How Literacy and Power Are Connected

Malcolm X, whose real name is Malcolm little was an African American minister of the Muslims, a public speaker and a human rights activist. He is considered one of the greatest and most influential Americans of his time .there is undeniable proof that literacy and power are connected in that those in leadership positions are normally evaluated using a double standard that does not apply to the common man. considering that Malcolm X dropped out of school in the 8^th grade the language reserve he had was not enough for him to use to address people .it was after he was thrown into prison that his language improved considerably because he learnt more vocabulary .considering the fact that he was a human right activist. Literacy would be of great help to him because there is the need to know your rights especially in a society that categorizes people according to their skin color just like America was then.

Literacy would be an indispensable tool to him because as a leader he had the responsibility of demystifying some of the rules why he was n a human right activist and why he was fighting for better treatment of the blacks yet no one had told them that they were being treated badly. Literacy is not just something that you do with your head. It helps in building societal and cultural relationships. These relationships are power laden because as seen in his case, he needed to move groups of people to fight for what they believed in. if he was here today he would have studied to the highest level because in doing so, he would get international aid the soonest possible and freedom from oppression even today would be very rare. If he changed the scope and direction then, then the world would be a different place today (Myers 229).

Those who are in power and are educated are able to make better decisions because even if they are surrounded by many advisors the ultimate say rests with them and through logical thinking they are able to make the right decisions. Decisions that are not self centered but foster the rights of all the people. Through literacy also, Malcolm X would be able to interpret the messages through critical and creative thinking and challenge the ideas within those messages ideas that exclude members of a society while favoring others as is rampant in African countries where those in power are ever having salary increases yet the citizens of its country languish in poverty with nothing to eat.

They actually live below a dollar a day. Malcolm X during his time challenged the powers of the United States, if he were given the chance today, with the right amount of education he would probably be America's current president. he would also have changed the notion of having leaders with little or no education from taking leadership positions in the government because if he educated himself while in prison without a tutor then wouldn't it be easier for the leaders of today to look up to him as a model of how power and education are important tools of rule. He was the voice of the poor and the illiterate then because they had not gone to school.

If it was today there would be tremendous improvement because many people are learned and it is easier to fight against oppression without engaging in wars. He had a tremendous impact on educational movements even after his death. His life is like an open book to read of how literacy and education are powerful tools towards freedom. He was on the front line in the education of blacks because it is this same education that helped him realize the fact that there was something amiss in the way the two races were being treated and especially because there was racial segregation even when it came to schooling (Yagelski 125).

He used his life as an example to critique the education offered to the blacks then. In today's world 'Malcolm X would be of great value to the young people especially because statistics show that they are dropping school to pursue other careers that really when looked at are not equitable to education because education is something no one can take away from you unlike maybe wealth. He would have needed and valued literacy today because the world is ever changing .He would still appreciate literacy today because back then getting something to read was only through books some of which were not available then but with today's technology you can get educated even as a distant learner.

He thought of literacy as something that freed his mind .with developments in technology reading has become easier and fun and has great effect on our lives it is the only source of assurance of a better life afterwards .literacy has become an essential need. In conclusion we can say that Malcolm X would have absolutely appreciated and valued reading because it places one at the same level as others who think their cultures are superior and from there you can argue as intellects as the inferiority complex is no longer there. Therefore education is a powerful tool because it is because of this that Malcolm X is a legendary today.