Similarities Between Martin Luther King Jr And Malcolm X

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.

In his letter to the clergy he justified the use of ‘nonviolent direct action’ as tactical means to bringing parties together to negotiate. He vehemently condemned all forms of violent action but insisted that it was strategic and constructive to employ the nonviolent tension as a powerful alternate to negotiation. Similarly, Dr. King Jr. stressed to his audience in his momentous speech in Washington DC, that the desire to attain set goal must not be tainted by any acts of retaliation and cautioned the crowd to avoid the temptation of being ‘guilty of wrong doing”. He emphasized the importance of adhering to strict discipline and conducting their struggle in the highest form of respect for human dignity.

In “Nonviolence: The Only Road to Freedom,” King says, “This is nonviolence at its peak of power, when it cuts into the profit margin of a business in order to bring about a more just distribution of jobs and opportunities for Negro wage earners and consumers,” (Document F). He is saying that nonviolence is more than what it seems at the surface; it has the ability to impact more than expected. It is creating more opportunities for the blacks than there ever were before. It is giving them chances to control their own economics as well as making an impact on the people. In “Stride Toward Freedom” he also says, “we will meet your physical force with soul force. We will not hate you, but we cannot in all food conscience obey your unjust laws… We will still love you. We will soon wear you down by our capacity to suffer,” (Document H). He is saying that hate is not the answer, but forgiveness is. He says that the blacks do not hate the whites for what they are doing, but that they cannot comply with what they are asking. King says that they will hold out as long as they can, which will eventually wear them down to giving in. He believes that equality is inevitable, even if it takes longer than expected. King states his beliefs on nonviolent civil disobedience in a speech he made at a staff retreat in 1966 by saying, “violence may murder the murderer, but it doesn’t murder murder,” (Document J). This is important because he is saying that fighting back only creates a bigger problem. He says, “it multiplies evil and violence in the universe,” (Document J). By saying this, he is showing that violence is nothing but a setback for the movement. “Send your hooded perpetrators of violence into our communities and drag us out to some wayside road, beating us and leaving us half dead, and we will still love you,” King says in “Stride Toward Freedom,”

Martin grew up in a middle-class family which upheld Christian values. The fairly peaceful environment and Christian values which advocate for ‘turning the other cheek’ meant that King had the mind of a nonviolent person, and this was demonstrated throughout his life. For example, when his house was bombed he did not react violently but instead called for empathy and understanding for the perpetrators of these actions towards him and other people from the African American community.[1] ‘‘Occasionally, one develops a conviction so precious and meaningful that he will stand on it till the end[2].”

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

In the first part of the letter, Dr. King stresses that his methods are nonviolent. He explains that there are four steps to a nonviolent campaign: “collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action” (page 1). This is similar to the process Gandhi inspired to resist

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

In the sense that King and his organization promotes nonviolent action. He and his team believe that the strongest way to promote their message is to not retaliate to the backlash that they receive. Dr. King states in his letter that “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is force to confront the issue”. Dr. King had followed in the footsteps of Socrates and also Mohandas Gandhi which had both portrayed that non-violence is the way to get your point across and fighting fire with fire is never the answer.

In the sense that King and his organization promotes nonviolent action. He and his team believe that the strongest way to promote their message is to not retaliate to the backlash that they receive. Dr. King states in his letter that “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue”. Dr. King had followed in the footsteps of Socrates and also Mohandas Gandhi which had both portrayed that non-violence is the way to get your point across and fighting fire with fire is never the answer.

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.

Servant leaders are deeply committed to the personal, professional, and spiritual growth of every individual and this was exactly what Dr. King did, because he cared for everyone as if they were his own relative and friend. The Kingian Philosophy is the philosophy of nonviolence and the following are the six principles Dr. King used (Banks 1). “Principle one – nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people – it must be emphasized that nonviolent resistance is not a method for cowards; it does resist” (Banks 1). “Principle two – the beloved community is the framework for the future – a basic fact that characterizes nonviolence, is that it does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent, but to win his friendship and understanding” (Banks 1). “Principle three – to only attack forces of evil, not the persons doing evil – the attack is directed

Non-Violence is not a sign of weakness or of a lack of courage. Quite the contrary, King believed that only the strong and courageous person could be nonviolent. He advised persons not to get involved in the civil rights struggle unless they had the strength and the courage to stand before people full of hate and to break the cycle of violence by refusing to retaliate

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.

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

"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.