Even though Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X are both African American men from two different time periods, both authors wrote with similar aspects. Douglass was a slave, while Malcolm was a criminal, both men did not have the ability to obtain a higher form education. It was their desire to learn that divided them from others around them, so the education that they gained changed them. Douglass and Malcolm both grew to understand the importance of an education, as well as being able to read and write, as well as any of the other simply basic parts of an education. In Frederick Douglass’ “Learning to Read and Write” and Malcolm’s “Learning to Read” we can find many similarities and many difference between then men. Frederick Douglass discusses the obstacle of learning to read, he states that “slavery and education were incompatible with each other” (Douglass, 2004, p.101). This quote shows us how hard it was to obtain an education for a slave. Obtaining an education wasn’t only hard for him but he had to do it in silence to protect him and his mistress, who had helped learn his education from his punishment. Although Malcolm X never was a …show more content…
Douglass was a slave, with all odds stacked against him no matter how hard he tried, whereas Malcolm X who had very limiting opportunities due to the society. Secondly, Frederick Douglass was only giving an inch but he took a mile. This inch was simply the 26 letters in the alphabet and he used this to establish an educational foundation and used strange way of receiving his education. The one way that stood out to me the most was when Frederick Douglass stated that he uses to exchange his physical piece of bread for the poor white children bread of knowledge (Douglass, 2004, pg. 101-102). Unlike Douglass, Malcolm X was presented with an ample number of books and other forms of literature to help him improve his