Malcolm X's Impact On The Civil Rights Movement

The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley is the story about a man who greatly impacted American history. Malcolm Little, or Malcolm X as he is more widely known, taught what he believed in regards to segregation, racism, and discrimination. Growing up in a large family with a father Earl Little, a Baptist minister, and his mother Louis Little who was a homemaker, Malcolm’s life at the time seemed very promising. His father’s involvement in support of the Black National gained him many death threats at the hands of white supremacists. In 1929, they lost their house to a fire, and two years later the body of Malcolm’s father was found mutilated. This lead to the emotional breakdown of Malcolm’s mother and in turn she was institutionalized. Malcolm and his siblings were separated and placed in foster homes, and from then, his life began a path of drugs, sex, and crime. It was not until he was imprisoned in 1946, that he decided to make some changes for the better. This essay will assess and discuss those changes whether negative or positive, on a micro, mezzo, and macro level. It will also cover some of the effects of racial prejudice on human behavior, and how society today keeps the ideology of Malcolm X alive.

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.

During the Civil Rights Movement, there was a famous leader whose protests were peaceful and non-violent. That man was Martian Luther King Jr., but many people have never heard of another Civil Rights leader. Even though his protests were different than King’s protests, he did his part and help with equality. This man was Malcolm Little, more famously known as Malcolm X. After a rough upbringing, Malcolm X led protests that differed which ended with his assassination.

Malcolm X, an African American leader and prominent figure in the Nation of Islam, was a significant individual in the African American fight for justice and equality. In contrast to the mainstream Civil Rights Movement with its nonviolent pursuit of integration, Malcolm X voiced concepts of race pride and Black Nationalism during the 1950s and '60s. Although many argue that Malcolm X did not actually “do” anything for the black community, his nontraditional programs brought a new perspective to the Civil Rights Movement, and this perspective is of relevance today in the black community.

Nearly 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans in Southern states still lived in a unequal world of disenfranchisement, segregation and various forms of oppression, including race-inspired violence. This is when the Civil Rights Movement was introduced; an era dedicated to activism for equal rights and treatment of African Americans in the United States. During this period, people rallied for social, legal, political, and cultural changes to end discrimination and segregation. This era included endless amount of events involving discrimination to minorities. This movement occurred somewhere between 1955 and 1965 but the exact time span is debated.

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

Despite both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. actively fighting for freedom and equality during the Civil Rights Movement, both men are not remembered equally. Undeniably, their approaches were different and this resulted in varying outcomes regarding their successes. Indirect action seemed ineffective to Malcolm and he desired changed immediately, which may seem like the most effective route to change, yet Martin Luther King Jr. is famously known for his success achieving freedom. Malcolm X focused on direct action and standing up for the black community while Dr. King wanted to negotiate and was willing to wait for his equality which ultimately allowed him more widespread success.

Malcolm X, Malcolm Little or El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, are all different names to one heroic figure. No two people can differ on the impact that Malcolm X has left, not only on the African-American society, but also on the world as a whole. Born in Omaha, Nebraska USA in May 19, 1925 Malcolm X ideologies in life and philosophy were really a result of several life events that he struggled with and experienced while growing up. Between loosing his parents, being bullied in school and finally having Prison sentence, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz decided that some changes should be arranged in the society’s function. Starting from there, he became a man with a message and a mission. Malcolm X was seeking a change, a step forward and a ray of light. After going through a lot in his life, Malcolm X was detriment to be the burning candle that illuminates the roads for others. Almost 50 years later since his death, a lot of people still look up to him as a spiritual leader and still consider him an icon when it comes to civil and human rights movements. Today, in a world that is moving in the path of equality and unity, we can only think of those who built the early stages of this ground we all stand equally tall above. Thanks to influential people like Malcolm X, we can today see the impotency and the growth of the seeds he grew back in his days. In spite of the fact that he is a well-respected and loved man, there is still a group of people (23%) who thinks Malcolm X should not be

Malcolm X was a public leader during the time of the civil rights movement. Malcolm was a public voice of the Black Muslim faith, he challenged the mainstream civil rights movement and the non-violent pursuit lead by Martin Luther King Jr. Malcolm wanted followers to defend themselves against the white aggression and he said to “by any means necessary”. He was born with the name Malcolm Little, and he changed his last name to X to show his rejection of his “slave” name. Malcolm became an influential leader of the Nation of Islam, which combined Islam with black nationalism which was placed to encourage young blacks to fight for equal rights. Malcolm was a determined leader and he was willing to take any means necessary to achieve equal rights for black Americans, but unlike King’s peaceful approach Malcolm wanted to take a violent approach and without King he may have been the head of the movement causing black Americans to all take a violent approach. A violent approach may not have worked well and would

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed - we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal" (King, “I HAVE A DREAM…,” pg.4 ¶.5). Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were major figures in the fight for racial equality but their ideals were diametrically opposed. In MLK JR’s March on Washington speech, he calls for peaceful resistance and integration into an equal society. Malcolm X, however, disagrees with that in his Message to Grassroots and argues equality cannot be obtained peacefully and that living together wouldn’t be much better than slavery. By comparing the two men’s goals and messages expressed in these speeches we can gain an understanding of the feelings of the general populace on the issues of racial inequity.

Malcolm X was a muslim, black man who cared very much about gaining equal rights. He was, in a way, an extremist. Though only taking action when he felt necessary, when he did take action, it often had drastic effects on the people and events occurring around him. Unlike Martin Luther King or other leading civil rights activists, he did not believe in peaceful protest. He believed in “whatever means necessary” to accomplish his goals. Because of his strong efforts and his unmatched determination, Malcolm X, formally known as Malcolm Little, changed the course of the civil rights movement. If not for him, the events that played out to cause the eventual conclusion of the struggle would have been forever altered.

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.

There have been many people throughout United States History who have greatly influenced the nation, including Malcolm X. Malcolm X both positively and negatively affected American society. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history, while being a tremendous public speaker and human rights activist, specifically advocating for the rights of African Americans. However, numerous individuals view him as controversial figure due to the widespread portrayal of Malcolm X as a violent and racist character often considered to be the opposite of Martin Luther King, Jr. Overall, it is clear that Malcolm X is one of the most significant people in United States history because of his various positive

You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom. On the afternoon of February 21, 1965, Malcom, an outspoken activist who fought oppression, was assassinated. What led Malcolm X to want to be an activist? "The only way we'll get freedom for ourselves is to identify ourselves with every oppressed people in the world. We are blood brothers to the people of Brazil, Venezuela, Haiti... Cuba - yes Cuba too." Malcolm X was one of the most important civil rights activists in America. His powerful words, ideas and beliefs on civil rights and the Nation of Islam spread around the world creating change. The rough early life and experiences of Malcolm X shaped into the inspirational leader that

believed in the racial and ethnic equality of all people, he protested in a nonviolent and peaceful way and formed his protests after Mahatma Gandhi, who worked for social change without using violence. Malcolm X offered a different perspective by advocating for and encouraging a separate black community to be established. Malcolm X promoted violence rather than nonviolence as a tool for self-defense and encouraged separation rather than integration. While Martin Luther King, Jr. preached of equality and a dream that all ethnicities would live together in harmony, Malcolm X personified the philosophy of “Black Power” and black self-determination, and promoted an adamant belief in the evils of the white man and white America. Malcolm X also, advocated for black supremacy and lived by the phrase “by any means necessary.” Martin Luther King, Jr. used nonviolent tactics with the influence of Jesus Christ teachings such as “turning the other cheek” even when presented with violence and physical harm. Malcolm X spoke to reporters about the Black nationalist Movement and the need to establish Black Rifle Clubs. These are only some of their ideas on how they did not always agree on how to go about seeking out a