection to each other. It's as if they had a bad feeling or epiphany of what was going to happen.
In the television interview, he only answered certain questions and answers that the white people wanted to hear. You only get the general view of Malcolm X, just another black's right activist but when you read the autobiography before watching this, you will understand his hardship and why he was going through this. I felt the autobiography was more heart-touching and very detailed and clear.
I wonder if I am the only person watching this interview who feels that Jim Hurlbut is taking on the role of a prosecuter. It seems that his comments to Malcolm X are aimed at tripping him up and Malcolm seems quite defensive in his responses. It seems that society in the 1960's was not accepting nor tolerant of minority people.
My comment is not based on facts, but rather on what I personally heard behind the politically "neutral" interview. It seems to be supported by what Malcolm X was trying to explain about the nonacceptance of ehnic groups in mainstream American society.
I agree with Tzirel's comment. The interviewer keeps speaking over Malcolm X, which is very rude. The interview and the autobiography correlate. He mentions his birthplace, his integration with whites,and his fathers death, in the text and video interview. Malcolm seems like a very firm believer of Islam. He also mentions in the interview that he began to separate himself from whites after converting to Islam; also stated in the text.
I had to watch the video twice and I also read a couple of the comments. I agree that the interview was very rude to Malcolm. The language, body energy and everything about the interview gives you a glimpse or a certain feel for how the white society viewed a blacks in society.
Also, I love Malcolm's patience with the interview. There was no other way in which he could of handle it better. His com posture tells you how very educated and polite he is, but also how outspoken he can be, given the chance (which he wasn't)
After reading the few chapters and seeing the video, I have a great respect for Malcolm.
I had to watch the video twice and I also read a couple of the comments. I agree that the interview was very rude to Malcolm. The language, body energy and everything about the interview gives you a glimpse or a certain feel for how the white society viewed a blacks in society.
Also, I love Malcolm's patience with the interview. There was no other way in which he could of handle it better. His com posture tells you how very educated and polite he is, but also how outspoken he can be, given the chance (which he wasn't)
After reading the few chapters and seeing the video, I have a great respect for Malcolm.
As previously stated, I noted the fact that Jim Hurlburt and O'Connor used tactics to make Malcolm X seem inconsistent, uneducated, biased and even foolish- and that it made the blatant racism very clear.
In conjunction with the reading I love the fact that there was an interview found to go along with it, not only to give a face and a voice (to those who are unfamiliar)to what we were assigned to read but also to see first-hand the insight and logic that Malcolm X is so renowned for today.
When Malcolm X referred to his past many interactions with white people my mind automatically thought of the reading, when he spoke for pages about him going to school with white people, his teacher that discouraged him to pursue a law degree, the times he would converse with white girls and etc.
I think that the discussion on the text in class tomorrow is sure to be an interesting, engaging one.
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