Reminder: your second interview is due on Monday by midnight for full credit. Bring your notes to class on Monday to write these up.
Yesterday we watched an interview with Barack Obama conducted by Tavis Smiley, where the former noted how profoundly America has changed since the 1960's; hence, interviews freeze moments in time, and are primary documents. You, in a sense, become historians with your interviews.
As well, Smiley came to the interview prepared. Likewise, the more preparation you have, the more insightful and prescient your questions, the more interesting your interview for both you and the individual with whom you are speaking.
In class today: read over the Malcolm X interview. Like Smiley, Haley asks insightful questions and lets the Malcolm X speak. In a short paragraph of a minimum of 200 words, write a response to the interview. What have you come to understand about the man by reading his own words? Use specific words or phrases that prove your point? Think of this as an editorial; that means, while you are personalizing this, you also need to use specifics.
DUE AT THE CLOSE OF CLASS FRIDAY.
Shaniqua James
ReplyDeleteMrs. Parker
Malcolm X response
October 22, 2010
After reading the Malcolm X interview done by Alex Haley, a Playboy journalist, I have acquired a different look on Malcolm X and his thoughts. His theories are very shocking and anger me at times. He is very much so a racist because throughout the entire interview he degraded any one who is not Muslim and especially those who were Caucasian or Jewish. Some of his anger that was expressed towards whites is understandable for that time period because of all the turmoil about slavery and black peoples rights. At that time black people were disrespected, degraded, and overlooked because most southern whites refused to follow the new laws that were previously adapted for the well being and rights of blacks. They could not adapt to change. Although his anger and genuine hatred for whites was understandable it is not justifiable, because not all white people were like that at that time. Some respected the new laws and black people. Another topic that frustrated me while reading the interview is his view on religion. He thought that if you were not Muslim, you really were but you hadn’t come around to knowing you were yet. This is baffling because he can’t decide what religion a person practiced, only they could. Just like he decided he was Muslim. When he said that black people who were Christian brought slavery and mistreatment to themselves because the fact that they were Christian, it really angered me. If religion was the blame for that, then why couldn’t it be because of the Muslim religion? And I’m not implying that it was, I’m just trying to find the logic in his words. That treatment was brought because of greed and the trend of slavery, not because of a specific religion. The content of this interview was so frustrating to read because all of Malcolm X’s responses were related back to the Muslim religion or Allah (Mr. Muhammad).
The answers to this interview were very long and boring. He replied with his feelings rather than facts that could be backed at. All his answers were generated by his hatred towards whites and Jews and his Muslim beliefs. Although his answers dampened the interview, it was very organized and the questions asked caused for deep thought. It is clear that Alex Haley took the time to research Malcolm X prior to the interview and that he took time to plan and map out the interview. It is also clear that he wrote his questions out and didn’t freestyle the interview. The format of the interview was great, but to me the interview itself was not.