Martin Luther King: The Black Lives Matter Movement

I am interested in the idea of Black Lives Matter movement founders that their movement does not have a leader or one face for this movement. The previous movements against racism, which were successful like the Civil Rights movement did had different leaders. However, these political struggles had one central face e.g. for the Civil Rights movement Martin Luther King served this purpose.

I want to explore the possibility of a figure like Malcolm X or Martin Luther King to lead Black Lives Matter movement. I will also use my research paper topic to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of having such a central face and the changes this will result in perspective of modern complex politics of this movement. Thus, I will try to figure out through my research: what would be feasible for the

movement in terms of leadership and whether if it would be effective for the movement to have such a figure which could be considered its face.
My research question would be: Black Lives Matter should have a leader like Malcolm X to act as the leadership face of this movement. A clear statement of my refined, but still-working thesis would be: All the great political movements succeeded due to the leaders behind them who directed the focus of their supporters to achieve the respective goal. Although, currently the founders of the Black Lives Matter believe that it is not in the interest of this movement to have a central face, it is inevitable for this great movement to have a brave leader. Times have significantly changed since the Civil Rights movement, but Black Lives Matter needs a leader like Malcolm X, who was outspoken in his ideas so this movement can successfully tackle complex, modern political system and achieve its goals.
This topic and question is interesting and I am investing my time in writing this due to the importance associated with the Black Lives Matter movement as the next biggest movement against racism after the Civil Rights movement.

Injustice against people of color makes it essential for this movement to be successful. The readers should invest their time in reading my paper because the question of ‘leadership face’ is critical to the success of this movement. It is critical also because African Americans need to become a united force for the establishment of community based on justice and equality which is impossible in a society where institutionalized racism is prevalent. The question of leadership, thus is very important in the limelight of existing differences existing between the communities of color themselves.

I plan to use the following scholarly sources which are both books I found from the Hutchins Library:

1. Dyson, Michael Eric. "Making Malcolm." The Myth and Meaning of Malcolm X. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. 79-145. Book.

2. Rueter, Theodore. "The Politics Of Race." African Americans and the Political System. New York: M. E. Sharpe, 1995. 71-85.

Book.
The first source is a book written by Michael Eric Dyson, who served as Afro-American Studies Professor at Brown University. The book discusses the resurgence of African-American nationalism and uses Malcolm X as an example for a heroic leader. The second book consists of readings organized according to the standard topics on American government which is written by some of the most skilled practitioners. This source highlights how race is a fundamental dividing line in political ideology and public opinion. I intend to use the first book to compare qualities of a leader in the limelight of modern political history (mentioned in the second book) to find the answer to my research question.