[NOTE: This post consists of more than one part. Read the whole thing before proceeding.]
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Seniors.We have now finished reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X and, having read the epilogue, we have a sense of how Alex Haley was involved in creating and finishing the manuscript.
A new biography of Malcolm X is in the works and its author recently talked about the autobiography and the difficulty of doing original research on Malcolm. Here is the interview. Did you know the FBI had 40,000 pages on Malcolm? Was the FBI afraid he was a "black messiah"? Was Alex Haley in cahoots with the FBI? Whether he was or wasn't, can we trust the book we just read?
And those are just questions about the FBI.
The interview is rather long, but go check it out. Skim through it, but try to read, say, half, at least.
Once you feel you have a good sense of the interview, answer these questions and email them to me (my email address is in the sidebar). Write coherently and with proper paragraphs and sentences.
I look forward to your thoughtful responses.
1. What is in the Autobiography's three missing chapters? Why do you think they were not included in the final, printed book?
2. What makes Malcolm X's death even more suspicious to Professor Marable? Who do you think is most to blame for his death?
3. Based on the epilogue and this interview, do you think Malcolm X was correct or mistaken in coming to trust Alex Haley? Explain why you think that way.
4. How did this interview change your thinking about Malcolm or the Autobiography? Why or why not?
5. Who do you trust more, Alex Haley or Manning Marable? Why? How do we decide who to trust?
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HOW TO GET FILES OFF YOUR DIGITAL RECORDER
0. DON'T DELETE ANYTHING UNTIL YOU ARE 101% SURE YOU HAVE A SEPARATE COPY OF YOUR FILES.
1. Plug it in. You'll need the little USB cord from the box.
2. Be patient. It may take a while for anything to happen, especially if the computer has to download anything to read the recorder.
3. If the computer does not automatically pop up a folder, it will probably ask if you want to. Say yes. If it doesn't even do that, click on the Start Button, click on Computer, and the device should be one of your options.
4. The recorder will offer you folders A, B, C, D and E. They'll be in whichever one you recorded in. If you don't know, check them all till you find your files.
5. You'll need to listen to the files probably to see which is what. And once you know which ones belong to whom, you'll need to upload them to email or same them to a flash drive or your student space or wherever. SOMEWHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM AGAIN.
6. If you have problems, ask me or a successful neighbor.
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If you finish all that and haven't done this week's vocabulary yet, here are the words (tomorrow! Random Number Generator!):
malignant
duplicity
subconsciously
wanton
adjacent
epilogue
dilemma
congruent
In related news, here's a cool website I just ran across: Wordnik
Don't forget that next week I'll be grading your vocabulary notes for the entire quarter. Make sure you have it all put together for me.
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And speaking of things that are falling due, I'm collected Malcom X notes Thursday, as well as the quiz I emailed you yesterday (check your email).
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Basically, you have lots to do. Use your time well.
