Use this discussion guide to inspire in-depth thinking, and jump-start a conversation about The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley. There’s plenty here to set your mental wheels in motion.

1. What do events in Malcolm X’s early life tell us about the impact of racism on his family?
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2. What does Malcolm X have to say about the impact prison has on human identity?
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3. What impact did reading and educating himself have on Malcolm X while he was in prison. What did he mean when he said “Through all of this time of my life, I really was dead—mentally dead. I just didn’t know that I was”?
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4. How was Malcolm X’s first encounter with the Muslim community in Detroit different from his previous experiences?
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5. What is the significance of the “X” in Malcolm X’s name? And, how does it symbolize his beliefs?
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6. What was Malcolm X’s response to critics who accused him of promoting hate or black supremacy?
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7. What does Malcolm X consider to be the path forward for Black individuals in America?
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8. How did Malcolm X’s pilgrimage to Mecca/ participation in the Hajj effect his views on race and brotherhood?
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9. What distinction does Malcolm X make between individual white people’s beliefs and racism?
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10. What does Malcolm X have to say about self-identity and education as it pertains to the African-American experience?

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The Autobiography of Malcolm X: A testimony of social value

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