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Compare marting luther king and malcolm x
American racism history
Compare marting luther king and malcolm x
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Martin Luther King Jr. And Malcolm X
After countless years of inequality and discrimination towards minorities , a day came on July 2,1964 that finally ended the segregation laws within the United States .In the early 1960,s with the presence of racism, discrimination, and segregation in America, many great leaders that had an extraordinary part in ending racial inequality emerged, but it can be argued that Martian Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X were the most influential, as they provided the baseline for modern day America. Through these men’s beliefs and speeches, many similarities and differences in their approach to achieving their goals were shown, such as non-violence vs any means necessary, Integration ,vs. an all black nation, the
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Quotes such as “Birmingham police had made a secret agreement with the Ku Klux Klan to give Klansmen fifteen uninterrupted minutes to beat the freedom riders” (farber,great dreams page 80) and “Streams of water with enough pressure to rip bark off of trees knocked schoolchildren off their feet”(farber dreams page 87) help to inform the understanding of the complication in the 1960,s. All of these quotes can be said to have led to Martian Luther King Jr, and Malcolm x’s views for equal rights of …show more content…
Martian Luther King Jr. stated, “I have a dream….that one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as brothers and sister”(King “Dream”). This was compared to Malcolm X’s statement of “America must set aside some separate territory …the two races can live apart from each other” (Malcolm X Judgment). With this being stated, it can be implied that Martin Luther king believed in every race living together in peace and creating the melting pot the United States is today, while Malcolm X believed that African Americans should start an all-black nation completely separate from the white
They both seem to share the thought that they only way to gain freedom as a slave is to show you will do anything to receive that freedom, but they also shared some different views. In “Liberty, Equality, Power” “When Dr. King rushed to the scene, preaching politics of nonviolence local activists ignored or even ridiculed him” (Murrin 998) and Malcolm X “oftentimes criticized Dr. King’s gradual, nonviolent approach” (Murrin 1000) was a different approach on King’s role in segregation. In Murrin’s text he was portrayed as weak for believing that desegregation would happen with nonviolence. Everyone that was battling to receive freedom seemed to think otherwise that violence was in fact key. This changes the reader’s view on King and how he was not really portrayed as most people know him to be “a hero” for all African Americans. It seems that Murrin believes that Malcolm X made more of a change for African American’s and connected more with them than King
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” .
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X DBQ Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were both African American civil rights leaders wanting to bring freedom to black people during the 1960s. Even though both leaders wanted to liberate black people, their philosophies were drastically different. Malcolm X wanted racial separation, while Martin Luther King wanted both races to coexist. Religion is also a major part of this situation because most African Americans, including MLK in America, were Christian. Malcolm X’s goal was to turn all people who follow his path into Muslims.
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 segregation by using another tactic to successfully accomplish the similar goal. The backgrounds of both men were one of the main driving forces behind the ways they executed their plans to rise above the various mistreatments.
Malcolm considered “Little” a slave name and chose the “X” to signify his lost tribal name (Rummel 157). In 1954, Martin Luther King accepted pastoral membership of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.... ... middle of paper ... ... Malcolm now shares the same beliefs as Martin, emphasizing unity and non-violent sabotage through Black pride and respect for oneself, rather than through revenge and hate (Rummel 125). Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X are both remembered as strong leaders who shared an equal dream that one day their people would be free from racism and oppression.
Although both of these activists have different solutions and deliver things differently, they both address racism and the injustice the U.S. government performs on daily basis. In addition to this, they are both African Americans who persuading different audiences but are delivering the same content. In MLK’s letter he responds to his clergymen’s criticisms by addressing the racial injustices in Birmingham; while Malcolm X is delivery the same content but his audiences are blacks and whites. Even though they are both striving to declare freedom and are willing to fight for their human rights, MLK is more effective than Malcolm X in fighting against racial
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...
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were two of the most prominent leaders and orators at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. Although both leaders possessed the same objectives, their outlooks and perspectives differed immensely.
The injustice of segregation laws is leading to a violent impact throughout the African American community, as they strive to have equal rights. In the essay, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. describes the many struggles the African American community is going through. Dr. King effectively uses rhetorical appeals to persuade the clergymen that segregation laws are unjust and must end. Dr. King exemplifies his credibility as an advocate for the ending of segregation laws. He gives an example of how society should realize that there is no need for violence by comparing both Socrates’ and his techniques.
Would you rather listen to a man vulgarly tell the truth or a man peacefully say the similar information? Well, throughout history many people have chosen to listen to the latter. The reason people would choose to listen to a more peaceful man is because he is far less dangerous and more appealing. People during the Civil Rights movement were placed in a very similar situation with Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.King was a man of the christian religion who preached non-violence in the fight for Civil Rights. Vice Versa, Malcolm was a man of Islamic religion who preached violence in the name of justice. Based on Martin’s ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail” seem seeks a mutual understand and equality between African-Americans and racist majority group. On the other hand, Malcolm’s “ Messages to Grassroots’ displayed his urge for the separation for both parties conflicting. Both activist had different solutions for the same problem, similar audiences, and different styles of speech. While both faced the same problem, they had different solutions.
On April 3, 1964, Malcolm X’s speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” was a response speech to Martin Luther king Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, a month prior to Malcolm’s. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. shared a mutual vision – freedom for African Americans. Dr. King was a person who believes that war and violence are unjustifiable; Malcolm X was an advocate of violence, he encouraged it. The two great civil rights leaders of the 1960’s, held opposing political philosophies.
In the 1960s it was a hard time for black Americans. There was a revolution being driven by two well know black civil rights leaders. The first phase of the revolution was driven by a young Islamic black man, Malcolm X, who was a spokesperson for the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X was adamant that blacks needed to take care of their own business. In the issue of black integration in American culture.
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...
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King are not really different when you investigate the history or origin of their thought. The goal of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X was essentially the same. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were arguing the same point, but had different audience.