Compare And Contrast Martin Luther King And Malcolm X

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were both influential leaders throughout the Civil Rights Movement. Malcolm X once said, “Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.” (Brainyquote). During the movement King and X created history by fighting for African-Americans to gain equal rights under the law in the United States. The goals of the Civil Rights Movement weren’t only to gain equal rights for blacks, but it was also to end segregation and discrimination in public facilities. The goals of the movement were the goals that both King and X aimed to achieve in their campaign for equal rights. Throughout the movement, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr, used very different methods during the Civil Rights Movement due to their childhood experiences, religious practices, and their ideologies of how to run their campaigns, which ultimately led to Malcolm X being less influential during the movement than Martin Luther King Jr. In the beginning, King and X grew up in very different situations in the 1920’s and went through many life changing events that made them who they were. King grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and was the son of a Baptist preacher. During his childhood he grew up in a very comfortable middle-class family however, at the age of 12, his grandmother died. Her death took a dramatic toll on his emotional state and caused him to attempt suicide. His attempted suicide failed and as a