Civil Rights Movement: Martin Luther King Jr.

The African American Civil Rights movement existed at large between the early fifties and the late sixties in a society that was constantly on the verge of social destruction. The black rights movement existed politically, socially, and economically everywhere in the United States. As time progressed the movement developed and saw many changes along with schisms separating activists and how they approached getting their rights. In the early fifties there was a large non-violent integration based movement spearheaded by figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. However, as the time progressed, the movement started seeing a more aggressive leadership with figures such as Malcolm X, but eventually it turned into an extremist movement

He grew up with a deeply rooted determination to obtain equal rights for all American citizens. He led many protests and gave extremely motivating speeches that eventually made him the most known Civil Rights leader. “Martin Luther King Jr. emerged as the head of a movement for justice and equality that branched out from Montgomery and swept through the south” (ramsees7). This established the success in his accomplishments within the marches

These men have indirectly instilled a cultural pride, confidence to African Americans globally. Their actions inspired a revolution to make changes towards how people of various walks of life view each other. Martin Luther King, Jr. did numerous things to bring greater equality to America and to ensure civil rights for all people regardless of ethnicity . The major contributions that Martin Luther King did were to bring publicity to major civil rights activities and efforts. He both stressed and demonstrated the importance of non-violent protest and resistance.

His approach was shocking to many, it raised many emotions throughout the entire United States of America, pride, antipathy, confusion, hate, and unity. However history may look at him, it is undeniable that he accomplished many great things. His protest against the unjust treatment of African American’s will forever be survived by the establishment equal opportunity laws. Despite the leaps and bounds that have been made since the days of the civil right’s movement, there is still much to go in regards to racial tension, equal treatment, and respect for all peoples no matter the color of their skin, however, Malcolm reminds us that it is in the hands of Americans today to make that change, to put it in his words, “The future belongs to those who prepare for it

Ideologies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X The Civil Rights Movement 1950s and1960s consisted of the efforts made by Civil rights activist to end racial segregation and discrimination. Even though basic civil rights for African America where granted through the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments of the United States Constitution (Franklin, 535-536). However, Jim Crow laws and institutionalized racism continued to oppress African Americans decades later and considered them second class citizen. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X are probably the most prominent African American civil rights leaders of the 20th century.

Throughout the American 1960’s there was a Civil Rights Movement. This movement gained a lot of traction within a short amount of time through many people. There were two leaders with opposing tactics but had the same goal reined in the movement. One leader was Martin Luther King with the tactic of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience and integration. The second leader was Malcolm X with the tactic to fight back and to have the communities better themselves by being separate.

In contrast to the violent approach proposed by other Civil Rights leaders at the time, such as Malcolm X, Dr. King paved the long road to

Organized into six topical groups, the author did an excellent job in comparing and contrasting King and Malcolm’s views on subjects including integration, the American dream, means of struggle, and opposing racial philosophies that needless any improvement. An interpretive introductory essay, chronology, bibliography, document headnotes, and questions for consideration provide further pedagogical support for students. The author explains how Malcolm X came closer than any social reformer in history to embodying and articulating the totality of the African experience in America while Martin Luther King was not only the most important figure in American religious history in the 20th century, he was arguably its most brilliant

"If they make the Ku Klux Klan nonviolent, I'll be nonviolent. ... But as long as you've got somebody else not being nonviolent, I don't want anybody coming to me talking any kind of nonviolent talk." He noted that there is no point if only a group of people who is trying hard to become nonviolence, but on the other hand, there were also another group of people who do violence and this is where the topic of justice comes along and according to him, if the Whites are using violence, therefore, the Blacks also need to use violence. At the outset, I did not somehow agree with his judgement but as I go along, I really managed to read what he really stands for. From my own discernment, I conceived that what Malcolm tries to deliver is that when people attack us in any manner, we should somehow attack them back in a way to protect ourselves so that others will not simply oppress and use up an action to

Throughout his speeches, he spoke about the importance of violence and how it was often necessary to endure such harm, once stating, “Power real power, comes from our conviction which produces action, uncompromising action” (www.biography.com). Although these two men differed in their thought on violence, they often agreed on how important their fights were. Without Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, Civil Rights would have been nonexistent,

MLK and Malcolm X both wanted equality but in different ways. Martin Luther King believed in nonviolence to end segregation. However, Malcolm X believed in segregation; where African Americans would govern themselves without bothering the whites. But which idea was better for society? Malcolm X’s philosophy offers a variety of solutions for

Martin Luther King Jr.’s views helped create other activist groups that fought against more direct challenges and used nonviolent ways of protest. These groups helped from many civil rights laws. Malcolm X had a different perspective than MLK. He felt whatever form of protest that was needed to succeed was the form he should use. He felt that blacks should be more concerned with helping each other before helping anyone else.

Martin Luther King’s leadership and his beliefs had a powerful impact on the Civil Rights Movement. Their methods of peaceful resistance and civil disobedience to achieve integration, reflected his teachings. These methods later proved to be successful in achieving the goal integration of minorities when the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964. Demonstrations like the bus boycotts and non-violent marches were just some of the acts the led to this result.

Malcolm X starts his speech by saying that all people of color should put their differences aside and focus on their shared problem of oppression. This strategy is most likely to appeal to the most people as possible by giving them a common uniting factor. Malcolm X then speaks of the need to either gain power through politics or brute force and emphasis the fact that it is a political year, increasing the urgency of dealing with the issue of segregation. He further emphasises the importance of his point by speaking of the power the African American population has because of the political division of the white Americans. Malcolm X advocates these strong messages but does not say that there necessarily needs to be violence, but rather reciprocal behavior, meaning treating nonviolence with nonviolence and violence with violence.

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential leaders of his time and played a crucial role in the African-American Civil Rights movement. Luther was a charismatic leader who took a firm stand against the oppressive and racist regime of the United States (US), devoting much of his life towards uniting the segregated African-American community of the US. His efforts to consolidate and harmonise the US into one country for all is reflected in many of his writings and speeches spanning his career. As a leader of his people, King took the stand to take radical measures to overcome the false promises of the sovereign government that had been addressing the issues of racial segregation through unimplemented transparent laws that did nothing to change the grim realities of the society. Hence, King’s works always had the recurring theme of the unity and strength of combined willpower.