Malcom X “My First Conk” Essay

Through the years African Americans have been growing their roots in the United States. It wasnt too retentive ago that they werent accepted as a part of society. Since then the gap between them and the Caucasian fraternity has begun to close. As both populations blend together we start to think of them as one nation with to a greater extent similarities than differences. What happens when one society bleeds out its culture more than the other? African Americans have increasingly opted to ditch their natural selves and instead take on the task of valetipulating themselves in order to appeal to the white mans idea of beauty. Rather than revolt against the insults thr make at blacks they seem to have adopted them as true. Why is it that instead of defending their natural kinks they correct them up with wigs or chemically alter them?Although some beauty practices are commonplace throughout most African American communities engaging in these activities is the akin of validating the notion that blacks arent good enough. Malcom X illustrates for us in his piece titled My first Conk how his first conking went. For those unfamiliar with the term conking is a procedure in which black males concoct a gel, using mainly household ingredients, then apply it to the hair in order to straighten it. The internalization of lye in the gel is what causes the bearer to whole step as though the scalp burns. Malcom was at first a devoted conker but through the years has come to regret his old habit. At first he explains how good the conk made him feel, later in his life he mentions that conking was his first touchstone towards self-degradation. He calls out all those who have or still sport a conk and urges them to stop. He even goes as far as facial expression it makes blacks look foolish.He also concludes that hair unimportant and its a shame that so much time has already been wasted on this. A compelling story I stumbled upon tells the drastic measures some are imparting to take in order to shed themselves of the image they have come to helper as inferior. A woman around 35 years old willingly admitted that she bleached not only herself but her children. She wet cloths with store-bought Clorox and situated the on her and the kids faces for about a couple of minutes. This woman openly acknowledged that she was ashamed of being black. Alongside with her there were other testimonies who felt the same. They all mentioned how they were looked deplete upon for being black. They told some of the insults they faced on a day to day for being who they were. They felt the measures they took to appeal to the white community wasnecessary. It was necessary if they wanted to feel good, if they wanted to be seen as equals, and if they wanted to stop the mental abuse.When I first came upon these mint I was shocked. How could someone be so insensible as to literally bleach their skin? What would compel commonwealth to undergo such painful procedures as the one mentioned by Malcom? I was shocked but undersize did I know I too was just as guilty of caving in to societys ideals of what I should look like. Just last year, my ripened year in high school, I would have a morning ritual. At 500 a.m. sharp I would stumble out of bed and scrap on the coffee machine. The energy from the coffee was to help me stay awake so I could complete the lengthy task of straighten my hair. 2 long hours it took for me to do only my hair As is probably imaginable I was often late to school. I was late so many times in fact that I nearly didnt graduate on stage. How then did I dare judge poor lady who bleached herself when in verity I was no different? I too unnecessarily took it upon myself to change the way I was because the pressure I felt to be just a bit similar to white people.Consciously I did not notice this was what I was getting across, as I presume many black people that do things such as perming or wearing wigs are also unaware, but ultimately we h ave been brainwashed so much that this behavior is reasonable. galore(postnominal) may argue that we have the right to express ourselves any which way we want. This is true but why then are blacks ridiculed when they defy the expectations and take superbia in their true selves. Why must wearing their natural selves take courage? We as a blended society should know better than to judge. Oppressing people has to be a thing of the past. The oppressor is not the only one to blame here. The oppressed are guilty of not fighting back. No change will come until we try to change ourselves. Too many have suffered and continue to suffer. Both mentally and physically these people are abused but to no avail. Society will not let up. Instead of conforming to society, as we have done for so long, we must pave a different path. study against another race is futile. Blacks will never be the same as whites, they shouldnt try to be. Each a culture rich in its own way. Teach ourselves and our peers to take pride in our appearance once again. Dig back into a culture once covered up and exhume it. allow it breathe for when it does so will we.