Part B

In the excerpt from Autobiography of Malcolm X, "A Homemade Education", Malcolm X describes books as his alma mater because the majority of his education, after eighth grade, was from reading in prison. In reading Findings in Genetics, by Gregor Mandell, often called the father of genitics, Malcolm X learned that "if you started with a black man, a white man can be produced; but starting with a white man, you never could produce a black man- because the white chromosome is recessive. And since no one disputes that there was but one Original Man, the conclusion is clear." I was reminded of this quote in Biology when mtDNA, mitochondrial DNA that which is passed on to the offspring, only from the maternal unit, was being discussed the Professor stated that reciently scientists discovered, through tracing of mtDNA, that the human race decended from a single woman "Eve", who derived from Africa more than 171,000 years ago. I found it facinating that Malcolm X was able to theorize or learn the "Original Man" was black simply from reading, whereas it is likely that it took many scientists and many intense tests for it to even be mentioned in science classes. Also it is likely that many still dispute this scientifically tested theory.