Etheridge Knight was born in Corinth, Mississippi in 1931. He came from a large family that lived in impoverish conditions along with his six brothers and sisters. In light of this with only an eight grade education he dropped out of school and joined the army and served as a medic in the Korean War. He was later discharged and chose a path that led to his use of drugs and alcohol. 50% of crimes committed are by people who abuse these substances which is one of the main reasons he was sent to prison for robbery in 1960. Prison is often viewed as a dark and horrifying place but Etheridge used it to show that you may be able to lock up his body, but never his mind. A mind filled with so many emotions that eventually lead to his first publication …show more content…
Malcolm was at odds with the Nation when he decided to leave and start his own organization after being muzzled by Minister Elijah Muhammad for having different views. Conspiracy still surrounds this issue today, but this wasn’t a surprise to many, because a week before, Malcolm’s house was hit with a firebomb. The death of Malcolm angered many during that stretch because he was viewed as a beacon of hope for those who had slightly different views than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at that time. Malcolm was one who didn’t believe in turning the other cheek; instead he chose to address his aggressors head …show more content…
The Jim Crow Laws put in place were absolutely ridiculous and inhumane not to mention unbelievable that in the 20th century these things were still taking place. Blacks were segregated from schools, hospitals, transportation, bathrooms, and even something as simple as playing any type of cards or dice with anyone who wasn’t part of the black race. For these reasons the civil rights era was spiraling out of control so severely that the president of the United States had to intervene and send in the National Guard. Thankfully the country had leaders like Malcolm, King, and President Kennedy to name a few to offer their strength and commitment to the cause of helping people of color through those difficult