Compare the philosophies of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. how their goals for the
African American community similar and/or different? How their strategies for reaching
those goals similar and/or different?
During the past century there were two influential people Martin Luther King, Jr. and
Malcolm X who grappled with the problem of inequality between black and white people. They
both wanted to bring hope to blacks in the US through their powerful, hard-hitting speeches, but
the methods and styles they followed were completely different from each other. While one
followed non-violence, peaceful way for bringing racial harmony, the other encouraged his
followers to rise up and protest
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He wanted to black get an independent
existence where everyone would get the voting power to express their political opinion as the
white could do. He wanted the black people to be treated as the white citizen in the US not along
with the identity of Negro. He called the people to become “politically matured” to have their
rights for voting, and if they can’t “cast a ballot,” they are gong to “cast a bullet.”
Although King and Malcolm X both trued to infused power and strength within the
black community, King was inclined to look through rose-colored spectacles to achieve the goal
whereas Malcolm X had a different perspective. King wished that “one day every valley shall be
exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low. The rough places will be made plane, and
the crooked places will be made straight” (2459) He dreamt “to work together,” “to pray
together,” “to struggle together,” to got to jail together,” “to stand up for freedom together”.
(2459) On the contrary, Malcolm X didn’t “see any American dream;” he “saw an American
nightmare.”(2470) He fought against the conspiracy of the white and wanted to make them
aware of the fact that the eyes of the black people were not closed. He wanted to expose the
hypocrite white society in front of the world. He wanted to promote the philosophy of Black
Nationalism by removing “the evils, the vices, alcoholism, drug addiction, and other
Dr. King and Malcolm X strived to achieve equality for blacks under the law, more specifically, voting rights, desegregation, and more representation in government and politics. However, both men differed immensely in their tactics and strategies. For Dr. King, the negotiations could be brought about by the persistence of a nonviolent plan where, the oppressed people’s determination would overcome the will of the oppressor in the hearts and minds of the nation. He firmly believed in the principles of Mahatma Gandhi’s method of nonviolence resistance, which had been successful in driving the British out of India. For example, according to King, one of the resisters, or black mans goals is not to humiliate the opponent, (the white man) but to win his friendship and understanding. Dr. King proposed a passive resistance, based on “the conviction that the universe is on the side of justice” (“Pilgrimage to Non Violence” King, 112). He claimed the center of nonviolence is based on the principle of love, or understanding. Dr. King emphasized that the white man should not be held responsible for the minorities and blacks being oppressed. Here is where the two leaders oppose each other. Malcolm X felt social injustice and racism had endured too long, and it was
Comparing Martin Luther King and Malcolm X Martin Luther King and Malcolm X are to diverse individuals with two opposite personalities but both successfully succeeded in achieving freedom and bringing equality to black Americans discriminated against for many years even after the abolishment of slavery. Martin Luther King was born in 1929, in Georgia, Atlanta. Unlike the other black people in the southern states he was different he grew up in well off family who was freely educated a key factor in his personal achievements. During his younger adult years just like his father who was a preacher King decided to work in the Christian church as a Baptist Minster. He idolised Mohandas Karamchand
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.
Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X were very huge leading figures during the Civil Rights movement. Though they had many differences, they had some similarities. Both men’s fathers were preachers and both men were religious preachers themselves. Dr. King and Malcolm X were around the same age and they were both assassinated. Coincidentally, both men had the same number of children and eventually they had the same ideologies for the Civil Rights Movement. However, Dr. King and Malcolm X were different in ways such as Malcolm X wanted black supremacy and Dr. King wanted equality, Malcolm X saw violence as an option to achieve his goals if peace did not work and Dr. King believed in complete nonviolence, and Malcolm X
- [x] Malcolm X believed in the theory of a “common enemy” . He deeply believed that in our world regardless of what your race may be whether it was black , Asian , Indian, and whatever else that may fall in between or outside of those, that they all had an common enemy: which was the white man. And that where ever the white man went that turmoil, greed, corruption followed;
This era was the time when both X and King would begin to express their opinions on race and equality. Georgetown University’s Keith Miller asserts that Elijah Muhammad, the man to whom X was devoted, taught that the Caucasian society actively worked to keep African-Americans from gaining power and respect and achieving political, economic and social success (“Malcolm X”). These teachings, asserts Malcolm’s official website, combined with how haunted he was by his childhood explain how the message he preached came to be. Malcolm’s idea of true equality was rebellious, negative and angry. He embraced separatist philosophies and felt that non-violence and integration were tricks that white people promoted to keep blacks in their place (“About Malcolm X”). Martin Luther King’s philosophies couldn’t have been more different, according to Long Island University’s Melvin Sylvester. He believed that through hard work, strong leadership and non-violence, blacks could achieve full equality with whites (“Tribute”). King urged all members of the black
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X had a common purpose for African Americans; justice and equality. Illustrated through their speeches, Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” and Malcolm X’s “Talk to Young African Americans”, the two did not share techniques or ideas. Yet both men had the support of millions and millions of people.
They had different ideas on how to fix the problem that African-Americans faced while living in white America. The negro problem at the time resulted from the exclusion of the negro from the group life of American society. This problem was caused by the racial prejudice that the negro faced at the time, prejudice in all aspects of American life (cultural, socially, economically, and education). The two men saw that the only way to resolve this problem was by addressing them head on; so that African-Americans could later go on to integrate with their fellow American citizens and live regular lives. The debate split African-Americans on which vision to follow, the submissive and conservative of Washington or the aggressive and straight forward vision of Dubois. The importance of these two leaders to African-American history are unparallel. When analyzing the debate regarding the problem, I feel it is useful to examine the sides taken by each player regarding the economic, social, and political conditions facing the negro at the time and how they felt it could be improved for future generations. Through analysis a vision will be constructed using the two players arguments on what one may believe would be have made a perfect unison vision for the African-American race at the time.
During the turn of the century, between the years 1895 and 1915 there were many theories of how African Americans were going to achieve first-class citizenship. At this time first-class citizenship was determined by at least three aspects: political power, civil rights, and the higher education of Negro youth. Two prominent black leaders arose in order to accomplish this feat. They had two different ideas for one goal. These two black leaders during this time were Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. Booker T. Washington was considered at this time to be the spokesman of the black race, however, W.E.B. Du Bois proposed a plan that set him right under, if not with, Mr.
Each of these two leaders had different views on how to go about gaining freedom. While King believed a peaceful means would allow the blacks to achieve equality with the white Americans, Malcolm X took a more pessimistic approach. He believed achieving equality was nearly impossible and preached a more separatist doctrine. Each man's beliefs were formed in their youth.
Malcolm X believed that violence may be necessary to achieve the equality whereas Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed that nonviolence was the best way. Despite their different
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were both known as civil right leaders in the 1960’s. Both men had a different perspective on civil rights and how civil rights should be won. Both men also had strong beliefs on religious and followed on through that path in different ways. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X had several differences and several comparisons and had a big impact for the people of The United States.
During the past century, the United States of America has wresled with the problem of inequality between black and white people. Two influential people who helped to combat racism and the inequality of man were Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X had two differentiated approaches to accomplish the same things for black. Both King and Malcolm X started their own organizations, organized rallies, and both gave speeches, but, their beliefs and
That the white man was against societal equality and did all with in his means to make sure that the black Americans were not at equal basis with their white analog. In this regard, he opined that the only solution and the best path that the Black American would follow is black separatism. That if the black people could not be united with the white people and the rest of the races in the country, then the black people would then unite amongst themselves and proceed to isolate themselves from white man’s
Two main black activist leaders of the early 1950's were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Today, both of these men would be remembered as 'great leaders'. However, these two men had totally different approaches towards meeting the same main goal. Both Martin Luther King and Malcolm X fought for civil rights; however Malcolm X also wanted to have a separate black society whereas Martin Luther "wanted the integration of white people with black people. Malcolm X believed that violence was the key to his goat whereas Martin Luther King chose to take the non‑violent approach This is one reason why some black activists rejected, the approach of Martin Luther King to civil rights.