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The Autobiography of Malcolm XStudyGuide
The Autobiography of Malcolm XStudyGuide
Study Guide
Our Prison Neighbors
Sessions
I. Introduction of the book and brainstorm what we know about Malcolm X, the period of
his life, and the Civil Rights Movement. Why this is an important book for all people.
Discussion
In each session open discussion with an invitation to remark on an interesting
aspect of the reading. Some will have read the entire book but try to limit discussion to
the agreed on assignment.
Discussion questions for each session can include:
What information provided in these chapters is relevant to Malcolm’s Psyco-social,
Moral, Spiritual and Racial Identity development?
What information was a mirror of your own experience?
What information was a window for you?
How was this different from your life?
II. Forward, Introduction, Chapters 1-2 Look for examples of Erickson’s stages and
stages of racial identity development
Forward, Introduction
III. Chapters 3-7 – Discuss as above. Go over the developmental frameworks if you
didn’t have time previously.
Introduce the concept of Classism. What is specific to race and what is a question
of class? Is the ‘Street’ culture today substantially different for different groups?
3. “Homeboy” – Boston, Ella, Shorty, Roseland Dance Hall, Jazz musicians,
dancing, conks
4. Laura – Learning to dance, Laura, white women
5. Harlemite – Ella wants him to join the service, sandwich man, Smalls, visits
Michigan, waiter, and Harlem history
6. Detroit Red – numbers, organized crime, pimps, attitudes towards women,
speak easy, Sammy’s girls, draft
7. Hustler – procuring sex, Reginald
Assign Chapters 8-10
IV. Chapters 8-10. Continue noticing developmental stages. Begin to bring up examples
from other books. Encourage students to bring up episodes from earlier stages of their
own development.
8. Trapped - has to leave Harlem
9. Caught – burglary in Boston
10. Satan – drug, Bimbi, Nation of Islam, Masons, the white race
Assign Chapters 11-14 Hand out and go over the Four Frameworks of Development in
Adulthood
VIII. It is wonderful to see the movie with Danzell Washington. This usually takes two
classes with some time for discussion in the middle. Closing discussion, reports on other
books read during the course, evaluation. Certificates
(E-mail Nancy@OurPrisonNeighbors for a certificate that can be printed out. We’d love
to hear about your class).
Book Discussion Evaluation
1. The book discussed was _________________________________________________
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6. We would appreciate your personal thoughts about being in the book discussion group:
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Wikipedia Articles to Support Learning About Malcolm X
Websites of interest:
Child Development Institute article on Erickson’s Stages of Psycho-Social Development
http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/erickson.shtml
From Joann Wolski Conn (ed.), Women’s Spirituality: Resources for Christian Development. (Paulist,
1986), pp. 226-232. http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/fowler.htm