Frederick Douglass And Malcolm X Essay - 1237 Words

A synthetic analysis of two works from African American literature reveals that there is no greater accomplishment than learning to read and write. Literacy is what allows us to gain knowledge through learning. This topic is important because based on a study conducted by the U.S Department of Education and the National Institution of Literacy, 32 million adults in the U.S are still unable to read and write and African Americans are expected to make up nearly half of that amount. In both Fredrick Douglass’ â€Å"Learning to Read† and Malcolm X’s â€Å"A Homemade Education,† common themes regarding literacy and freedom are identified and both reflect why literacy is so important. The two texts prove how crucial the processes of learning to read†¦show more content†¦Both faced challenging circumstances on their journey to literacy but both knew that in order to escape the reality they faced they would have to become literate. Once both became li terate, it had an immediate impact on their lives. Both discuss the importance it had on every aspect of their being. In Fredrick Douglass’ â€Å"Learning to Read,† Douglass states, â€Å"The reading of these documents enabled me to utter my thoughts, and to meet the arguments brought forward to sustain slavery; but while they relieved me of one difficulty, they brought on another even more painful than the one of which I was relieved. The more I read, the more I was led to abhor and detest my enslavers† (128) which proves the reality Douglass faced when he learned of the oppression his people were facing. Learning to read and write helped him understand slavery, abolition, and oppression therefore pushing him to want to gain knowledge, become educated, and fight for his civil rights. Literacy is ultimately is what helped Douglass escape slavery. Once he escaped, Douglass was able to communicate with the world, through his writing, to spread the truth in or der to affect public opinion about the oppression at hand. In Malcolm X’s â€Å"A Homemade Education,† he also makes it clear that reading and writing made a significant impact on his life. He states â€Å"My homemade education gave me, with every additional book that I read, a little bit more sensitivity to theShow MoreRelatedFrederick Douglass and Malcolm X Comparison Essay640 Words   |  3 PagesFrederick Douglass and Malcolm X Comparison Essay Nneoma Okeoma Sept. 28, 2011 2a Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X Comparison Essay Draft 1 Can one think undergoing suffrage of unjust slavery and being held in a penitentiary be compared? In the excerpt of Frederick Douglass (Learning to Read and Write) and in Malcolm X (Learning to Read): both dealt with the oppression that the white race as brought to them. Douglass lists the ways which he learns how to read and write. He discussesRead MoreMalcolm X vs Frederick Douglass Essay1300 Words   |  6 Pages21, 2011 Essay 2 Lead-In Author, Title, and main Idea Final Thought Topic Sentence Malcolm X VS. Frederick Douglass How would you compare your education experience with Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass? Education comes from attending elementary; middle school, high school, and college. However education can also come from home if the education is legitimate. In Malcolm Xs A Homemade Education, Malcolm discussesRead MoreThe Narrative Of Frederick Douglass, The Souls Of Black Folks876 Words   |  4 Pagescontemporary lives. Through this essay, we explore the how education affected both slaves and whites alike and how the controversy of education carried onto the present. This interplay between education, blacks, and whites can be seen in a variety of African American literature, including The Narrative of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, The Souls of Black Folks by W.E.B DuBois, Learning to Read by Malcolm X, and Undone by Alison Saar. DuBois and Douglass both strongly equate freedom withRead MoreReading And Writing Is Essential For Understanding And Comprehending Warning Signs And Instructions On A Medicine Bottle1753 Words   |  8 Pagesdedicated and have the drive to reach their goals. For Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass, gaining an education was very different for them as it was difficult and it was almost an impossible goal to achieve. Both of these men never stopped working towards their dream of one day learning how to read and write and this should be an example to young adults of today. X and Douglass foreshadowed the difficulty of gaining an education. In this essay, I will described how two individuals of oppression strivedRead MoreThe History of African-Americans to Attain Equality and Civil Rights2623 Words   |  11 Pagespeople rested directly on their own shoulders. Thus, they made the decision of rescuing themselves. This decision followed with a period of time where a supporting leadership bec ame immensely important. It was the same time when leaders like Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King, Jr. rose to save the African community in the American society. This leadership was exceedingly important for the success of their countless endeavors and for the triumphant end of their journey. Three periods are consideredRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesPHILADELPHIA Temple University Press 1601 North Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122 www.temple.edu/tempress Copyright  © 2010 by Temple University All rights reserved Published 2010 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Essays on twentieth century history / edited by Michael Peter Adas for the American Historical Association. p. cm.—(Critical perspectives on the past) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-4399-0269-1 (cloth : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0270-7