In the fight against white supremacy and racial intolerance, Malcolm X rose to
prominence as a unique and articulate voice. His Black nationalist, separation, and violent protest
philosophies separated him from other prominent civil rights leaders of the time, but his
influence was strong and his message resonated with many. In late 1963, Malcolm X delivered
his “Message to the Grass Roots”, a speech given at a Grass Roots Leadership Conference in
Detroit (X and Breitman 1965, 3). His message called for separation and if necessary, violent
agitation to overcome white supremacy. He advocated for the acquiring of land for a new Black
nation and the end of non-violent protests.
While serving six and a half years in prison for
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robbery, Malcolm X read and became interested in the Black Muslims, an all-black, separatist, religious sect (Harper 1971, 389). Although his philosophies changed over the course of his life and activism, this “Message to the Grass Roots” was given while he was still involved with the Black Muslims, shortly before being suspended from the group (Harper 1971, 389). The Grass Roots Conference at which the speech was given was held on the same days as another Detroit Conference on civil rights that excluded Black nationalists (X and Breitman 1965, 3). This speech was also given after Martin Luther King and non-violent protest rose to prominence. Malcolm X’s distaste for this strategy and his desire for a true revolution motivated this speech. He wanted to educate African Americans as to the truly effective means of making change, and what he believed that change should be. Malcolm X’s audience for this speech was all African Americans. His diction, intelligent but colloquial, throughout the speech reflects this. Other civil rights groups were limited in their membership as they included mostly educated individuals. Malcolm X sought to include all African Americans. Although he was opposed to the non-violent approaches of other African Americans, one of his core values was the necessity of Black unity (Harper 1971, 397). This is seen in his plea of all African Americans to cast aside their other differences and come together as one race, as he argues “we’re all black people” and “we have a common oppressor, a common exploiter, and a common discriminator... the white man” (X and Breitman 1965, 4-5). He also saw the necessity for hiding all arguments between members of the same race, as not to appear as a disorganized and divided group, but to “pose a common front, a united front” (X and Breitman 1965, 6).
In these statements he indirectly addresses his own disagreements with other civil
rights leaders, but acknowledges that the ultimate goal is a unified race. In addition, Malcolm X
directly called for the exclusion of whites from civil rights conversation. Not only did he believe
that Black unity was important, but he argued that when whites infiltrate protest movements, the
movements lose their intensity and drive for change (X and Breitman 1965, 16).
Malcolm X began continued his argument by addressing the irony of non-violent civil
rights movements and his meaning of revolution. He argued that in history, all revolutions were
about land, and none of them, including the one that led to the nation that now oppressed them,
had been accomplished without violence (X and Breitman 1965, 7). He also exposed a double
standard of violence, claiming that while the nation asked African Americans to shed their blood
abroad, violence was not accepted to defend themselves against anti-Black discrimination
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within the nation. He claims that if America asks African Americans to be violent for the country, “then it is right for you and me to do whatever is necessary to defend our own people right here in this country” (X and Breitman 1965, 8). This violent agitation strategy differed greatly from that of many protestors of the time, but Malcolm X claimed that non-violence is not a direct fight for rights. He claimed that non-violence is just security for the white man, a way to ensure that whites can discriminate and take advantage of African Americans without any fear that they might fight back (X and Breitman 1965, 12). This point is crucial to his main idea that a change in protest method is necessary. In these statements he argues for violent agitation, implying that there is no future in a non-violent approach, as the white man can forever take advantage of African Americans while they stand by and suffer peacefully (X and Breitman 1965, 12). In this speech, Malcolm X’s violent protest philosophy resembled a strategy of agitation. His strategy of agitation is strongly demonstrated in his call for necessary violence. As he was a Muslim at the time of this speech, he cited the religion as one of peace and obedience, “but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery” (X and Breitman 1965, 12). He does not call on African Americans to be the aggressor, but to simply defend what is theirs, mainly their lives. His call for stronger and more aggressive agitation is also expressed through his claim that white men in power used non-violent African American leaders to control the African American population (X and Breitman 1965, 12). He implies that only through the breaking of the non-violent system can there be a breakage of the control, and a unification of Blacks.
In his
talk of revolution, it is also implied that it is unwise to use a non-violent strategy against a nation
that often uses violence.
Malcolm X’s goals of separation were slightly characteristic of migration. Although he
does not explicitly say all African Americans should leave America, he does claim “A
revolutionary wants land so he can set up his own nation, an independent nation (X and Breitman
1965, 9). He also claims that land is the basis for freedom and equality. He does not explicitly
call for African Americans to “migrate”, but the two strategies share the common goal of African
Americans living in a new community, whether it is by moving or by forming their own. As a
Black nationalist, he called for a new Black nation, which included political control of Black
communities (Harper 1971, 397).
Malcolm X’s philosophies were similar to Marcus Garvey’s ideas and his goal of
organizing a unified African nation. Both of their goals find reason in the idea that Blacks would
not be able to find justice in the current American society. Malcolm X points to this in his
claim that non-violence ensures that whites will forever be able to take advantage of African Americans. He points to the idea also in his insistence upon Black unity with the exclusion of whites. Although both were proponents of agitation and in some sense migration, Garvey sought to set up an African nation on the African continent, whereas Malcolm X advocated more for separation and fighting for control of Black communities. Another important distinction is that Garvey sought to bring Christian worship to the native tribes of Africa, whereas Malcolm X, although a Muslim, saw less importance in religion as long as it did not interfere with Black This document is important because it presented a new viewpoint to the issues of racial discrimination. Although controversial, Malcolm X attempted to reveal how not only were whites keeping African Americans in a state of second-class citizenship, but also the strategies employed by African Americans to combat racial injustice were leading to the same position. His unique voice inspired and greatly influenced Black militancy long after his death (Harper 1971, 387). His message did not just say that he would not tolerate racial injustice, but he would not suffer silently and allow the oppression to continue.
effort to unite and resist. The land that was occupied first was theirs, he believed. The land, he
land away from indigenous people and he did not think is was fair for them to
What he was claiming was that African Americans slaves were born in the United States so they should be entitled to same American values given to the white Americans. He also goes ahead to bash the government for the attitudes towards his people and goes on to explain how he feels they are be exploited. His impact that he intended to have from this speech had been to bring freedom to African American’s by letting proper democratic ideals decide who is entitled to what rights. During the time of the speech he said black American’s should be ashamed to celebrate this holiday due to the misdeeds and unfair enforcement of these laws. His main take away from this was that the slavery going on in America was harmful and illegal because they violated the founding father principle rights. Throughout him speaking he goes on to undercut many powerful institutions in America that are simply letting slavery go on and not doing anything about it (Church). He is a very faithful man and believes looking back at his sentiments will ring home and show that he was inevitably correct in due time. In conclusion this ties to the ideas that African Americans should not have to celebrate this holiday until they feel like they are being equally treated under the same law are the white
The Nation of Islam, which Malcolm X was an important member of, is not a religious organization as the name suggests but rather an organization whose goal was to make the lives of African Americans better instead of actually teaching the proper ethics of Islam. One of the main objectives of this organization was Black Nationalism, through which Black leaders can control the areas where there is a majority of African Americans. This cause was greatl...
whites down by their capacity to suffer, and ‘non-violence weakens the oppressor’s morale and exposes his defenses. And at the same time it works on his conscience’. He was against violence and said it ‘destroys everybody’, and repeated that violence would not help the people. situation, instead it would instigate white violence. So when the 3,300 black men, women and children were peacefully demonstrating for civil rights, they were attacked by the police with tear gas, fire.
In the letter, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr, and the speech, “The Ballot or the Bullet” by Malcolm X, the authors discuss their very different viewpoints on what form of freedom would it take to accomplished their goal. While King believes that peaceful approaches would allow the black community to achieve equality with the white Americans, Malcolm X thinks achieving equality with white Americans is nearly impossible; therefore, he preaches a separatist doctrine. Although King and X are both fighting for the black community’s rights and their integration into the nation’s system, their approaches differ significantly. King and X differ in three main areas: their ultimate goals, the strategies to accomplish those goals, and their use of rhetoric.
He seemed to have “supported segregation and the disenfranchisement of Blacks,” despite being “involved in politics” while speaking on the “prevention of disenfranchisement” (Seaton 55). Washington did what he believed was best for the helpless Americans, but in doing so, the perception he gave to them and DuBois was that “the white stereotype holds over Blacks and how they are positioned to be aware of it” (Seaton 55). In “The Souls of Black Folk,” DuBois even states about the “distinct status of civil inferiority for the Negro” under Washington’s policy (DuBois 1331). In Washington’s Atlanta speech, his motive was “to show whites that Blacks were making incremental progress and to ease the tension that was building all throughout the country” (Seaton 55). It can be said that Washington was publicly working under the ideology of white-supremacists, compensating them instead of the Black community. On the other hand, DuBois wanted to “integrate the African-American people into the modern affairs of America and allow for them to forge lives and gain inclusion into American society” (Seaton 56). He wanted to include minorities in the “American social body,” whereas Washington didn’t strongly oppose segregation, but only wanted to ease tensions with white-supremacists (Seaton
Malcolm X and James Baldwin were two men that played a large role in defining a people and a cause during the 1950s and 1960s. Both of these men were dynamic African-Americans who lived primarily to help their people, who were terribly persecuted in the United States for many years. The interesting thing about these two men is that they strove towards the same goal—to unify African-Americans and give them strength and confidence—but they accomplished this goal in very different ways. Malcolm X, a leader in the Nation of Islam movement, believed that African-Americans needed to acquire strength and confidence so that they could separate from the White man and live together in peace, harmony, and production. On the other hand, James Baldwin, renowned writer, believed it necessary for African-Americans to have strength and confidence so that they might coexist on the same level as whites and accomplish what whites were accomplishing. The methodology and teachings of James Baldwin and Malcolm X differed greatly, but their general belief, that African-Americans were just as good as everybody else prevailed over all else, and made these men two of the very important faces of a generation.
Marcus just like other African American leaders wanted better for the Negro race. The thing that stood out the most was the fact he went about it differently. Marcus
Washington 's programme naturally takes an economic cast” (Du Bois). Du Bois believed that Washington’s theory was a gospel of Work and Money that ultimately overshadowed the higher aims of life” Later he makes another statement so powerful that should have made all African Americans want to stand up and fight for a better social status and rights for both the South and North. He goes on stating “The growing spirit of kindliness and reconciliation between the North and South after the frightful differences of a generation ago ought to be a source of deep congratulation to all, and especially to those whose mistreatment caused the war; but if that reconciliation is to be marked by the industrial slavery and civic death of those same black men, with permanent legislation into a position of inferiority, then those black men, if they are really men, are called upon by every consideration of patriotism and loyalty to oppose such a course by all civilized methods, even though such opposition involves disagreement with Mr. Booker T. Washington.” (Du
He mentions the very recent violence that occurred in Selma, Alabama; where African Americans were attacked by police while preparing to march to Montgomery to protest voting rights discrimination. Without mentioning this violent event that occurred a week prior, there would not be much timeliness to his argument, and it wouldn’t have been as effective. The timeliness of his argument gave the speech a lot more meaning, and it heightened the emotions of many who heard the address. He is appealing to the emotions of many American people, both Congressmen and ordinary citizens, to encourage them to support his cause. He reminds us of all of the Americans around the world that are risking their lives for our freedom. He refers to them as “guardians of our liberty.” He also address the problem as the whole nation should be concerned not just the north, the south, or the African American
...servation. His most important points were as follows: education taught the Negro to feel inferior, it has not prepared Negroes to make an adequate living in his community and mis-educated the Negroes are hindering racial development rather than aiding it.
The Negro revolution is a stagnant fight; the black revolution is a fight with one decisive winner. In this talk of revolution he also pointed out the hypocrisy of the American people on the subject of violence. How many black people will to go war for a country that hates them and do not even want them in the country, but when a white man strikes them they turned a blind eye because “peace” is the answer. “If violence is wrong in America, violence is wrong abroad”(MalcomX, Message to the Grassroots), many people would agree with this sentiment. Why condemn those who want to fight for something they believe in using violence when we as a country are doing the same thing overseas. Later in the speech, Malcolm X calls out the modern house Negros we have today in the United States. A house Negro was the slaves who stayed in the living quarter with their master and were maids and butlers and tended to the children. The latter are the filed Negros who worked in the fields and stayed in
King and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (the NAACP) -. The NAACP was founded in 1909, with King becoming the “face”. of the society in 1955 during the bus boycott. The NAACP wanted integration between the black and white communities. Black power is a term usually linked with Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam (NOI).
With this statement, he clearly shows that the peace and justice in the United States is not limited only to the white population, but also belongs to the black population.... ... middle of paper ... ... He also uses the powerful words “Free at last” in order to show the importance of the situation of the black population.