Martin Luther King Junior and Malcolm X were two leaders of their time that were committed to the struggle for civil rights and equality for black people. Despite their fight for the same struggle, they had different ideas about the best way to achieve these goals. Martin Luther King Junior believed that nonviolent protest methods were crucial in the pursuit of equality for all people in order to build a beloved community. King offers the best solution to the needs and problems of the black community over Malcolm X. Malcolm X advocated for violent protest methods whereas King’s means of non-violent resistance was the more effective way to bring about change all while promoting love and reconciliation against forces of evil. Martin Luther …show more content…
While the two had a common goal of ending racial discrimination and achieving equality, Martin Luther King Jr. has the better approach of nonviolence and peaceful resistance. King explains his approach in a way that would be the best solution to problems confronted by the Black community, as in Document 5, He states, “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community that has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored.” His strategy of nonviolent resistance, which included boycotts, sit-ins, and peaceful protests, put pressure on political leaders and the public to address the systemic inequalities faced by black Americans. This is deemed to be successful as his approach lead to the passage of landmark civil rights legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Not only did King pave the way for civil rights laws for the black community, but he emphasized his principles of love and equality which was emphasizing the need for unity and solidarity. In Document 4, He states, “This was always a cry that we had to set before people that our aim is not to defeat the white community, not to humiliate the white community, but to win the friendship of all of the persons who had perpetrated this system in the past.” King’s message of love and unity resonated with individuals of all backgrounds. This would ultimately end the divide between black and whites whereas Malcolm X wanted to create more division which would result in bitterness from his violent approach. In Document 2 Malcolm X stated, “The white man is by nature a devil and must be destroyed. The black man will inherit the earth; he will resume control, taking back the position he held centuries ago when the white
This book brings together some of the best primary sources on Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X that relate to what I’ve learned in history class. Through their writings and speeches, I appreciate the roles they played in the freedom crusade of the 1950s and 1960s. It is a good summary of its essential teachings that give me insight into their individual styles and personalities. The book is not one that tries to force ideas or a religion on the reader but instead offers new insight on two of these most important civil rights leaders of the century. It is a valuable effort that helps me both within and beyond the classroom, which focuses on the crucial years in the lives of quintessentially human
Notoriously, Martin Luther King Jr. has been the name of the civil rights movement, the one we all look up to in terms of the end of segregation. But, this respectable man was not the only one to take action in the name of equality, as another infamous speaker, Malcolm X, also drove the civil rights movement in a way of ferociousness and rage. This man, the head of the Black Nationalist movement, gave phenomenal speeches that indirectly propelled the civil rights movement, including Prospects For Freedom, By Any Means Necessary, and Message to the Grassroots. Malcolm X was a man who was an illustrious black nationalist, and was the speaker for the Nation of Islam. He often preached controversial things that regularly contrasted him with Dr.
The 1960s was a period of many uproars. Black people were fighting for their right as human beings to have the same trust and laws that any white person had. During this era, two influential figures emerged as leading voices for the African American community, those two being: Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X fought for racial equality, and their differing philosophies reflected distinct approaches to achieving their goals. During the 1960s when American ideals centered around principles of democracy and progress, Martin Luther King Jr's nonviolent resistance philosophy became widely accepted as a sensible solution for promoting social equity through integration. Martin Luther King believed in achieving racial equality through integration rather than separation.
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were both very influential icons in the civil rights movement. They both pushed people to start fighting for their rights and helped change the lives subsequent to their time. They both used different strategies in their speeches and type of protest which varied from peaceful to violent protest. Martin Luther King often encouraged for people to show their voices in a peaceful manner, whereas Malcolm X encouraged people to defend themselves using more brutish tactics. A famous quote from Dr. King is , “Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon.”
He believed that only through nonviolence could you have the power to change the cycle of violence and create long lasting peace. Martin Luther King’s philosophy was to end segregation through peaceful tactics like peaceful protests as well as boycotts. Even though both Civil Rights advocates wanted equality, they both went about it by different means. Malcolm X thought the best solution to end segregation was to separate communities. He thought black communities could only help themselves.
Although Malcom X was very forceful and to the point with his speech, “Ballot or the Bullet,” the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. eloquently displayed his point of view and tone in “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Both men addressed the injustices in the social degradation, political oppression, and economic exploitation of blacks in America. Quite possibly, their life experiences and sense of morality played a role in determining their point of view, and therefore, their tone. Advocators of King believe that Martin Luther King’s tone and point of view was much more thought out and spoken better than Malcolm X’s.
Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X were important figures in the Civil Rights movements they both had different views on how to accomplish their goals this paper will compare and contrast those views I believe that MLK's philosophy will be proven to be the better one Dr King in Malcolm X had opposing views on whites and blacks and how they should work together and cooperate in the future In document to it shows us how Dr King wants to see blacks and whites cooperating in the future in the document it says that all men are created equal and that he has a dream one day the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together and respect one another he wants us to work together pray together struggle together go to jail together and climb up for Freedom together and document three it shows how Malcolm X wants to see blacks and white cooperate together let the sincere white individuals find other white individuals so they can feel as they do and let them form their own groups to try to
Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were vital individuals in the fight for equal rights. Both of these individuals desired to be treated as equals, rather than subhuman. Though both men were greatly influenced by their religious beliefs and were passionate about their cause, the way they went about achieving their goals were immensely different. While King believed in never becoming violent, integration, and a strong Christian faith, Malcolm X advocated for violence when necessary, was against integration, and believed in the Muslim faith. King was imprisoned after participating in a “…nonviolent direct-action program” in Birmingham.
Despite Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. both being highly respected speakers whose use of scruples of the country to benefit their points in gaining equality for black, Martin approached the situation more appropriately and was able to have a bigger effect on society. Martin spoke to all races while Malcolm X spoke strictly to African Americans. X always used the anger many African Americans had with society about they were treated as a basis for his speeches and criticized the fact that they weren’t trying to make a change. Malcolm was very condescending towards his audience yet he used it in a way to make them realize that they have to be the change they want to see.
During the Civil Rights Movement Era in the mid 1900’s, several activists emerged from society, trying to make changes regarding the treatment of African Americans. However, there were two individuals who made waves within American society amidst the protests, rallies and injustice directed towards blacks. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, jr., had two distinct outlooks and solutions for the issues facing African Americans. The upbringing of these men, and certain key events in their past shape the beliefs they spread to society, and their childhood, adolescence and early adulthood are nearly opposites. Malcolm Little, more popularly known as Malcolm “X” was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1925.
Both their speeches were said within a year of each other that conveys a dissimilar message, a message that was leading to the same goal of full civil rights for African Americans. P1- Malcolm X and Martin Luther king were largely responsible for their separate approaches to American racism and had a major goal to achieve equality and freedom between the African Americans and the whites. King and Malcolm X were creative civil rights figures that had contrasting views on the life of African Americans. Both men acquired similar or even identical results in philosophy however had different approaches in getting results.
One well known leader of the movement was Malcom X, Martin and Malcolm’s banter throughout the movement was the friendly kind, But they had one big difference in getting their message across. Malcolm X resorted in violence against white people to imprint a message about racism while Martin Luther King used a nonviolent tactic and befriended some white leaders that would help him spread his words. Though many people agree with Malcom X’s strong ways of getting the message across, both leaders have an effective way of spreading their ideas. In the Autobiography of MLK they devote a chapter of the book to explain the relationship between Martin and Malcolm, chapter 25 “All of these were signs of a man with passion and zeal seeking a program through which he could channel his talents.” Although they seem
Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little became a drug dealer and thief after dropping out of the educational system. He later went to prison and after spending multiple years in the prison institution he developed a higher religious level of education from the nation of Islam. He immediately became a member and spoke their beliefs to the people. Malcolm later on found out the true colors of the organization and was unpleased with the actions they associated in. Malcolm X’s decision to break away from the nation of Islam and speak on his own beliefs and his efforts to encourage African American people to defend themselves at any means necessary against acts of racism, was no justification for his assassination.
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.
Without Malcolm, the White people would have not favored Martin Luther King Jr. over other Civil Rights leaders. Towards the end of Malcolm’s life, Martin Luther King Jr. began to become more like Malcolm in a militant way. Martin Luther king Jr. “was also re-evaluating his presuppositions and was moving toward a greater understanding of Malcolm X, especially regarding black pride, separatism, and White America’s lack of commitment to genuine black equality” (Cone, 1992, p. 256). These transformations of Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideas, likely led him to accomplish the revolution of Civil Rights. Although, this is a possibility, it is extremely unrealistic.