Malcolm X's View Of Nonviolent Resistance

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2 of the most notorious civil rights activists and debaters of the nonviolent vs self defense argument were Malcolm X and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Both of these activists were responsible for several major historical events in which their philosophies on resistance were tested against a way of thinking that has been a part of white American society since its founding. The nonviolent philosophy adopted by MLK was heavily inspired by inspired by the nonviolent actions of Mahatma Gandhi as well as lessons taught in the bible. When asked about the reasoning behind nonviolent resistance during an interview with an African American man who was born under the Jim Crow laws in 1919 he stated “In the bible God tested the faith of Job …show more content…

“At the center of nonviolence stands the principle of love” this is a quote by MLK on nonviolent resistance. This quote by Malcolm X illustrates his view of nonviolent resistance ¨I am for violence if non-violence means we continue postponing a solution to the American black man's problem, just to avoid violence.¨ The inspiration for Malcolm X’s philosophy of self defense and ¨treat others how they treat you¨ philosophy came from a lifetime of being treated as inhuman. Before Malcolm was even born his mother and father were targets of the KKK because Malcolm's father was a preacher who was also a member of a local chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association led by black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey.3 Malcolm's father was killed 1931 and was discovered by some train tracks; the police declared his death a suicide, Malcolm's mother never mentally recovered from this event and was hospitalized in 1937 and Malcolm was left with no family to raise him at the age of 12.3 After a teacher explained to Malcome there was no point for a black person to pursue an education, he decided to drop out at the age of 15, he then pursued an unwanted life of crime and was arrested in 1946.3 When Malcolm was released, he was an outspoken member of the Black Panther Party, and became the figurehead of the Nation of Islam.3 Though the BPP and the Nation of Islam were closely connected they did have

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