Martin Luther King vs Malcolm X

Two Black Leaders in a League of Their Own

African Americans are fortunate to have leaders who fought for a difference in Black America. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X are two powerful men in particular who brought hope to blacks in the United States. Both preached the same message about Blacks having power and strength in the midst of all the hatred that surrounded them. Even though they shared the same dream of equality for their people, the tactics they implied to make these dreams a reality were very different. The background, environment and philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were largely responsible for the distinctly varying responses to American racism. The early backgrounds of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. had major impact on their goal to achieve equality between all races. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born Michael Luther King in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929. He was one of three children born to Martin Luther King Sr., pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Alberta King, a former schoolteacher. Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother, Louise Norton Little, was a homemaker who stayed occupied with the family's eight children. His father, Earl Little, was an outspoken Baptist minister and avid supporter of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. King attended segregated local public grammar schools in Georgia and graduated from high school at the age of fifteen after being skipped two grade levels. King then enrolled in Adams 2
Morehouse University in 1944 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology. He furthered his education after Morehouse at Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania and at Boston University, earning his doctorate. X attended reform school in Michigan after the death of his father. Malcolm dropped out of school after graduating from junior high school at the top of his class. As the years passed Malcolm and Martin took on two different lifestyles. Martin then married Coretta Scott in 1955 and into the family born two sons and two daughters. Malcolm married on January 14, 1958 to Betty Sanders and later had six daughters. King was renamed "Martin" when he was about six years old. Malcolm considered "Little" a slave name and chose the "X" to signify his lost tribal name (Rummel 157). In 1954, Martin Luther King accepted pastoral of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Malcolm X spent his time as an Islamic minister. Death came for King on the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage workers of that city, he was assassinated (Kete 99). After, death threats and his home being firebombed, X was shot and killed at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem on
February 21, 1965, while preparing to speak. Malcolm X's despair about life was reflected in his angry, pessimistic belief that equality is impossible because Whites have no moral conscience. This bitterness and hatred toward Whites partially came from Malcolm's belief that his father was killed by the Klu Klux Klan. Martin Luther King's close family oriented background influenced his goal for a united nation. It is evident that

Adams 3 the backgrounds of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X had great influence on how they delivered their message of equality. Their unique styles were influenced by the different environments they both grew up in. King was raised in a comfortable middle-class family where education was stressed and dreams and love were generated. Martin was very intelligent in grade school and took his education and soared until he graduated from college with a doctorate degree. On the other hand, Malcolm X came from an underprivileged home. He was a self-taught man who received little schooling and rose to greatness on his own intelligence and determination. Malcolm always made it clear, "Although I am not educated, nor am I an expert in any particular field… but I am sincere and my sincerity is my credential" (Rummel 122). Malcolm was a smart, focused student in grade school until one day he lost interest. One of his favorite teachers told him his dream of becoming a lawyer was "no realistic goal for a nigger," Malcolm then dropped out after the eighth grade and started a new life selling drugs (Rummel 122). Their educational environment determines why they responded to the equality for Blacks differently. Martin Luther King was born into a family whose name in Atlanta was well established. Despite segregation, Martin Luther King's parents ensured that their child was secure and happy. King's dreamlike home helped nature his sense of self worth and shaped his strong values. However, Malcolm X was raised in a completely different atmosphere than King. He lived in an atmosphere of fear and anger because of is father's involvement with the Universal Negro Improvement Association. As a result, Malcolm and his family had to relocate to Lansing, Michigan because the Klu Klux Klan burned Adams 4 down their home in Omaha, Nebraska. Not too long after continuous death threats, Malcolm's father was murdered. His mother later suffered from a nervous breakdown and was put into a mental institution. Malcolm X's siblings were split up sent to foster homes. He was haunted by this early nightmare for most of his life and was driven by hatred and a desire for revenge (Rummel 123). Malcolm believed he grasped the concept of life at a young age stating, "…Early in life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise" (Rummel 123). By 1942, Malcolm took on a major turn in his life. Both Martin and Malcolm had very different ways of promoting their message. King had a passive approach. Some have said that this non-violent approach came from his safe, middle class environment (Kete 97). Malcolm X had a much more extremist approach. According to Jack Rummel's book, many say that this approach came from his neglectful childhood and early adulthood (123). Based on their backgrounds it clearly explains why they had such different approaches to the fight for equality. The people admired the many differences in the beliefs and speeches of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. While Martin Luther King's main goal was for a non-violence end to all racial segregation, Malcolm believed in "by whatever means necessary" to accomplish a separate nation. King's family history of pastoral ship at the Ebenezer Baptist Church was the basis for his positive attitude towards Blacks having equality with Whites. Malcolm's conversion to the Muslim religion, while in jail, had an effect on his belief of separatist worlds for Blacks and Whites. Martin Luther King was "A peaceful leader who urged non-violence to his followers. He traveled about the Adams 5 country giving speeches that inspired Blacks and Whites to work together for racial harmony" (Kete 97). Malcolm X believed that non-violence and integration was a trick by the Whites to keep Blacks in their place and only through revolution and force could Blacks attain their rightful place in society (Rummel 124). He was furious with White racism and encouraged his followers through his speeches to rise up and protest against their White enemies (124). It was not until Malcolm broke away from Elijah Mohammed, that King and Malcolm's philosophies became more alike and Malcolm wanted to join forces with King. Malcolm now shared the same beliefs as Martin emphasizing unity and non-violent sabotage through Black pride and respect for oneself, rather then through revenge and hate (Rummel 125). Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X are both remembered as strong leaders who shared an equal dream that one day their people would be free from racism and oppression. They believed in this dream so strongly they sacrificed their lives for it. Today, both men legacy lives on and is being carried out by their love ones. They had the same goal in mind about Black respect and pride, but were different in addressing their message. Personally, the life of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King has inspired me. Their determination and strong will to fight for something they believed in encouraged me to fight for my belief in God and values as a Black person. They also help me realize if you want something in life you have to go after it and that is what I did with furthering my education. One should use Malcolm and Martin as examples to not let anything in life get in the way of what you stand for. Even though Malcolm and Martin did not live to see their dream come true their deaths were not in vain. Although Black Adams 6
America still have a long way to go in overcoming racism, we have accomplished a lot in gaining rights since the death of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.