Gandhi's Influence On Malcolm X

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Malcolm X is one of the most controversial and complex leaders of the twentieth century. Even though Malcolm X converted to Islam in prison, most of Nation’s ideologies came from the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, who was the leader of Nation and Malcolm’s spiritual father. Malcolm X was completely drawn to Nation and Muhammad’s teachings because of his past experience of racism as child and young adult. Muhammad’s ideology of race deeply impacted Malcolm X thought/views about the difference between the black and white man, and that the only way for both of them to move forward in society is by separating the two. Malcolm X used Islam as a powerful mechanism to encourage African-Americans to be self-efficient, self-motivated, and self-reliant. However, his views was changed once he left the Nation of Islam because of his Muhammad ’s secret infidelities. After a trip to Mecca, Malcolm changed his name to El-Hajj …show more content…

Gandhi’s teachings inspired a plethora of people all over the nation. In the early 1900s, Gandhi was a key figure in as an immigrant in South Africa where he participate in numerous of hungry strikes and other nonviolent protest. Gandhi was also imprisoned several times for his passive resistance to oppression and he was one of the leading figures who advocated for India’s Independence against Great Britain. One of his most famous movements was the Salt March in “April-May 1930 in which thousands of Indians followed Gandhi from Ahmadabad to the Arabian Sea. The march resulted in the arrest of nearly 60,000 people, including Gandhi himself” (History Online). Gandhi’s teachings was heavily focused on prayer, fasting, and mediation; as a result, his followers called him Mahatma which means “the great -soul one” (History Online.). After retiring from politics, he still believed in practicing nonviolence and spiritual uplift via fasting until he was shot to death by one of his fellow

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