The Civil Rights Movement symbolized the challenge and opposition to the racial injustices and segregation that had been engrained in American society for hundreds of years. Events that took place in the 1950s and 1960s, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington, sit-ins, speeches and numerous protests define this momentous time in United States history. Speeches during this period served as a means to inspire and assemble a specific group of people, for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X it was the black community that needed to rise up in hopes of achieving equal rights and voting rights for the blacks. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were two of the most prominent leaders and orators at the heart of …show more content…
Malcolm X and Dr. King also shared the opinion that the current political system in the United States needed reform. 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
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.
Malcolm X states that nonviolence is only taught to black people. He doesn’t favor violence but he thinks blacks should at least protect themselves if attacked by a racist. He also gives an example of KKK and states why don’t people go to the group and teach them nonviolence. The main idea is that black people should protect themselves when attacked by a racist. Malcolm’s philosophy doesn’t make sense for America because if blacks try to fight back, it is more likely that it would encourage whites and kill even more blacks.
On the issue of Violence, Malcolm X’s philosophy made the most sense for America in the 1960s. Martin Luther King believed that nonviolence was the only option for black people in the Civil Rights movement (Document L). He believed that blacks should endure the violence from whites
1960s America was a crucial point in history for American civil rights. While there were many influential people fighting for civil rights in America at the time, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are two people who continue to be very remembered for what they did to help African-Americans gain equal rights and opportunities. Martin Luther King Jr. strongly believed in using nonviolence to make a change and Malcolm X held a firm belief that people must do whatever was necessary, even if that meant using violence, to see any real difference in the issues at present. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X fought vigorously for what they believed in and made an enormous change in American civil rights, but only one idea was best for the
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were very influential civil rights advocates during the nineteen-fifties and nineteen-sixties, and continue to have an influence on people today. However, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X have quite different legacies, of which are based on quite different philosophies and tactics. To understand why Dr. King and Malcolm X had drastically different thoughts and approaches to civil rights in the United States, their lives must also be looked at — as their lives leading up to their leadership were drastically different.
Dr. Martin Luther King vs. Malcolm X Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were both black men, fighting for freedom in a white society. However, the word 'fighting' meant different things for each of them. For Malcolm X, it literally means violence, as he believed in 'an eye for an eye'. Martin Luther King, however, believed in peaceful protest, such as the Montgomery Bus Protests.
Without Martin Luther King, there is no Malcolm X. Without Malcolm X, there is no Martin Luther King. There couldn’t have been one without the other. They were complete opposites; they were two of the most different men. Nevertheless, they were fighting for the same thing. They were fighting for the civil rights of African Americans in a country thought to have been based on “freedom” and “equality”. These two men were brave enough to stand up for what they believed in, for what was right. They were brave enough to take on the weight of the responsibility and burdens they were about endure to make what was wrong, right. Equality and fairness among all types of people. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are probably the two best known African-American leaders of the last century. Since their deaths in the 60’s no one has been able to fill the shoes that these men wore in striving for the civil rights of African Americans. Both men were ministers and also victims of assassination. They became famous around the same time but, they believed in very different styles of going about how they planned on fighting for these rights. King was a peaceful man. He didn’t believe in violence, he hoped for a day where black and white men could one day call one another brothers. Malcolm X wanted African Americans to be able to take control of their own lives, by any means necessary. He was known for having believed that violence could solve problems like these. These two men, although
In looking at how the actions of two of the Blount curriculum’s selected writers influenced historical change, progress, and thought I chose to focus on their respective views of race and race relations, in particular the Civil Rights Movement. I chose to write on the two diametrically opposed civil rights activists Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. In the 1960’s the African American community became increasingly active in the struggle for civil rights. Although the concept race is an arbitrary societal construct based on the color of an individual’s skin and his or her geographic origin, it has had a profound impact not only on the founding and formation of our country but also the development modern American society. King and
The 1960s was an era of United States history that is riddled with civil disquiet. The years leading up to this era were full of racism and discrimination towards African Americans living all over the U.S. By the time that the 1960s arrived, the Civil Rights had been building in power under the guidance of several small groups. With the 1960s came to prominent leaders of the Civil Rights movement. Malcolm X advocated the use of violence to express how serious African Americans were about being treated fairly. Martin Luther King, Jr. was just as serious about proving the point, but wholly believed in the power of peacefully protesting. While the methodology of these two men couldn't be more opposite, both desired to see a change in how African
Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X are notable activists during the civil rights movement in America. They were leaders highly credited by the public. They carried similar, and different views on how to take on oppression in America. “Nonviolence: The Only Road to Freedom” (1966) by Martin Luther King and “The Ballot or the Bullet” (1964) by Malcolm X had points were they agreed with one another, points of controversy were the did not see eye to eye, and points of disagreement about violence in the civil rights movement.
In a time of progression in the United States the desire for all people to prosper and be treated equal and this led to the civil rights movement, many powerful figures rose to the public eye to push their beliefs in hopes of racial equality. When most people think of the civil rights movement of the mid-1900’s typically the person who comes to mind is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his powerful ability to unite people for the use of peaceful protests. King however, is not the only major activist leader of this time. Another man by the name of Malcolm X was also a very impactful and powerful leader in the United States civil rights movement process.
In a time of people who needed a needed a leader to guide them to the “promise land” as MLK Jr. called it. The promised land is not a place but a figure of speech referring to when freedom and justice are available to all colors of skin. Where all colors of skin can be equally educated, get the same rights, and even just the ability to sit in their local shoe store. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X both were fighting for this, but they pursued this in different ways. The similarities in their fights were they both used religion to control their protest, both were segregated as a child, and the fought for civil rights, but there may be more differences in these things than you may expect.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were two of the most prominent leaders and orators at the heart of
Many years after blacks had received citizenship and the right to vote there was still much bias against them. Because of their skin color African Americans hadn’t been treated fairly and did not have the same rights as whites. In the 1950’s the Blacks stood up and fought hard for there rights and against the unfair social system that had formed. The civil rights movement, had many protests against segregation and discrimination towards African Americans. Many different leaders help unite the blacks and gain equality. Among those were two of the most prominent and influential men throughout the movement, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Junior. Both men preached about Black strength and power during a time filled with hatred and inequality. Even though both men were very influential and had the same goals of equality their strategies differed in many ways. Although Malcolm X’s strategies do whatever needs to be done to achieve equality which included violence was very influential and persuasive Martin Luther King Jr.’s tactic of nonviolence impacted many more people and became a more well known and impactful leader.
If one man never steps forward to show all the others that change is possible, nothing will ever change. When you look back at history of the American civil rights movement, Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are still often two of the first names even someone of today’s society may think of. They were, and still are, some of the most influential men to ever live. As young African-American men living during a time of harsh global, but most importantly, national racism and prejudice; teaching effective techniques to achieve peace and equality to others was extremely difficult for Dr. King and Malcolm X.