Malcolm and Me
In 1974 Philadelphia, thirteen-year-old Roberta Forest calls Thomas Jefferson a hypocrite for being a slaveowner, and her eighth-grade teacher, Sister Elizabeth, retaliates by telling Roberta to “go back to Africa.” An intelligent and budding writer who idolizes Malcolm X, Roberta begins to question her faith. How could a Catholic nun be a racist? As tensions escalate between her and Sister Elizabeth, Roberta, ever headstrong and outspoken, embraces the Black Power movement to empower the few Black students at her school and to fight the racism of Sister Elizabeth. Roberta’s poetry and diary are tools to help shape her thoughts.
As if the tension in school was not enough, Roberta’s parents are not getting along, although Roberta does not know why, and her mother throws Daddy out. Roberta’s conflicting emotions about her parents—sometimes she hates them, sometimes she loves them—combined with her disillusionment about religion and her questioning of God, are all fodder for her writing. She believes winning a national essay contest can put an end to all her problems, but she experiences setbacks all along the way.
This is an engaging and moving novel, full of realistically drawn characters, good people who are still capable of being imperfect and making mistakes. Through her experiences, Roberta learns that truth is not always “black and white” but is often more complex. She also learns the importance of forgiveness which, ultimately, leads her to become an advocate of social justice and helps her to accept the altered realities of her family life.
This novel is highly recommended.
