The investigation assesses whose leadership had a lasting impact on the Civil Rights Movement, between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. And the different lifestyles that MLK and Malcolm X lived as children to adults. In order to evaluate whose leadership had a lasting impact, the investigation evaluates their two contrasting philosophies and approaches to raising public awareness about the problem of inequality. Both Malcolm X and MLK’s role is investigated in the Civil Rights Era, during the African-American struggle for equality and freedom, and also examines how they have impacted present-day America. Elaborate speeches, boycotts, and marches carried out for the Civil Rights Movement, in both the past and present-day, are mostly used …show more content…
to evaluate the lasting impact of MLK and Malcolm X. From these two seminal figures emerge that of the peaceful and nonviolent Martin Luther King, Jr., and the revolutionary and radical Malcolm X. King called on people to be disobedient for the cause of racial equality, whereas Malcolm X called on people to be violently forceful for the cause of Black power. Two of the Sources used in the essay, The novel, Malcolm and Martin Closer than we Ever Thought, by John Blake and the historical article, Was Martin Luther King Jr or Malcolm X a better Leader for Civil Rights, by Tom Koecke, are then assessed for their origins, purposes, values, and limitations. This investigation does not include the countless controversies spread about the social lives of these two civil rights activist. This investigation also does not assess the opinions of the public, but rather the facts presented through the different achievements accomplished by MLK and Malcolm X. B. Summary of Evidence With the civil rights movement came to very influential men. One of these influential figures went by the name of Martin Luther King Jr. and was known for his peaceful and nonviolent protest, in which him and several of his followers voiced their opinions in public, spreading their message throughout their society. The second influential figure was Malcolm X, who was remembered for his violent methods of protest and his goals to accomplish black power. Both these individuals were fighting for the same cause; equality for all African Americans. Although they both had different beliefs and approaches to solving the conflicts that segregation presented, Martin Luther King Jr. had the strongest impact because his non-violent method had the ability to not only influence people of color and those in position of authority, allowing for the movement to achieve national and worldwide attention. Dr. Martin Luther King was fighting for the equality of all races and believed that they could all live in harmony. Malcolm X, on the other hand, was fighting for a black nation in which black power was his main focus, and embracing the african american heritage. Malcolm X preached independence and had a “whatever it takes” approach to achieving equality in America. King preached about nonviolence and disobedience. The philosophy that King preached was a very sophisticated way of spreading his beliefs. An example of one of his successful boycotts includes the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a protest in which african americans refused to use any method of public transportation. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s had a a very privileged childhood where he was able to expand his knowledge through the education. In King's "I Have a Dream" speech, he invites the listener to imagine a future in which African American children have an equal opportunity at achieving prosperity through education. Malcolm’s message included placing blame on the white race and using acts of violence to achieve his goals. Dr. King made made it his role to challenge the assumptions made about african americans. Despite Malcolm X's enormous influence on the movement, his act could have resulted in the retaliation of the white race. Although both Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were transformational leaders who were instrumental in raising public awareness of a problem of inequality, only King's methods could achieve the true desires of the african american community. Applied to the movement as a whole, Malcolm X's philosophy of violent retaliation would have worsened the conditions of african americans by stirring up violence. Because King's techniques were successful in challenging the establishment, African Americans achieved a number of civil rights not previously available to them. The kind of transformation leader King represents is a rare symbol, and the inspiration he provided to African American people for change still inspires people to strive for equality and freedom. C. Evaluation of Sources The novel, Malcolm and Martin Closer than we Ever Thought, by John Blake discusses the similarities and differences that Malcolm and Martin shared as civil rights activist, with the purpose of contrasting and giving insight on the lives and beliefs they have in common. The book’s values lie in the fact that it provides detailed background information on the childhoods of these two significant men, giving a different perspective to why they adopted different protesting strategies. It also exposes the reader to the lives that these two memorable figures had before they committed themselves to seeking equality. The limitations of this article include how the novel only included the perspective of the author, who favored both MLK and Malcolm X, making the novel slightly bias. The novel is a secondary source meaning that is it not completely accurate. The motivation of this author was to display the similarities that MLK and Malcolm X shared. Whereas in Was Martin Luther King Jr or Malcolm X a better Leader for Civil Rights by, Tom Koecke, Tom discusses the leadership roles that MLK and Malcolm X played in their society. He wrote this article for the purpose going into great detail about the tactics that both MLK and Malcolm X use to fulfil their goal of equality for all African Americans. This article was not written during MLK or Malcolm X’s time period, but rather far after. This source provides a valuable reflection of the public opinion at the time and implements an insightful analysis of the events and policies that were present during the era of MLK and Malcolm X. On the other hand this article is very limited due to the fact that it is lacking in evidence to support assertions and is also opinionated. This article also reflects uninformed public opinions. The motivation of this author was to spread awareness about MLK and Malcolm X and their roles in society. D. Analysis Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were the stars, so to speak, of Civil Rights protesting. are the most famous, and are still heard of frequently throughout history textbooks and magazine articles. Even after their deaths their legacy still lives on and they both had different ways of achieving what their goals. King was the son of a southern baptist minister which influenced many of his decisions. He followed in his fathers footsteps and became a baptist minister himself. As a minister King wanted to help his people, so he became a civil rights leader and used his preaching capabilities to touch the hearts of his followers. Martin’s long speeches often caught wandering people, and drew them into the crowd. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, and is the youngest person ever to receive it. He was assassinated on April 4th, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee on the balcony of his hotel. Malcolm X had a completely different life.. As Martin was remembered by everyone happily, most people tried to forget Malcolm. Malcolm X had a troubled childhood, his father died when he was young and his mother was in a mental institution. As a result Malcolm became a foster child and was passed on from home to home. Without a leader in his life Malcolm turned to drugs and was in and out of prison. In prison Malcolm converted to Islam and adopted many of their beliefs He was assassinated by members of the Black Muslim movement on February 21, 1965. Both Martin and Malcolm were considered great leaders by people. They each just had a different way of expressing their opinions. And while some people liked a more practical approach; others liked to be peaceful, because it decreased the chance of someone getting injured. Although these men were two completely different people, they both shared the same goal of eliminating segregation. So they used whatever power they had to make a voice for themselves, though sometimes Malcolm’s way of “protesting” involved violence which most people tried to stay away from (except for the black activists). Their speeches and rallies often led to protests, speeches, and eventually the assassinations of both men. It’s hard to say what they would feel if they were alive today, but I think one thing would be pride. They would have pride in the impact they had on black history and history in general. They are both remembered, each for different reasons. But even though their opinions and ideas were expressed in dissimilar ways, Martin Luther King Jr. got his voice on constant replay in people’s heads; and Malcolm X was feared and respected by people to be the man who was a “black activist”. And each had their role in black and white history. E. Conclusion Martin Luther King Jr.
and Malcolm X both fought for the same goal, but had different ways of accomplishing this goal. They both fought against civil rights and were leaders in the civil rights movement. But the way they were brought up is a good explanation for their differences; King was brought up in a fairly wealthy family, while X was raised in a less fortunate family. Both fought against unfair laws, Social Discrimination, and Racial segregation, but they both had different ways of going about this. In my opinion I feel that MLK was a better more prominent advocate for the Civil Rights Movement. I feel this way because he was a peaceful leader, he was always had non-violence approach with handling things, and he wanted everyone of all races to come together and form equality. If society followed through with Malcolm X’s approach for segregation and for races to be separated the world would honestly be in chaos. But because of MLK’s peaceful approach, he is well respected all over the world by many races and even has his own holiday. If it weren’t for him, I would not be where I am at now. The fact that MLK has a national holiday and a historical monument dedicated to him, unlike Malcolm X, goes to prove that he has made a bigger impact on society and has influenced the world in a more positive
manner.
In the century where African-Americans had no rights and were highly discriminated, two men set out to make a new lifestyle for each other. Those two men where Frederick Douglass and Malcolm X. Frederick Douglass was a slave when he began to learn to read. Malcolm X was in prison when he began to learn how to read, he was in prison because he was an activist civil right. Both of this men have a great influence to the changes made for African-American rights. Both of this men have similarities and differences. Some of the similarities are why they wanted to learn, and their background. The differences are in the way that they learned to read and write and at what time they learned to read and write. Although both men have similarities they
The 20th century was a definitive time period for the Black civil rights movement. An era where the status quo was blatant hatred and oppression of African Americans, a time when a black son would watch his father suffer the indignity of being called a “boy” by a young white kid and say nothing in reply but “yes sir”. Where a Black person can be whipped or lynched for anything as little as not getting off the sidewalk when approaching a white person, for looking into their eyes, or worse, “for committing the unpardonable crime of attempting to vote.” In the midst of the racial crises and fight for social equality were Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. who despite their difference in philosophies were “icons of social justice movement both in the United States and around the world” .
The world as we know it today, is one very different to the world even 50 years ago. Technology has advanced, frontiers have been reached and surpassed, and people are more free than ever. The catalyst for a large percentage of human freedom in particular was the African-American Civil Rights movement, from the mid 1950’s, to the late 1960’s. Headed by multiple prominent figures throughout its duration, the following essay will be comparing and contrasting Martin Luther King Jr., and Stokely Carmichael, and then determining which of the two was a more effective leader. If the definition used were to be “The act of leading, or the ability to be a leader”, (Webster 2003, p.264) then both Carmichael and King would finish in a similar position,
Everyone that has been through the American school system within the past 20 years knows exactly who Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is, and exactly what he did to help shape the United States to what it is today. In the beginning of the book, Martin Luther King Jr. Apostle of Militant Nonviolence, by James A. Colaiaco, he states that “this book is not a biography of King, [but] a study of King’s contribution to the black freedom struggle through an analysis and assessment of his nonviolent protest campaigns” (2). Colaiaco discusses the successful protests, rallies, and marches that King put together. . Many students generally only learn of Dr. King’s success, and rarely ever of his failures, but Colaiaco shows of the failures of Dr. King once he started moving farther North.
Both Fannie Lou Hamer and Malcolm X rejected the idea that the main goal of the civil rights movement should be based on an aspiration to gain rights “equal” to those of white men and to assimilate into white culture. They instead emphasized a need to empower Black Americans.1 Their ideas were considered radical at a time when Martin Luther King Jr. preached the potential of white and black americans to overcome “the race issue” together and in a gradual manner. Malcolm X’s attempt to achieve his goals through revolutionary top-down methods and Fannie Lou Hamer’s focus on the need for grassroots movements contributed to the Civil Rights movement significantly by encouraging and assisting Black Americans.
Speeches are a method of persuading people to do something. For Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, their speeches were to bring equality for the people of color. However, their approaches are different. Consequently, the effects may be different. An example of their contrasting differences is a speech from each, King’s “I Have a Dream” and X’s “The Black Revolution”. Their speeches used pathos, a central metaphor, and a warning, but was presented differently.
Historians offer different perceptions of the significance of Martin Luther King and the 1963 March on Washington. Without examining this event within its historical context the media publicity and iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech can easily overshadow progress that was already underway in America. It was insisted by prominent civil rights activist Ella Baker, ‘the movement made Martin rather than Martin making the movement.’ What is important not to overlook is the significant change that took place in the United States during the previous 100 years. Such that, many influential figures in support of racial equality opposed the March. The Civil Rights Act proposed by President Kennedy in 1963 was already in the legislative process. Furthermore the Federal Government was now reasserting power over the entire of the United States by enforcing a policy of desegregation. It is important to note that these changes all took place less than one hundred years after the Thirteenth Amendment in 1965 abolished slavery, and the Fourteenth amendment in 1968 acknowledged the rights of former slaves to be acknowledged as U.S citizens. With this level of progress Kennedy was against the March going ahead due to the argument that it was limited in what it could achieve. Today, King’s 1963 Speech is viewed as one of the most iconic speeches in history. However, was it a key turning point in African Americans achieving racial equality? Federal endorsement would suggest yes after decades of southern states being able to subvert the Federal law designed to break down segregation. This support built upon the corner stones of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth amendments in the nineteenth century. Therefore looking at the national status of black Americans fro...
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.
African Americans are fortunate to have leaders who 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.
Until the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his life’s work was dedicated to the nonviolent actions of blacks to gain the freedoms they were promised in the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 by Abraham Lincoln. He believed that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (King, 1963). These injustices had become so burdensome to blacks that they were “plunged into an abyss of despair” (King, 1963). The nonviolent actions of the sit-ins, boycotts, and marches were so the “individual could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths…to help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism” and ultimately lead to “inevitably opening the door to negotiation” (King, 1963). Not only was King’s approach effective with the older black generation, it was also successful with white people. They did not feel threatened when approached by King. White people gained a sense of empathy towards the plight of black freedom as King’s promise of nonviolence did not threaten their livelihood. Malcolm X viewed the world similarly to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., however; his beliefs to changing the status quo were slightly different from his political counterpart. Malcolm X realized that “anger could blind human vision” (X, 1965). In realizing this, X knew that in order to achieve racial freedom blacks had to “forget hypocritical politics and propaganda” (X, 1965). While Malcolm X was more so an advocate for violent forces against white people than King, X merely used force when it became necessary for defense. According to X, “I don’t go for non-violence if it also means a delayed solution. I am for violence if non-violence means we continue postponing a solution to American black man’s problem” (X, 1965). However, this le...
The history of the United States has in it much separation or segregation due to race. For a long time our country has seen racism as a large problem and this has caused ethnic groups to be looked down upon and forced into a lifestyle of difficulties and suppression. Due to this, races, particularly African-Americans, have been forced to deal with unequal opportunity and poverty, leading to less honorable ways of getting by and also organizations that support change. Malcolm X is one strong example of an African American man who became apart of a group acted against it, uniting people to promote the advancement of colored people and change. Malcolm's thoughts towards race and civil right in the previous years were displayed in a less way to the people and "by any means necessary" perspective. After his pilgrimage in 1964 his view of civil rights had quickly changed into a more complete view of civil rights, and the peoples views towards him. No one really knows what kind of impact Malcolm X would have had on history if he had not been assassinated. His beliefs and philosophy did gain him a place in history as one of the best-known Black Nationalist Leaders. Everyone seems to have known who Malcolm X was, and he ranks high with all other Black leaders. His ideas were radical and he was very out spoken. He was a major force in the development of black history. He fought not only for his people but also for all oppressed people everywhere. He was well spoken and he laid the groundwork for the black power movement of the late l960's.
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.
Whenever people discuss race relations today and the effect of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, they remember the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was and continues to be one of the most i...
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were the two most influential leaders of the civil rights movement. They inspired the need for change and the conquest for civil liberty. Stylistically, their philosophies, rhetoric, and feedback from the public significantly varied. Some of their tactics were controversial, and they both died in the fight for total freedom. Despite their differences, in the end, civil rights were established for all men, and segregation laws were eradicated. All in all, MLK and Malcolm X used different strategies to fight for civil
Kirk, J. (2007). Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement: controversies and debates. Basingstoke New York: Palgrave Macmillan.