Many people straighten or “conk” their curly hair in order to fit into European standards. People also take other steps such as whitening their skin and lightening their naturally dark hair. In the excerpt “My First Conk” from The Autobiography of Malcolm X, the human rights activist tells the story of when he and his friend Shorty straightened their hair. Malcolm X then explains how he regretted the change because he felt brainwashed, lost his identity, and felt shame. In line 10, Malcolm X says that African American men and women are subdued by racism and are often seen as lower than whites. In return, they are brainwashed into thinking they need to change and modify themselves with more European features. This will make them look and seem
