Critique de School Library Journal

Gr 8-12 This very brief overview of Malcolm X's life focuses on the transitions that affected his beliefs and actions. It describes his journey from prison to the leadership of the Black Muslims, which led him to become an advocate of racial separation and reprisals for violence and repression done to African Americans. The video also discusses his public disagreements with more mainstream black leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., the FBI surveillance of his actions, and his final transition, when he became a believer in a less-radical form of Islam that eschewed violence and encouraged cooperation between all peoples. An account of his assassination in 1965 and an explanation of his continuing influence as a symbol of the civil rights movement concludes the production. Technical quality is very good, with a variety of visuals, including still and moving footage. Audio is easily understood, with a woman narrator and clips of Malcolm X making speeches and talking to reporters. Extreme brevity is this production's greatest weakness. While it provides a bare bones look at Malcolm X's life, there is little time for analysis or even reaction from those who knew him or were influenced by him. This limits its instructional use, making it at best a supplemental purchase for schools that need materials on Malcolm X or the modern civil rights movement. -Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.