Often times, individuals are not aware that the actions that they take will make a significant impact on the communities around them. This is relevant to people in modern day society as well as people in years passed. Some individuals may even go to the extremes and devote their own lives to improving the lives of others, which was what civil rights activists Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X did. Their actions have severely impacted society in a way that they are still shaping the lives of people today. Although Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X have different experiences in terms of their imprisonments, they are similar in their involvements in the Civil Rights Movement and their long term impacts on society.
Even though Nelson Mandela ended up to
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be one of the most well known anti-apartheid civil rights activists of all time, he suffered through imprisonments on several different occasions. His first notable arrest occurred when Mandela and many others became incriminated in the early 1950s under the Suppression of Communism Act ("Nelson Mandela: Leader among"). Under Mandela’s lead, over eight thousand people took a stand against the government in attempt to stand up against the Apartheid Laws, also known as a set of laws established after World War II that enforced racial discrimination and segregation ("Nelson Mandela"). This then led to Mandela being banned from being able to participate in any political meetings following his arrest. People built up their courage just to be able to participate in the Defiance Campaign, which was dedicated to ridding legal discrimination against African American citizens (Mandela). Involvement in this campaign meant that Mandela was purposefully involved in a national protest in order to take a step forward in the movement for human rights and allowed him to take a stand and fight against the apartheid ("Nelson Mandela: Leader among"). He was then forced to a nine month imprisonment with hard labor in which he served in Johannesburg and was eventually found to be not guilty on 25 March 1961 after a four and a half year long trial ("Nelson Mandela: Leader among"). In the early 1960s, Mandela was again involved in another protest in attempt to take a stand for human rights. This event was known as the Sharpeville Massacre. While taking a stand after sixty nine were killed by white police, Mandela was again arrested for treason and was kept for five months at Pretoria Local (De Zayas). Once again, he was found not guilty. It was during his attempt to reenter Southern Africa when he was convicted of treason for attempting to overthrow the apartheid government and was sentenced to life imprisonment, in which he did not serve a full term for. Unlike Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X was headed for a life of crime when he was arrested for burglary at the young age of twenty one ("Malcolm X").
While Malcolm X lived in New York City, he began to gamble and use narcotic drugs on his free time (Dictionary of American Biography). He then spent ten years of his life incarcerated and spent his time catching up on the education that he missed by dropping out of high school at an early age ("Malcolm X Biography"). During this time, Malcolm X was also visited by several of his siblings that ended up influencing him into becoming a strong follower of Elijah Muhammad, who was the leader of the Nation of Islam, a cult in which his siblings were a part of. After Malcolm X was released from prison in 1952, he began to work for the Nation of Islam and gained a lifelong interest in the influential standpoint of the cult (Epps). Malcolm X was then credited for taking a step forward in the national movement for equality when he founded several mosques throughout the United States. By 1963, he had already expanded the membership to around 30,000 followers (Epps). Unlike Mandela, Malcolm X was thankful for his time and prison and admitted to it having “saved his life” (Diamond 37). His role in the movement for equality had gained lots of controversy, thus making him believe that imprisonment made himself stay safe. At this standpoint, it is evident that Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X had different experiences during their imprisonments. …show more content…
Mandela was mainly incarcerated due to his actions in the human rights movement, and Malcolm X’s role in the movement would not have began if he did not spend his time in jail. Even though Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X were different in terms of their experiences during their imprisonments, they can be viewed as similar when comparing their actions during the Civil Rights Movement. Mandela’s acceleration in the movement is evident during the events of the Sharpeville Massacre, a protest for civil rights which led to the murders and injuries of over 250 civilians. His involvement began when the Pan-African Congress called forward a law that required all African American citizens to wear racial identification cards, which controlled their rights and their freedoms ("Nelson Mandela"). During his involvement in the protest against the Apartheid Laws, Mandela proposed a plan with the African National Congress (ANC) with the intent of granting freedom for African American citizens. This plan consisted of granting welfare for all of the South Africans, regardless of their color. This program was to be called the “Freedom Charter”, but was eventually rejected (De Zayas). After the events of the Sharpeville Massacre, which resulted in the end of the ANC, Mandela still attempted to move forward in his involvement and issued a goal for setting up a military wing within the ANC. His proposal led to the formation of the Umkhonto we Sizwe ("Nelson Mandela - Biographical"). Mandela’s influence in the defence department of the ANC strengthened influences within foreign relations, thus spreading awareness of his movement in civil rights ("Nelson Mandela: Leader among"). After Mandela’s release from prison for his involvement in the protest, he then made a plan to expand his views in other countries than his own. In 1962, he illegally travelled underground to Ethiopia in attempt to gain international support for his government changes and movement (Mandela). While attempting to convince others of his views during a speech, Mandela stated, "I cherish the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die" ("Nelson Mandela"). Even after Mandela decided to step down from his role of presidency, he attempted to hold a high global profile for social and human rights. This is evident during his final address to Parliament in 1999 in which he declared, "To the extent that I have been able to take our country forward to this new era it is because I am the product of the people of the world who have cherished the vision of a better life for all people everywhere. . . . I am the product of Africa and her long-cherished dream of a rebirth that can now be realized so that all of her children may play in the sun" ("Nelson Mandela"). At this point in his life, Mandela has devoted his life to making a change for equality to all of the citizens of Southern Africa, and he even did so after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001. In July of 2007, Mandela announced the creation of the “The Elders”, which was a group that intended to create peace building to those who were suffering from the movement for equality ("Nelson Mandela"). Mandela’s determination to make a difference was one of the many aspects that made his role in the Civil Rights Movement so successful. Malcolm X’s career in the movement for equality began while he was still imprisoned. While in custody, Mandela spent most of his time studying and becoming informed of the current standings in history. After Malcolm X became aware of the mistreatment of African Americans, he expanded his focus onto black suffering and cruelty of blacks from white citizens (Diamond 41). After Malcolm X was released from prison, he immediately drifted his focus to expanding the Nation of Islam and recruited others to join. The Nation of Islam grew quickly due to Malcolm and different ideologies became spread to many. Eventually, Malcolm’s impact in the movement in 1959 led to his appointment as minister of Harlem’s Temple Number Seven (Dictionary of American Biography). In 1959, Malcolm X gained major national exposure due to the broadcast of “The Hate That Hate Produced”, a televised report by Mike Wallace (Phillips). In this television report, Malcolm went against the views of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech and denounced it as unsuccessful. To go against this, Malcolm introduced a “black revolution” for the people of the African American community (Phillips). It was Elijah Muhammad who influenced Malcolm X into his beliefs, and he eventually convinced himself to believe that white men are the enemy in this civil rights movement (Diamond 47). In March of 1964, Malcolm X officially announced his break with the Nation of Islam so he could travel to Mecca and expand his role in the movement even further and possibly change his own views on integration, which deemed to be unsuccessful (Epps). In Mecca, Malcolm founded the Muslim Mosque Inc. and the Organization of Afro-American Unity in attempt to draw international attention towards the racial issues (Phillips). Malcolm X and Nelson Mandela were both extremely influential when it came to the movement for African American equality, and each of them devoted part of their lives to bettering the lives of others. Due to their impactful influences on society, Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X both created significant long term impacts on the communities around them, despite their involvements while imprisoned.
They have created themselves as role models in society during the movement for equality for African American citizens. For Mandela, however, his legacy began while he was still imprisoned. This is evident when Mandela’s 70th birthday was televised in 50 different countries ("Nelson Mandela"). Mandela was offered release from prison several times by the Government of Pieter Botha, but has refused each offer due to the notion that he wanted to renounce his political opposition and his violence. This allowed his legacy to grow and his respect from bystanders to grow as well. He developed his reputation to be known as “the most significant black leader in South Africa” and he was “a potent symbol of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength” ("Nelson Mandela - Biographical"). After Mandela was released from prison after the removal of the Apartheid Laws, he was eventually elected as the first black president of the South African state. During his reign, he worked on developing a new constitution and a better education system to improve the lives of others as they wanted (Fetter). Another significantly notable event to add to his legacy occurred in 1993; Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in leading the country into a successful democracy ("Nelson
Mandela"). His Nobel Peace Prize allowed him to be recognized as one of the most successful civil rights activists to this day. In 1998, Mandela was also awarded the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal, making him the first African American ever to win this award (Fetter). After Mandela stepped down from his presidency in 1999, he still remained active in his political standings. He is well remembered for campaigning against HIV/AIDS and was involved in negotiating peace in other countries, such as Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo ("Nelson Mandela"). Mandela is remembered by many for creating a legacy for himself in terms of changing social standards and laws, and for creating a racial harmony in South African communities. Malcolm X once stated, "Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression, because power, real power, comes from our conviction which produces action, uncompromising action" ("Malcolm X Biography"). Much like Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X devoted a significant part of his life to improving the lives of others around him. Malcolm X’s philosophy was that if people defended themselves for their freedom, their pursuit will be stronger than the forces around them. This became evident through his actions that left an impact in society. By the 1960s, Malcolm X had implemented himself into society by becoming a leading voice in the Civil Rights Movement. He presented himself as an alternative to the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, in which he opposed his views and actions ("Malcolm X Biography"). The well-known civil rights activist encouraged young African Americans to take a stand for their own freedom and to fight for their rights “by any means necessary” ("Malcolm X"). By becoming a radical voice for the faith of the African American society, Malcolm X created a legacy for himself in which he is remembered for his accomplishments. One of the actions he had taken were that he had travelled from country to country to model his Organization of Afro-American Unity and to spread his ideas to other nations worldwide (Epps). Through his actions, he has created a reputation of himself in which was spread across to others around the world and has drawn attention to the Civil Rights Movement, which was necessary for his success. Although some may say that Malcolm X had not taken enough effort in changing the rights of African American citizens, it is evident that his contribution to the African American community in the Civil Rights Movement has transformed the racial pride that was necessary for a change in equality, although the “enactment of civil rights bills was not his goal” (Dictionary of American Biography). Even after his death, Malcolm X had an influence on society after the publication of his autobiography. His impacts and actions on society were more formally recognized through his writing and are still shaping modern media today. For example, he is still appearing in music videos and lyrics as a hero to society who redeemed himself from a life of crime and discrimination (Phillips). He is remembered for rising from a life as a criminal to becoming the national minister of the Nation of Islam and a widely known civil rights activist (Phillips). Throughout their communities, Malcolm X and Nelson Mandela are remembered for improving the lives of many around them and for aiding in ridding the racial discrimination occurring throughout the nation. Their long term effects on the society are still relevant to the modern world as they are activists who made the success of the Civil Rights Movement possible. Without their contributions to society, it is possible that the current standings of society would have been drastically different from what it could have been. Nelson Mandela and Malcolm X are remembered for devoting their lives for improving the communities around them, and their devotions will be remembered for years to come.
Malcolm X while in prison completed his first transformation. Like many great figures and history makers had a low point in is life. At this time Malcolm was into drugs, hustling, women and money. He became so dependant on making a lot of money he and some of his friends decided to rob the house of an old white man. They were caught for this crime and were not only charged with this crime but were also charged with having sex with white women. Malcolm and his friend "Shorty" were sentenced to six years in prison. The two white women that were Malcolm and Shorty’s accomplices were sentenced to a year in jail. During the first couple days of prison Malcolm was coming off a drug high and was having withdrawals. These withdrawals led Malcolm into solitary confinement for two months. When he was let out of his chamber he met the man that would later be responsible for Malcolm’s transformation. This man was a follower of the nation of Islam and the great Alijah Muhammad. Malcolm learned a great deal form him. This shows us that even in the worst of circumstances we can learn and become better. This transformation was a great test for Malcolm and starts to let us see what a great influence he would end up being in the lives of many Americans.
However, it was what happened in his life that made Malcolm X the man who people remember today. From a very early age, Little lived in fear of racism and hate groups, much of it rooting from his father’s murder by white supremacists. He was effectively orphaned by 13, as his mother was placed in a mental institution, and lived until he was 20 in several different foster homes. He was arrested for a crime and once released, went on to commit several crimes, including using and distributing drugs, etc. It was when he was imprisoned that he found the Nation of Islam, who helped him when he was released from prison to find a new life. From them, he was able to attain great oratory skills and create an environment when he spoke in which the people around him, white and black alike, felt empowered and equal. Once he discovered corruption and began to disdain the Nation of Islam, he became independent and was later assassinated. However, he along with MLK, were empowered by their stories, Malcolm’s being one of hatred, poverty, hope, and truth, that changed him to become a stimulus for African American equality in
Who knew the two most powerful African Americans that influence countless of people in history and wrote their one of many most inspirational work while locked up in jail? Martin Luther King Jr. was incarcerated because the city officials issued a court injunction to prohibit the civil rights marches in Birmingham. Whereas, Malcolm x was arrested for burglary while trying to pick up a stolen watch he had left for repairs at a jewelry shop. The fight for civil right was taken in the 1960's, where racism was a problem. Whites discriminated blacks because they thought they weren't equal to them. This is where Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X come in, they are well known African Americans leaders who fought for what they believed, in many different ways. Martin Luther King Jr. are both strong representations of two different approaches to a common goal.
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were both great role models and had a great impact on the African American youth. Their methods may have been different to each other but both of the ways that were used resulted in being extremely effective and contributed to towards the end of racial discrimination in America. Although, they are both very famous historical figures, Martin Luther King’s method is believed to be better than Malcolm X because of the excessive recognition and appreciation he received. This theory is proposed because King received a Nobel Prize for his work, there is a National Holiday in American commemorating him and Martin’s “I have a dream” speech that he gave on the March of Washington is still remembered by many American to this very day. In the end Malcolm finally agreed with Martin’s approach and also expressed his beliefs on how they both wanted to live in society full of freedom, peace, justice and equality. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were both assassinated and died at very young age, trying to make their country a better place filled with love and acceptance for all and hatred for none.
Malcolm set everything in motion when he converted to the Nation of Islam, an African American movement that combined elements of Islam with Black Nationalism. While in prison, his siblings persuaded him to write to the Nation’s leader, Elijah Muhammad. X was uneasy at first, but came around shortly. Malcolm wrote Muhammad a one-page letter each day in curiosity about the Nation of Islam. Muhammad replied as the “Messenger of Allah” welcoming Malcolm into the “true knowledge” (Haley 195). Before X’s release in nineteen fifty-two, he went under an intense self-educated program by reading books in the prison library, and even memorizing an entire dictionary. He also sharpened his forensic skills by participating in debate classes. When Malcolm was released from prison he had his first official visit with Muhammad in Chicago, he devoted his life to the Muslim ministry. Soon Malcolm began traveling and preaching with other ministers. He picked up their techniques and devoured their knowledge. Malcolm quickly rose in the Nation of Islam ranks becoming minister of Temple number eleven in Boston and Muhammad’s most effective recruiter and spokesman. Soon after, X was rewarded minister of Temple number seven in Harlem, New York, the largest and most prestigious after the Chicago Headquarters and eventually named the National Representative of the Nation of Islam, second in rank behind Muhammad himself. Under X’s lieutenancy the nation claimed a membership of five-hundred thousand, as the numbers grew X’s teachings began to change; he wanted to make a vast difference. He spread the glorious history of African Americans. He urged the Nation to become more active in the civil rights protest instead of being a critic on the side. X articulated the Nation’s racial doctrines of evil
After leaving prison Malcolm X used his drive for fulfilling a higher purpose to lead thousands
He joined the African National Congress in 1942 as a form of peaceful protests. The ANC’s goal was, “ to transform the ANC into a mass grassroots movement, deriving strength from millions. . . who had no voice under the current regime. . . [The ANC] officially adopted the Youth League's methods of boycott, strike, civil disobedience and noncooperation” (“Nelson Mandela Biography”). Mandela joined the ANC in order to peacefully remove the government’s racist policies. After he joined, Mandela spent lots of time going in and out of jail. However, he still persisted with making sure blacks gained rights. In 1991, he became president of the ANC and negotiated with President de Klerk for the country’s first multiracial elections. He succeeded. Years later, in 1994, Mandela became the first black president. When he became president, he sought to better the country and guarantee the blacks rights’. Two years after his presidency, Mandela “signed into law a new constitution for the nation, establishing a strong central government based on majority rule, and guaranteeing both the rights of minorities and the freedom of expression” (“Nelson Mandela Biography”). After defeating apartheid, he continued to make sure blacks rights were permanent. Similar to Transcendentalism, Mandela fought to establish blacks rights’ to allow everyone, not just whites, to be capable of discovering a higher truth among
While serving his eight to ten year sentence at Charlestown State Prison, Malcolm began reading and furthering his education through reading. Also while in prison, Malcolm’s brother, Reginald visited him bearing news of a religion called the “Nation of Islam”. This belief system fit well with Malcolm’s views of white people: that they are devils and that black men and women are truly the superior race. While still in prison, Malcolm maintained correspondence with Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. The ‘X’ in Malcolm’s name began appearing in 1950 and replaced his surname “Little” because, “[his] ‘X’ replac...
In 1941, he went to live with his half sister, Ella Collins, in Boston, Massachusetts. While in Boston he worked a variety of railroad jobs but he also became increasingly involved in selling drugs and running numbers. Malcolm X was arrested in 1946 for larceny as well as breaking and entering; he was sent to prison in February 1946. While incarcerated, Malcolm X became a follower of Elijah Muhammad, leader of the Temple of Islam. After X’s parole in 1952, he became Minister Malcolm X, using X in place of the African name that was taken from his slave ancestors.
Malcolm X is born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska. His life is full of discrimination and racial violence. When Malcolm as a child he moved to Michigan with his family where they continue to experience persecution and violence. White people murder Malcolm’s father and forced his mother into a mental hospital. Malcolm moves to Boston, to live with his half-sister, Ella. In Boston Malcolm quickly becomes involved in urban nightlife. Malcolm was into gambling, drinking, doing drugs, and dating an older white woman, Sophia. He then moves to New York, where he begins working as a hustler in Harlem. Malcolm’s various jobs there include running numbers, selling drugs, and steering white people to black brothels. When life becomes too dangerous is Harlem, he returns to Boston, where he becomes a house burglar and is eventually arrested. In prison, Malcolm transforms himself, converting to the branch of Islam promoted by the Nation of Islam. Inspired by faith, Malcolm stops using drugs, he reads voraciously, prays, and studies English and Latin. The prison releases Malcolm on parole. Malcolm rises quickly from the rank of temple assistant in Detroit to the Nation’s first national minister. Malcolm X becomes known throughout the United States, even outside of Muslim circles, as a fiery advocate for black unity and militancy. The Nation of Islam’s leaders resent and fear Malcolm despite his allegiance to their cause, and they suspend him from the organization. The Nation of Islam’s frustration with Malcolm intensifies, and Malcolm begins receiving death threats. After a divisive argument with Elijah Muhammad the leader of Nation of Islam, Malcolm leaves organisation.
Malcolm X is an extremely critical figure that contributed in shaping American social life. He was a famous man who articulated the struggle, anger, and beliefs of African Americans. He was a radical man who fought for change despite the situation. His struggle for equality for the black nation landed him in prison. While in prison, Malcolm was able to study, and earned a college degree. However, most importantly while in prison, Malcolm X was introduced to the Islam faith by one of the prisoners. He received teachings from the Muslim faith, which made him realize that, his people were being oppressed and abused by the whites. While out of prison, he went to visit honorable Elijah Muhammad and later on went around preaching Elijah Muhammad’s teachings. Through his preaching’s, he was able to bring many people into the Muslim faith. He later on decided to visit the Middle East and make a holy pilgrimage/ Hajj in Mecca. Malcolm X’s views about the potential for real change in America changed, after visiting Mecca and breaking with the Nation of Islam.
His starting point was rocky but trials and mishaps made him into the person he had become. In 1946, at twenty years old X was convicted of burglary and served ten years in jail. On the contrary, going to jail was the best thing for him because he soon meet Elijah Muhammad. Elijah taught X the beliefs and and methods of The Nation of Islam. Malcolm was released early after eight years ,and in no time he started visiting various countries and speaking the style taught by Muhammad. He started to do the Aboriginal black power movement in Australia. He became a minister at a mosque in Boston, Philadelphia, and New york. He was in many debates on radios, newspapers, radio stations, TV programs, and some of the most prestigious schools in the country. These accomplishments were broadcasted to the world and are the reason he was and still is praised for his
In his Organization of Afro-American Unity, formed after his return, the tone was still that of militant black nationalism but no longer of separation. In 1946, while in prison for burglary, he was converted to the Black Muslim faith ( Nation of Islam); this sect professed the superiority of black people and the inherent evil of whites. Released from prison in 1952, Malcolm went to Nation of Islam headquarters in Chicago, met the sect's leader, Elijah Muhammad, and embraced its rigorous asceticism. He changed his last name to "X," a custom among Nation of Islam followers who considered their family names to have originated with white slaveholders. Malcolm X was sent on speaking tours around the country and soon became the most effective speaker and organizer for the Nation of Islam.
Activist, lawyer, father, prisoner, survivor, president, the face of equality. Nelson Mandela has an inspiring story of fighting Apartheid forces and surviving a long prison sentence all in the name of freedom and equal rights. Through Nelson Mandela’s constant fight for freedom of the African people from white apartheid forces, he was dominated by the corrupt government. After uprising numerous riots against apartheid forces, Mandela was sent to jail for twenty-seven years revealing the cruelty that humans can possess. With the strong will power and complete support of the African people, Mandela survived his prison sentence and became the first democratically elected president of South Africa exposing the strength in human nature by showing that humans can persevere through tough times. Mandela left a profound impact on the African people by saving them from corrupt Apartheid rule and bringing a democratic government. Thus teaching the world that in an event where a body of people is suppressed, they will inevitably rebel by any means necessary to gain their freedom.