Name Course Date Comparing MLK and Malcolm X’s Push for Racial Equality It is no secret that the struggles of African Americans for the past centuries had sparked efforts to bring to the fore Civil Rights Movement. In succinct, the Civil Rights Movement was the multitude of efforts and movements that aimed to put a halt on racial discrimination against African Americans. With the implementation of Jim Crow Laws that fundamentally legalized manifestations of racial discrimination and segregation, the accumulation of social injustices against materialized Civil Rights Movement. Most notably, the death of Emmett Till and the imprisonment of Rosa Parks had made it even more glaring how there should be a greater push for greater integration …show more content…
More than the non-violent movements he have led, one can already glean from his speeches how he created an ideal American society where racial integration is possible. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,” MLK stressed the importance of racial integration on his American dream. He continued, “We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote.” These two lines reflect how MLK wants to awaken the minds of African Americans on how racial discrimination manifests. However, MLK never intended African Americans to hate all White Americans, albeit the threat of extremism that makes pacifism challenging. “The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny,” MLK stressed. This non-violent stance was consistent with what he stated in Letter from a Birmingham Jail months before he did the I Have a Dream Speech. Specifically, in the former, while he …show more content…
The different backgrounds of the two civil rights leaders have led them to take non-identical routes to racial equality. MLK sought for racial integration and never believed in the need to carry out violent movements whereas Malcom sought for greater civil rights for African Americans that may involve violent movements without pushing for racial integration. Inasmuch as their beliefs may not be of the same page, it cannot be ignored that racial discrimination significantly decreased because of how they led their followers in Civil Rights Movement. Without their charisma and indomitable spirit, African Americans and other minorities may still be subject to abuses of White extremists that simply do not have room in today’s modern society. However, there must be a continuing follow through on what MLK and Malcolm started as racial discrimination is still
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were both famous people in history who have helped many black people through their Civil Rights protesting against segregation, but both of them had different ways of approaching what they wanted to achieve and succeed in. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a more peaceful approach whilst Malcolm X had a more somewhat ‘violent’ approach, but overall, who offered a more beneficial program of Civil Rights? Everyone has his or her own thoughts, but I believe that Martin Luther King was somewhat more successful than Malcom X.
The two most influential civil rights activists in American history were Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. They supported equal rights for every race, but when comparing MLK’s “I Have a Dream’ and Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet,” one sees the similarities in their rhetorical styles and differences in their tone and message. As seen in “I Have a Dream,” MLK has a more civilized and peaceful solution to the nation’s problems; whereas in X’s he has a will to do whatever it may take to solve the problems.
The civil rights movement in the United States has been a long, primarily nonviolent struggle to bring full civil rights and equality under the law to all Americans. It has been made up of many movements, though it is often used to refer to the struggles between 1945 and 1970 to end discrimination against African-Americans and to end racial segregation, especially in the U.S. South. It focuses on that particular struggle, rather than the comparable movements to end discrimination against other ethnic groups within the United States or those struggles, such as the women's liberation, gay liberation, and disabled rights movements, that have used similar tactics in pursuit of similar goals. The civil rights movement has had a lasting
The Civil Rights Movement is understood as the collected efforts of many different groups and individuals struggling to achieve justice and equal treatment for all Americans. Several events shaped the time period, particularly those that either showed the extent of injustice and unfair or violent treatment, as well as took direct action against injustice. Additionally, significant events were those where Civil Rights leaders could celebrate a concrete victory, such as a court decision or a change in law. Moreover, the organizing principles and philosophies of the movement changed as different leaders and
The Civil Rights Movement began with the presence of enslaved blacks in the new world (Litwack 2009) with the European societal enslavement and oppression; and still lives on today. The African American experience remains the bleakest time in the history of America. It is this story of a resilient people of color that refused to be seen as inferior and demanded equality for all. As we look at the era of slavery, it is evident that this is where activism and liberation begins.
The Civil Rights Movement’s influence has been extensive and enduring. It has transformed the American culture and society up until this present day. Even though racism has not disappeared, there is far less tolerance for racist attitudes and behavior than before the 1960s. It has occupied a large part of the American history and is still a very controversial subject today. The goal of the Civil Rights Movement was to end racial segregation and discrimination against the African Americans or as were called at that time “Negros”. African Americans also sought for federal protection of their citizenship rights and to grant them equal protection under the 13th and 14th Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. Below are three of the landmark cases heard
Malcolm X was more pessimistic in that he believed that companies would always discriminate against African Americans, and the only way to get jobs for them is to create jobs in the black community. While these solutions to the problem of joblessness in the African American community vary greatly, they both have important men backing them who want to see improvement in the living conditions of black people during that time. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most prominent leaders of the civil rights movement during the 1960s. His famous speeches were inspiring enough to convince hundreds of thousands of people to follow him in search of equality for the African Americans of this time. MLK was adamant on finding equality among white people, as opposed to Malcolm X, who wished to rise above white people. A significant problem facing African Americans in the 1960s was joblessness. Many black people were discriminated against at work, and wouldn't be given the same opportunities as people who were white. The solution that Martin Luther King, Jr. came up with was to boycott the goods of those companies that were
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” (Page Number:263, paragraph 20). This quote was from MLK Jr's I Have A Dream speech. At the time african americans were still not free so african americans started a movement for their freedom. The way they got their freedom was from changing the world with their movements and MLK Jr’s speech which inspired the world to let african americans have rights. In MLK Jr’s speech he had to get the audience on his side so he used rhetoric to provoke, calm, and inspire his audience to get what he wanted.
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
Introduction The Civil Rights Movement, one of the largest and impactful continuous social demonstrations, fought and finally won social justice for black people. The movement was composed of my people of with varying philosophies and goals, although they all ultimately demanded justice and completely desegregation, their means and method varied according to their beliefs. While Martin Luther King believed in peaceful civil demonstrations, Malcolm X recommended the usage of any method, both violent and peaceful, to reach their common goal. Yet others like A. Philip Randolph identified and pursued a different methodology of fighting for justice-- specifically economic justice.
These pronouncements share the same democratic values: liberty, equality and justice. Fidel Castro is a Cuban politician and revolutionary who served of the Republic of Cuba, Ho Chi Minh lead the independence of Vietnam, Frantz Fanon was a revolutionist and writer whose works are influential in the field of post-colonial studies and Marxism. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. are both prominent African American individuals throughout history. They were fighting for freedoms and rights in different ways, and they led different independence or movement in their country.
From the speech “I Have A Dream,” Martin Luther King addresses the audience to unite with dignity and serenity: “We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence...we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force” (King 49). King’s goal for his audience is to will rise up together in a nonviolent protest and demand equality with the whites. Even though some African Americans might want to seek revenge towards the whites, King encourages them to stay soulful because violence would just make matters worse. Additionally, Martin Luther King also proclaims “Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today….their destiny is tied with our destiny.We cannot walk alone” (King 49). In contrast of Malcolm X, King proposes that African Americans must not dislike nor hurt the whites, but work together with them in order to gain liberty for all. Without the whites’ assistance, it would be difficult for African Americans to let their voices be heard because many people had racial discrimination towards African Americans back then, and they were seen as a lower class than the whites. Therefore, Martin Luther King used his voice to encourage not only African Americans but whites to come together in harmony for the struggle of
This paper tries to focus on the cause behind the civil rights movement. Focusing on the goals of the movement. Finally, answering whither this movement has achieved its goals or not.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter…” ~MLK Jr. When we hear of this name, we think of a man who helped to overcome segregation, poverty, and violence. A man who used a non-violent stance to obtain freedom. He inspired thousands of people in the United States to act against racism, end poverty, and strive for peace. (Nieuwhof, 2017) Before he died, his famous “I have a dream…” speech captured the attention of several by describing the struggles of African Americans, how we are all supposed to be equal and finishing by telling his dream of hoping one day we will be able to live in peace.
The Civil Rights Movement was an effort by African Americans from the mid-1950s to late 1960s to achieve racial equality, including: equal opportunity in education, employment, and housing, also the right to vote, the right of equal access to public facilities, and not to be separated by racial discrimination (“History”, 2015). The Civil Rights Movement was an important historical event that influenced a number of whites who took part in this group to help African Americans gain equal rights in all