African American Studies II

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Discussion Questions
Chapter 1: Nightmare
1.

The chapter begins with Malcolms mother being terrorized by the Ku

Klux Klan riders threatening and warning her to get their family out of
town. Why do the riders want them gone?

2.

Explain the Reverend Littles connection with Marcus Garvey and his
organization. Why would Garveys back to Africa preachings be a
threat to the KKK, especially since one would think the KKK would
agree with blacks returning to Africa. How does the Reverend Littles
past explain his dedication to the Garvey movement?

3.

Describe Malcolms family with regard to his step and full siblings.
Describe the physical appearances of his parents. How does skin
color and hair texture impact their behavior and determine who are
favored in Malcolms family? What other differences exists between
Malcolms parents?

4.

Trace the several places that Malcolms father moves his family.
Explain why the family must leave each home. Is each move for the
better or the worse? Explain.

5.

Describe the socio-economic status of the blacks in Lansing.

Although the Little family is poverty stricken, why are they better off
than many of the other blacks in town?

6.

How might you explain that although Malcolm has many memories of
attending Garvey meetings with his father and hearing Garvey
preachings, he still maintains negative and stereotypical images of
Africa? Has taken a class such as African American Studies changed
your image of Africa? Why or why not?

7.

How does the rabbit slaying scene symbolize the Reverend Littles
death?

8.

Describe the efforts of Malcolms mother and other family members

to keep the family going after the Reverend Littles death. Explain
how racism thwarts the mothers efforts in particular.

9.

How does the state Welfare humiliate and dehumanize the Little
family? Does the state continue to do so today?

10.

Describe how the Little familys destitution begins Malcolms

downward spiral into crime. How does Malcolms petty crime lead to
his mother being institutionalized?

11.

What happens to the rest of the family after the mother is placed in the
State Mental Hospital at Kalamazoo? Are you surprised or not?

12.

Why do you think Malcolm X titles this chapter Nightmare? Make

a list of these nightmares.

Chapter 2: Mascot
1. Explain the significance of June 27, 1937 to African American people
then. How does that days event influence Malcolm? What is the
outcome of Malcolms venture into the ring?
2. Malcolm eventually is sent to reform school because of his deliberate
decision to wear a hat in his classroom. Do you agree with the teachers
handling of the situation? Do you agree with Malcolms revenge on the
teacher? Cite instances along this chain of events that could have altered
the outcome.
3. What is a mascot? Why does Malcolm feel the Swerlins and other whites
in his childhood regarded him as a mascot? How does Mason Junior
High treat Malcolm as a mascot?
4. Malcolms favorite subjects are English and history, but he dislikes his
history teacher. Why? Why does he dislike mathematics?

5. Why does being called nigger and other racial epithets not bother
Malcolm as you think it would?
6. What restrictions do Malcolms white classmates have on their
acceptance of him?
7. How do the white boys use Malcolm to get girls for themselves? Do
young men use similar strategies today? Explain.
8. Describe the race mixing that goes on in Lansing. What is hypocritical
about this behavior?
9. Malcolms describes his embarrassment of a black actor in the movie
Gone With the Wind. Why do you think he feel this way?
10. Why is Malcolm especially impressed by his older stepsister Ella?
11. How does Malcolms summer visit with Ella in Boston change him upon
his return to Lansing?
12. Why does his English teachers advice about his future plans disturb
Malcolm? What knowledge about himself causes Malcolm to change
inside? How is his behavior different?
13. After his graduation from the eighth grade, Malcolm leaves Lansing and
goes to live with his sister Ella in Boston. Why is Malcolm glad Mr.
Ostrowski did not encourage him to become a lawyer after all?
Chapter 3: Homeboy
3. Ella advises Malcolm not to begin looking for a job right away, but to
take his time and get the feel of Boston first. Do you think this is good
advice? Why? What might you have advised Malcolm?
4. Malcolm describes the Roxbury Negroes and the successful ones in
Lansing with contempt. Why? Do you agree with him?

5. List examples of some of the euphemisms that blacks used to indicate

their professions. Why do you think blacks described their jobs in this
way instead of saying what they really do?
6. Instead of being impressed with these blacks, Malcolm is attracted to and
entranced by another kind of black. Why? Explain.
7. Who is Shorty? What does he mean when he calls Malcolm his
homeboy? Why does Malcolm take to him so quickly? How does
Shorty help Malcolm become acclimated to Boston?
8. What all does Freddie advise Malcolm to do to earn tips while shining
shoes? What does he mean when he tells Malcolm to Uncle Tom a
little? What are some other items Freddie tells Malcolm to have on
hand for his customers? What does Freddie mean when he tells
Malcolm, The main thing you got to remember is that everything in the
world is a hustle?
9. What differences does Malcolm observe between the white dances and
the black dances?
10. Approximately how old is Malcolm as he hangs out with Shorty and
experiences his first liquor, cigarette, reefer, shooting craps, playing
cards, and playing the numbers? Is the young person of the same age
today as worldly as Malcolm or more inexperienced? Explain.
11. Describe the look of the zoot suit. Does it share any similarities with the
popular look of todays adolescent attire?
12. What is a conk? Describe the process by which black men conked
their hair. What is unpleasant and painful about the process? Why do
you think these men endured such torture for this special look? Do
people torture themselves today to attain a particular beauty standard?
Explain.
13. How does Malcolm feel about seeing himself with his first conk? When
he reflects on it later, how have his feelings changed? What does a conk
represent on a black man, according to Malcolm X? What do you think
Malcolm X would say about the nonkinky hairstyles that young black
men wear today? Do you agree?

Chapter 4: Laura
1. Note the slang that Malcolm X uses in the opening paragraph of this
chapter. How would you define groovy, frantic, scenes, chicks,
cats, pads, juke, mellow, blew gage, juiced back, jumped,
fine, hip? What current slang could you substitute for these?
2. How does Malcolm explain the difference between white dancing and
black dancing? Does that explanation stand for today? Explain.
3. Why doesnt Malcolm want to take the job at the Townsend Drug Store?
Why does he agree to take it?
4. Although Laura represents one of the Hill Negroes that Malcolm
cannot stand, she is somewhat different. Explain why Malcolm is
attracted to her. Why doesnt he mention her to his friend Shorty?
5. Describe Lauras style of lindying. How is it different from that of many
of Malcolms other partners? Is her style of dancing consistent with her
personality? Explain.
6. Who is Sophia? Describe her. How is she different from other white
women who consorted with African American men at that time? What
effect does she have on Malcolm? In what ways does she differ from
Laura?
7. How does Sophia bring status to Malcolm around his friends and other
black men. Does having a beautiful white woman give black men status
today? Explain.
8. What eventually happens to Laura? Do you think her decline is
inevitable or not? Malcolm blames her treatment of her for her decline.
Would you agree with him?
9. With what date and event does this chapter end? How old is Malcolm?
Where is he living and what does he do for a living?

Chapter 5: Harlemite
1.

Why does Ella get Malcolm a job working for the railroad? Are her
plans successful? Explain. Why does Malcolm go along with
working on the railroad? Why is Malcolm attracted to New York
City?

2.

What attitude do most of the ghetto black males have toward the war?
Are they justified in thinking that way? Explain. What do they do to
avoid the draft?

3.

Describe the contrasting black lifestyles that Malcolm sees in

Washington D.C. just a few blocks from the White House. What
kind of jobs do the Negroes with Howard University degrees hold?

4.

Explain Malcolms statement, Within the first five minutes in

Smalls, I had left Boston and Roxbury forever. Categorize the
Negroes Malcolm learns about in Harlem.

5.

What is Kitchen Mechanics Night at the Savoy? Explain the

prostitutes statement, . . .professionals couldnt do any business
because of the amateurs.

6.

How are Malcolm and the other train porter . . . both servants and
psychologists?

7.

Malcolm discusses the black and white sellers of the Daily Worker, a
newspaper that advocates for blacks. Why does he think the paper . .
.somehow was tied in with the Russians? Why had many blacks
embraced the Communist Party?

8.

Malcolm eventually loses his job because of his inappropriate

behavior. Why does he manage to hold on to his job for so long
despite his behavior? How does he feel about losing it?

9.

Describe Malcolms effect on Lansing when he returns there. Why do

you think the people in Lansing are not ready for the likes of
Malcolm?

10.

Malcolm takes a new job as a waiter at Smalls Paradise in New York.

Describe the education he receives in the restaurant. How does
Harlem become the black Harlem of today? During the 1920s what
role did music and entertainment play in spreading Harlems famous
image? What connection exists between the Savoy and the Lindy
Hop? From where does the dance receive its name?

11.

Malcolm also receives an education in forms of hustling. Name some

of the hustles he learns.