History 305

Devine

Spring 2011

 

Study Questions for Robin Kelley, “The Riddle of the Zoot”

 

  1. According to Kelley, why did Malcolm X – reflecting on his youth from the perspective of the mid-1960s – fail to see the “oppositional” meaning of “ghetto adornments” like the conk and zoot suit?

 

  1. What was the “Double V” campaign?

 

  1. Why were there heightened class tensions within the urban black community during the early years of World War II?

 

  1. The zoot subculture became a source of resistance for young blacks like Malcolm on three different levels – what were they?

 

  1. Why does Kelley argue that wearing a zoot suit, though not intended to be a direct political statement, can still be read as politically “subversive” or “oppositional”?  Why was the “conk” hairstyle and dancing at the Roseland Ballroom also a “refusal”?

 

  1. Why was “dressing up” important to young working class blacks like Malcolm X and his friends?  How did it restore both a sense of individuality and community?

 

  1. How did black men like Malcolm feel about the war and the draft?  Why did white soldiers find the “hipsters” so annoying?

 

  1. Why did Malcolm resort to “hustling” when many wartime jobs were available?  Why did young black hustlers resist or resent wage labor?

 

  1. Why was Malcolm’s dating a white woman not an indication of “self-hatred” but rather a sign of cultural opposition – “the ultimate hustle”?

 

  1. Why was pandering to whites’ stereotypes of blacks a double-edged sword for hustlers like Malcolm?  Why did Malcolm abandon hustling for burglary?

 

  1. Why does Kelley believe it is important to recognize the existence of political significance in expressions of youth culture?