Martin Luther King Jr's Letter To Malcolm X

584 Words2 Pages

Martin Luther King vs. Malcolm X Response Paper
Both Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were influential figures in our history, contributing to a course change during the Civil Rights Movement. Although, they had different solutions to ending the inequality and mistreatment of blacks, I find both of their arguments to be powerful.
Dr. Luther King was born in a middle class family and received a good education. King fought hard for integration and economic justice for the blacks. King’s philosophy is based on Gandhi’s teachings, therefore, he preaches nonviolent resistance to be the best solution. Not everyone agreed with that, especially seeing much hate and violence from whites, more so in the South. Alternative to King’s approach is Malcolm …show more content…

Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963) is a famous example of his approach. The letter is addressed to the clergymen that criticized him, however, it exudes eloquence, and peaceful solution to the problem. He urges that segregation must come to an end, pointing out that blacks use courage and “willingness to suffer” for this cause. He adds: “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed,” proving that blacks’ resistance is justifiable. In contrast, Malcolm X’s Message to the Grass Roots (1963) has a different tone. He sounds bitter by repeating the injustices done to the blacks over centuries, even saying, “So we are all black people, so-called Negroes, second-class citizens, ex-slaves.” This plays on pathos, which arouses anger and search for justice in black citizens. The message that Malcolm tries to send out is blacks need to unite and fight for their rights, even if it necessitates violence. I am against violence, however, he makes a great point: “How can you justify being nonviolent in Mississippi and Alabama, when your churches are being bombed and your little girls are being murdered, and at the same time you are going to get violent with Hitler, and Tojo, and somebody else you don’t even know?” Many blacks helped in wars protecting the liberty of our country, but when returned home they were not treated

Show More
Related

  • Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail

    1865 Words  | 4 Pages

    Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is an excellent example of an effective argument; it was written in response to an editorial addressing the issue of Negro demonstrations and segregation in Alabama at the time. He writes in a way that makes his argument approachable; he is not attacking his opposition, which consists of eight Alabama clergymen who wrote the editorial. This is illustrated in his opening sentence: “My dear Fellow Clergymen” (464). King was an activist for civil rights during this time, and came to Alabama to help out his fellow brothers that were facing opposition. He was concerned with the monologue rather than dialogue that was going on during this time in Alabama; where each side would talk about the problem but never get together to negotiate and seek a solution. The clergymen’s editorial along with the unjust circumstances for Negroes at the time in Alabama was King’s driving force in writing this letter from his jail cell, and created an outline of a strong argument for many years to come.

    Read More

  • A Look at Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 'Letter From Birmingham City Jail'

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote an argumentative persuasive essay, the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” on April 16, 1963. King had written this letter to address and respond to the criticism made by the white clergymen. The letter was an approach to end racism and hatred in a non-violent manner. The non-violent movement was organized by King and his pro-black organization called “The Southern Christian Leadership Conference”.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis of Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream Speech

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dr. King is a man who is over flowed of nothing but creditability. Not once he pointed his finger as a child would and blame the Caucasian men for forcing the African-American to attempt to survive a horrific ordeal of history. He encouraged his brother and sisters of color not to protests with bitter and physical violence but to engage hands and peacefully demand to be treated equally. He encouraged his colored brothers and sisters to go back to where they are from with not despair in their hearts, but hope that one day there will be freedom within reach.

    Read More

  • Malcolm X

    1160 Words  | 3 Pages

    Malcolm X was particularly firm in his opinions of the nonviolent strategies advocated by Martin Luther King, Jr. During a November 1963 address, Malcolm ridiculed the theory that African Americans could achieve their freedom nonviolently. "The only revolution in which the goa...

    Read More

  • Malcolm X: A Different Kind of Leader

    827 Words  | 2 Pages

    Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. were both great leaders. They both fought for Civil Rights, but they fought for it in different ways. Their upbringings, and studies greatly influenced how they fought for Civil Rights. Malcolm X was more for violent attacks or whatever they thought was needed to achieve their goal. While, Martin Luther King, Jr. was an advocate of nonviolence and fought for what he believed in without violence.

    Read More

  • The Black Power Movement vs the Civil Rights Movement

    482 Words  | 1 Pages

    Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were two of the most important people. in black history. With their struggle to make America view black. people as equals, their speeches were inspirational and always made. their message clear and clear.

    Read More

  • Letter To Malcolm X

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    Like many, I often wonder what it would be like to talk to an influential political figure. One wants to sit with them, ask questions and find out what they think about things that is going around them today, but they no longer exist to answer. I personally wish that if I could invite Malcolm X a human rights activists for a dinner and have a chat with him about his life. And how he fought for the human rights.

    Read More

  • What Is The Rhetorical Situation In Letter From Birmingham Jail

    1005 Words  | 3 Pages

    Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written while he was “confined in the Birmingham city jail.” His letter was a direct response to the eight Alabama clergymen who insisted that King’s use of nonviolent direct action was unlawful. The clergymen questioned his method of protests even though they had similar goals as King. In his letter, King illustrates the hardships and injustices that African Americans in the United States were enduring during the mid-twentieth century; doing so allows King to justify the nonviolent actions of his fellow protestors. King uses the classical appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos, along with his rhetorical situation, to support his claims about the racial discrimination and segregation in the United States.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Ballot Or The Bullet By Martin Luther King Letter

    1178 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the letter, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr, and the speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet” by Malcolm X, the authors discuss their very different viewpoints on what form of freedom would it take to accomplished their goal. While King believes that peaceful approaches would allow the black community to achieve equality with the white Americans, Malcolm X thinks achieving equality with white Americans is nearly impossible; therefore, he preaches a separatist doctrine. Although King and X are both fighting for the black community’s rights and their integration into the nation’s system, their approaches differ significantly. King and X differ in three main areas: their ultimate goals, the strategies to accomplish those goals, and their use of rhetoric.

    Read More

  • Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.

    1478 Words  | 3 Pages

    Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. African Americans are fortunate to have leaders who have fought for a difference in Black America. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X are two powerful men in particular who brought hope to blacks in the United States. Both preached the same message about Blacks having power and strength in the midst of all the hatred that surrounded them. Even though they shared the same dream of equality for their people, the tactics they implied to make these dreams a reality were very different. The background, environment and philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were largely responsible for the distinctly varying responses to American racism.

    Read More

  • Comparative Rhetorical Analysis: Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X

    1122 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...artin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X approach the same problem differently. They both use pathos, a central metaphor, and give a warning. However, Martin Luther King Jr. uses pathos to create a welcoming and patriotic feeling whereas Malcolm X uses fear. Martin Luther King Jr. uses a check, used on a daily basis, as the object of his central metaphor; Malcolm X uses a powder keg, a very damaging and dangerous object, as the object of his central metaphor. Lastly, Martin Luther King Jr. warns his audience that the people of color will revolt passively. On the other hand, Malcolm X warns his audience that the people of color will revolt violently with bloodshed. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X both achieve their goal. After reading both speeches, Malcolm X seems, in my opinion, to have made a greater impact on the white community because fear is stronger than joy.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis In Letter From Birmingham Jail

    757 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1963 on April 16th, Martin Luther King Jr, who was in the Birmingham jail for non-violent protesting wrote a letter in response to a statement from eight white Clergymen, in which they stated that his recent activities were “unwise and untimely.” In this letter King proceeds to state his purpose and reasons for his timing and his protests and powerfully he does so. He most obviously directs the letter to the Clergymen but there seems to be a many different audiences he wishes to enlighten on his thoughts. From what I gather he wants public figures and everyday men to read his letter, and by doing so he hopes to raise awareness for the cruel acts that have been done to the blacks. King gets his point across, that segregation is unfair and morally not right and that man has a responsibility to act against unjust laws, by using many different strategies throughout the letter. He uses logos, pathos, and ethos to do so. While using these devices he shows emotion, gives logic to his reasoning’s and gives credibility as well.

    Read More

  • Response To Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

    572 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Dr. Martin Luther King brings attention to the reality of racial inequality in the 1960s. King writes this letter in response to clergymen addressing their apprehensions regarding the timing of the nonviolence demonstrations. The letter addressees specific arguments presented in the clergymen’s letter and his direct response. King’s goal in writing this letter is to convince the clergymen that his strategies are right and just. In this section, King rebuts the allegation made by the clergymen that his actions were untimely. In his counter argument, King uses repetition, metaphors, emotional appeals in order to persuade the audience to support his cause.

    Read More

  • Compare and Contrast the Work of Martin Luther King Jr & Malcolm X

    915 Words  | 2 Pages

    Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were very significant during the Civil Rights Movement. Both were excellent speakers and shared one goal, but had two different ways of resolving it. Martin Luther King Jr. chose to resolve the issues by using non-violence to create equality amongst all races to accomplish the goal. Malcolm X also wanted to decrease discrimination and segregation by using another tactic to successfully accomplish the similar goal. The backgrounds of both men were one of the main driving forces behind the ways they executed their plans to rise above the various mistreatments.

    Read More

  • Challenging Unjust Laws: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Stand

    667 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr, composed a response letter to a man who criticized his methods of protesting. The man accused him of being an extremist whose actions were unlawful and unnecessary. This caused Dr. King to discuss the purpose of the law: is it to control, keep peace, or extinguish tension? In Dr. King’s letter, he challenged the idea that the law was always correct. Although government is put in place by God, it does not always adhere to the morality taught in the Bible. He believed it was the American people’s right to pursue just law, even if it means breaking unjust law.

    Read More

More about Martin Luther King Jr's Letter To Malcolm X

Open Document