BLOG POST #3

The phrase “knowledge is power” has a unique interpretation in this section of Malcolm X’s autobiography. In the literal sense, Malcolm having more knowledge with words and literature gave him appreciation in prison because “an inmate was smiled upon if he demonstrated an unusually intense interest in books”(The Auto-Biography of Malcolm X). His knowledge made him out to be more rehabilitated than the others, thus he gained the favor of other inmates. X felt awoken to the problems staining the black community because of his insatiable curiosity. At that moment, a black man with a book was more dangerous than a black man with a gun because there was potential for the hierarchy to be shifted. High incarceration, school-to-prison pipelines, heavy policing, segregated school, low minority college enrollment only further prove this idea. The “power” was the ability to spread long-lasting ideals that would motivate future black scholars and activists into reshaping their current stance on the balance of power. 

Malcolm’s power is being able to regain full autonomy in his life. Prison provided a place where Malcolm could hone his inquisitive nature onto the inequalities facing his community. The knowledge Malcolm X sustained propelled him to a level of influence and political power within his community. Although college may seem like the one-stop-shop for all things educational, that may not always be the case for everyone. “I imagine that one of the biggest troubles with colleges is there are too many distractions, too much panty-raiding, fraternities, and boola-boola and all of that”(The Auto-Biography of Malcolm X). Books gave the same (if not more) amount of knowledge that a few college courses would consist of.

Comments ( 2 )

  1. Christiana Addy
    I like how you mentioned a black man with a book would become more dangerous than a black man with a weapon. I agree that Malcolm definitely helped tip the scales into favor of black men and women by proving “knowledge is power”.
  2. Miryam Juarez
    I agree with what you said about how college is not the only source from which you can get educated. Malcom was able to prove that from the education he was able to give himself in prison.

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