Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X

696 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail analyze

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X both talk about the oppression that the black community suffered, and they defended their positions and their thoughts.
Martin Luther King Jr. expressed himself very politely in his Letter from Birmingham City Jail. He used the Bible as a reference to what he was doing. In his letter he was referring to the clergymen, these were men of God; Martin Luther King Jr. used the Bible to defend his fight against injustice because his audience saw it as the holder of truth. With this he showed the clergymen that he was also a man of God and that his cause was a just and good cause. Adding the reference to the Bible gave him a connection with the clergymen and showed that his work was related to the Bible and that the disapproval of his cause was like disapproving the Bible. The clergymen had called him an extremist and at first he says how disappointed he was by being called an extremist but then he quoted Jesus and called him an extremist of love "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (p.4), by doing this he agreed in being an extremist and that he was being and extremist for a good reason.
He also quoted historical figures like John Bunyan, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson to make his point. He called them extremists too, and he said, “The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice?” (p.4), with this it´s understandable that he called everyone to be and extremist and that they had to choose which kind of extr...

... middle of paper ...

...rt of their fault that they were being mistreated because they let the white man interpret their rights, “The entire civil-rights struggle needs a new interpretation, a broader interpretation. […].That old interpretation excluded us. […]. So, we're giving a new interpretation to the civil-rights”.
Martin Luther King Jr’s letter used an emotional approach to his audience, to try and make them feel and understand what the black community was going through. When he talked about how the black people were treated by the community and the authority. In his speech he tries to gain the sympathy of his audience.
Malcolm X’s speech had a very strong tone, while Martin Luther King Jr’s was more calm and pacific. Both of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X’s thoughts and feelings about segregation and how to eradicate it were well expressed and understandable.

Show More
Related

  • 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

  • Analysis of "The letter from Birmingham Jail"

    846 Words  | 2 Pages

    The letter provoked King and “the Letter from Birmingham jail” was a written response to the white clergy men and to defend the strategy of non-violent protesting. Throughout the letter, King used many stylistic writing elements and effective emotional appeal to make people want to join his case. His emotional appeal begins when he stated: “The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jet like speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse-and-buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter.” And his emotional appeal continues and gets more effective when he describes the suffering life of black people who are suffering from racism and injustice:” when you take a country-cross drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the corner of an automobile because no hotel would accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out, you are by nagging signs reading ‘white’ and ‘colored’”. This makes people want to join his case and makes his followers more determined about protesting against racial injustice.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr.

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. responds to an article by eight clergymen, in which he explains the racial injustice in Birmingham, and reasons why King's organization is protesting for Civil Rights. He introduces himself and his actions at the beginning of his letter. He states that the purpose of his direct action protest is to open the door for negotiation on the Civil Rights. He tries to convince his audience by providing evidence in order to gain his audience to be involved in his movement and support him. He also highlights police actions against nonviolent Negros and crimes against humanity in Birmingham city jail.

    Read More

  • King's Refutation Toward the Clergymen

    1493 Words  | 3 Pages

    Martin Luther King, Jr. is known to be a civil rights activist, humanitarian, a father, and a clergyman. He is well known for fighting for the equal rights of colored people and ending discrimination. King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail is an important part of history that showed King’s opinion of a letter that he happened to read in the newspaper written by a group of clergyman. In this letter, the group of clergyman report that colored people, also known as black people, are being violent towards Birmingham City. Also, the clergymen believed the time that will allow segregation to be diminished was not happening anytime soon because it is not convenient. King refuted the clergymen’s argument in a variety of ways using tactics of argumentation and persuasion like appeal to emotion through real life examples, appeal to logic, and even articulating certain phrases through metaphors and word choice. Many of these different tactics of argumentation and persuasion made his letter very effective and is now seen as a great piece that is looked upon highly today.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail '

    769 Words  | 2 Pages

    Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail", was written to answer a critical "Call For Unity" by a group of clergymen in Birmingham. The clergymen were critical of King for "interloping" in the activities of their city. Dr. King said that he had every right to fight unfairness in the country that he lived in. The letter he wrote, in response to the "Call for Unity", and a statement that he would battle racial inequality wherever it was. The "Letter from Birmingham Jail" was the main point in his life. In this letter, he perfectly described his reasons why he felt this way, appealing to logic, emotion, and ethics.

    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

  • Analysis Of Letter From Birmingham Jail

    783 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dr. King effectively expresses why his critics are wrong in a passionate tone. He is extremely zealous about the rights that African-Americans have been neglected to have and should have, as well as everyone else. Mr King was criticized for his “untimely” actions in Birmingham. “This wait has almost always meant ‘never.’” (King 264) Martin Luther King isn’t just a bystander witnessing the injustice; he is a victim and one of the few who is willing to fight for justice well deserved.

    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 get of segregation but by using another tactic to successfully accomplish the similar goal. The backgrounds of both men were one of the main driven forces behind the ways they executed their plans to rise above the various mistreatments. Martin Luther King Jr. was a more pronounced orator, a more refined leader, and overall saw the larger picture than Malcolm X.

    Read More

  • Mr. Luther King's Letter From Birmingham Jail

    408 Words  | 1 Pages

    "Martin Luther King Jr.'s letter from Birmingham Jail, which was written in April 16, 1963, is a passionate letter that addresses and responds to the issue and criticism that a group of white clergymen had thrown at him and his pro- black American organization about his and his organization's non- violent demonstrative actions against racial prejudice and injustice among black Americans in Birmingham.

    Read More

  • Martin Luther King Jr. and Frederick Douglass

    1394 Words  | 3 Pages

    When comparing two essays, there are many different aspects that the reader can look at to make judgments and opinions. In the two essays that I choose, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. 'Letter from Birmingham Jail', and FREDERICK DOUGLAS'S 'From Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave,' there were many similarities, but also many differences. Some of them being, the context, style, structure and tone. Many times when readings or articles are being compared, people over look the grammatical and structural elements, and just concentrate on the issues at hand. I believe it is important to evaluate both.

    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

  • Manchild In the Promised Land: A New Perspective into the Post World War II Era

    739 Words  | 2 Pages

    Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Malcolm x taught the ideals of black supremacy

    Read More

  • Letters from a Birmingham Jail

    1524 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Conclusion, A Letter from a Birmingham Jail met its intended purpose to those of the audience being the clergymen and the reader today. Martin Luther King, Jr. has proven himself to the clergymen of Alabama, in regards to his reasoning for a more equal nation. The bottom line is that every man was created equally, so we should all have the same rights as the next person. In my own opinion, I think the letter was very necessary. These men of faith were more focused on what man thought rather than their creator's. This piece by King is very affective to the reader as well as the audience. It is evident that Martin Luther King, Jr. works went unnoticed, because we are living in a mixed racial society. The reader is very affected by the letter's history and how it came to be.

    Read More

  • Malcolm X And Martin Luther King Analysis

    1436 Words  | 3 Pages

    Out of the turbulent political climate of the 1960s, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. emerged as some of the most prominent voices of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Both religious ministers took up the fight to advocate for human rights and improve the lot of their fellow African-Americans. The two sought to achieve the same endgame, but differed greatly on the method in which to bring about the change they wanted. A few common threads that linked the activists were their emphasis on human rights, their challenge to the status quo of America, their roles as major spiritual leaders in their respective religions, and the martyrdom they endured for their cause. On the surface Malcolm X and Martin Luther King have many similarities,

    Read More

  • Fighting Racial Inequality: King and Malcolm's Legacy

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    One thing both men seem to disagree on in terms of how they should achieve equality is the issue of white men’s involvement in the cause. In Martin Luther King’s case, he wants his fellow people to understand that the forces who are trying to oppress them should not lead to “a distrust of all white people” (Martin Luther King 69). Meanwhile, Malcolm X, though not explicitly stated, his dismissive manner of excluding white people to the cause, claiming “Whites can help us, but they can’t join us” implies his own distrust in white people (Malcolm X 73). Martin Luther King’s speech however encourages white men to join the cause because to him equality involves every race to recognize the right to fight for everyone’s rights, or as he states, “[white men’s] destiny is tied with [black men’s] destiny” (Martin Luther King 69). Therefore his whole speech not only focuses on the black community, though it is a major factor, but it also includes all races in his idea of freedom and equality. In contrast, Malcolm X narrow-mindedly focuses on black people and white people, wanting his people to gain what should be rightfully theirs. To him, “black unity” must be the first priority before “black-white unity”, and he continuously emphasizes in his text how they should focus on strengthening the black community (Malcolm X

    Read More

More about Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X

Open Document