Booker T. Washington vs Malcolm X
Both Booker T. Washington and Malcolm X were self made men who went out of their way to educate themselves even in the face of oppression. Booker T. Washington documented his journey in his Autobiography titled Up from Slavery . In his autobiography, he recounts how himself and the other recently emancipated slaves were taught to read by the few literate black people in their area (Washington 20-21). Washington struggled to regularly attend schooling due to his work schedule, but even then, he found free time in between his long work hours to practice reading (25). He accredited his perseverance and work ethic as the main components of his success, and he believed that other black people should work hard to prove themselves worthy of participating in white society rather than fighting directly for rights. Malcolm X was also a self made man, but his education background differed from Booker T. Washington’s; Malcolm X learned to read while he was serving a prison sentence for burgla...