Malcolm X and Benjamin Franklin

Reading the excerpts from Malcolm X and Benjamin Franklin we can quickly see that these two influential historians were two very different men, but they also had a few similarities they shared on their way two being two of the most successful people in American history. First, Malcolm X was not very knowledgeable growing up, unlike Benjamin Franklin, and did not first realize the importance of reading and literature studies until his imprisonment. It took Malcolm X numerous years to begin realizing the importance of literature and it wasn’t until he was sentenced to seven years in prison before he first picked up a novel. Benjamin Franklin on the other hand was a very smart young boy and this was quickly recognized by friends and family and helped him in his pursuit of being a scholar, and eventually the president of the United States. Malcolm X, pursuing to be a disciple of Elijah Muhammad, spent all of his time in prison reading books, including the dictionary. After he was released from prison he then continued his studies, but it was not until the middle of his life that he had the knack for learning. This right here is the main difference I saw between him and Benjamin Franklin, their readiness into the world at a young age. Besides the fact that Mr. Franklin was a lot smarter than Malcolm X growing up, their lives were also set on two very different paths with foreseeable goals that they strived to reach. One thing I noticed similar about the two is that after Malcolm X’s imprisonment, they always both had the urge to learn, and continue learning. They never seemed to give up, nor put a book down for that matter. Their knowledge and willingness to continue expanding their horizons eventually led them to become two of the most influential men of American history; in their own separate ways.