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Booker T. Washington and Malcolm X on the Power of Reading

  Booker T. Washington and Malcolm X on the Power of Reading Although Booker T. Washington’s Up from Slavery and Malcolm X’s The Autobiography of Malcolm X begin in completely different circumstances, they both describe the power of knowledge. Washington starts life in the extreme deprivation of slavery. He clearly mentions that he was born “in the midst of the most miserable, desolate, and discouraging surroundings” (page 1). Alongside that, Washington grew up with limited knowledge about his own roots and knew nothing beyond the few whispered conversations in the slave quarters. On the other hand, Malcolm X begins in a different kind of hardship. He speaks of himself as an “incurable hustler” whose time in prison created a deep sense of isolation and intellectual growth. Hence, he realized that his lack of reading prior to prison caused him to be deficient in the basic knowledge he needed to defend himself and speak for the community. As they begin their reading journeys, both me...
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Truth and Hope: The Dual Visions of Liberation in Wright and Hansberry’s Writing

  Truth and Hope: The Dual Visions of Liberation in Wright and Hansberry’s Writing All throughout history, literature has been used as a medium for more than just storytelling. Literature can be utilized as a way of resisting, preserving culture, and helping writers express their feelings. For Black writers in America, literature was used as both a weapon for rebellion and as a written proof of their struggles. Both Richard Wright and Lorraine Hansberry wrote during times when racism was not just a social issue, but rather a form of systemic oppression. This oppression had staged every part of African American’s lives, and often put them in lower positions. What makes their work special is how differently both of these authors responded to the same reality. Wright’s “Down by the Riverside” is a narrative which traps all of its characters in a society where they are surrounded by systemic oppression even in times of natural disaster. Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun” carries a more...
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Vernacular Tradition's Impact on African American Literature

    The vernacular tradition has been a well-known theme in African American literature. This distinctive tradition carries with it the stories and emotions of the oppressed African American people who desperately tried to preserve their culture. From narratives to poems or everyday speech, the vernacular tradition conveyed emotions beyond words. In particular, this uniqueness of the vernacular tradition made it notable in everyday speech, but especially noteworthy in literature. By using this style, it ensured that speakers' voices could be remembered and unable to be erased throughout history.       Langston Hughes' "Bound No'th Blues" was one of the pieces of literature that featured the vernacular tradition in a poetic form. This poem blends together a tragic personal testimony with the voice of an oral storytelling. In "Bound No'th Blues", Hughes purposefully utilized language and phrasing to capture the vernacular tradition and the cultural wei...
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