Preview

How Important Was Martin Luther King Compared to Malcolm X? Essay Example

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2110 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Important Was Martin Luther King Compared to Malcolm X? Essay Example
How important was Martin Luther King compared to Malcolm X?

During the 1920’s/1930’s, black Americans faced a huge amount of discrimination from the whites and found if very difficult to achieve civil rights. They were at one stage deprived of the right to vote, not being entitled to the same things as whites, and not going to the same schools as whites. In order for blacks to achieve civil rights they needed someone to follow, they needed a leader. Many black leaders did emerge for the fight of civil rights. Two of the most powerful influential leaders of the twentieth century were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. These two leaders had different methods and strategies, and very different views towards white people, but fought for the same thing.

Martin Luther King was a pacifist, as he strongly disagreed in the use of any violence. This is made clear in source four, which is an example of what King achieved, in a peaceful protest.
This source is from the civil rights movement, and it is about the incident of Rosa Parks. Rosa Parks was travelling on a local bus when a white woman asked her to give up her seat, and she refused, this is because she was ‘tired of giving in’ to racism. She was then arrested later that day. Martin Luther King then decided to lead a boycott of buses, which is when King first step into leading a civil rights movement, raising his profile as a leader, and his importance into the civil rights movement.

Malcolm X believed in violence, and criticized King’s beliefs and methods. This is because he felt that King wasn’t doing enough for the black community, and that violence would make it happen faster. In source 14, Malcolm X gives his opinions on violence and non violence, ‘You haven’t got a revelation that doesn’t involve bloodshed. And you’re afraid to bleed. I said, you’re afraid to bleed.’ It could be argued that Malcolm feels that most black people are cowardly and are failing to stand up for themselves. He also believes

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    One of Spike Lee unique moments in the movie that was also in the book was about Malcolm X mother. In the book, it quotes Malcolm X saying, “I have rarely talked to anyone about my mother”. In the movie, Malcolm was in a bar in Harlem where a white man approached him; the white man called Malcolm a nigger and a boy. Malcolm X did really pay him any attention until the white man said “What you going to do, go home back to your momma. When the white man said that it angered Malcolm and he picked up a beer bottle and hit the white man in the head. Then he said, “Don’t ever talk about my momma.” The book and movie both conveyed the same love Malcolm had for his mother but in different ways.…

    • 427 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jackpot, lucky seven and snake eyes, these are just a few words that fill the air in a casino. A casino is the place to gamble money in order to make quick change. Just like the 1960s, people gambled their time and lives away in order to change the world. While there are many who gambled for racial equality, two were extremely good at it. Their names were Malcom X, and Martin Luther King Jr. Though there methods were different, they both made change. Although the change made isn’t money, but a change in the people in order for them to strive for racial equality. Evidently, when Malcom begins to guide the people, he becomes a card dealer instead of the gambler, making the people gamble at his ideas. Therefore when Malcom X gives his speech, like a dealer in a casino, he…

    • 1045 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Racism, segregation, and Unfair treatment thrive two great leaders to make a difference; Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. Dr. King used religious background to influence his campaign in civil disobedience influenced by Gandhi's methods of nonviolence. Whereas Malcolm X wanted to completely split from the white America altogether with the black panther party. However, MLK proved to be more appealing through his use of pathos and logos to convey universal togetherness along with non-violent protesting.…

    • 633 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    With many different views it is difficult to remember Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were both fighting the same war for the same people. King and Malcolm X fought the same battle using different methods. Both wanted to end racism and discrimination. King agreed with Malcolm X that Blacks had to love themselves. Both were instilled with a hope for a better day, society and world. King dreamed of a society of peace, freedom, justice, and equality. They became role models for African-American youth and achieved much with their efforts. They introduced self-pride to their people. Both methods were effective. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were both great men who died trying to make their home and country better but in the end both men’s…

    • 132 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    His militant advocacy of self-defense that deprives African Americans of basic human rights, helped radicalized other black leaders of the civil rights movement. The X in Malcolm x name represents the unknown name of his African ancestors and their culture that had been lost during slavery. The reason why Malcolm X did not believe in non-violence Because Martin Luther King Jr’s peaceful approach at gaining civil rights and failed, so many blacks including Malcolm X believed that to gain power they needed to make something happen, which turned out to be violence.(Johnson 12) Also Malcolm x believe in the right of African Americans. He wanted to show the crimes that the white people in America were doing against the African Americans. He also wanted to bring attention to the important things performed by African Americans. The reason why he is important because he wanted to reach out to young Americans that felt like the civil right was not achieving anything and he made civil right a civil right movement. Malcolm X view of violence was if anyone uses violence on you first then you should always defend yourself with the violence that is being used to keep you alive.…

    • 562 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Fred Hampton began to fight for their rights and stop the criminalization and dehumanization that has been put upon this race based on the color of their skin they became the biggest threat to the United states. In fact, through this humans rights movement Martin Luther King Jr. was seen as the greatest criminal by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Black Panthers, which at the time were only a small group of activists were also seen as a huge threat to the United States. Being a criminal and getting arrested was now seen as a noble thing, something that happens when you fight for your rights. Through this massive movement, the civil rights act and the voting act finally gave the people some type of promise of the possibility of equality. However at the same time crime rates were increasing as well. Once the war on drugs began it was evident that once again this was not a war solely on drugs but on race. Powder cocaine was associated with the upper class while crack cocaine was associated with the lower class and specifically with the African American communities, most interesting was the fact that the possession of crack cocaine was viewed as a worse crime in comparison to powdered cocaine when in reality they should have been treated…

    • 1411 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Starting in the mid 1950’s and continuing through the late 1960’s, the African Civil Rights Movement made historic strides regarding the equality of black and white citizens. As any such groundbreaking movement, there were moments of both peace and violence, from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to the New York City Race Riots of 1964. Perhaps the most influential and well-known leader of the Civil Rights Movement was Martin Luther King Jr. He lobbied for equal rights for African Americans, while also promoting peaceful protests and a message of non-violence in general. However, it would be incorrect to cite MLK as the only influential African American figure during the time. Malcolm X, the Black Panther Party, and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee also contributed the great strides of the movement that resulted in the Civil Rights act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. However, while these 3 figures/parties all dealt with the racial…

    • 857 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Even though some people thought that Malcolm X was an “uncompromising” leader, he was a very vital participant in the civil rights movement. He didn’t follow the nonviolent movement. “Instead of nonviolence in the face of anti-black attacks, he called for self-defense” (Ali, para.3). This supports his famous quote “by any means necessary”. According to Zaheer Ali, X wanted to bring all African-American people together and create a…

    • 470 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malcolm´s stance on violence would be considered relative to the Black Panthers. On page 7 it states, ¨I dont favor violence, if we could bring about recognition and respect of our people by peaceful means, well and good. Everybody would like to reach this objectives¨ because he did not condone violence, but self defense, which you do upon what others do to you. He was open minded to peace, but, from the looks of it, peace was not going to solve this refusal for African Americans rights. This type of thinking can be seen in Durkheim´s theory, he believed that all countries and movements that are dissimilar from the white society, will end up being forced into existence by violence. Furthermore Malcolm explains on page 7, ¨He continually expose the real source of violence as the oppressor not the oppressed. How could the American government, preach nonviolence to black.¨ Brother Malcolm is explaining his being the oppressed African American, he realizing that the person brings the most violence is the whites who are trying to oppress our black community.…

    • 671 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mlk Vs Malcolm X Essay

    • 1126 Words
    • 5 Pages

    During the fifties and sixties, two main figureheads campaigned for equal African American civil rights, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Although both aimed to end the divide of inequality and racism, they went about in leading this change in very different ways. Malcolm X was influenced by his hate of white supremacy and need racial separation, yet equality, through any means necessary. While Martin Luther King Jr was motivated by his want for racial equality and complete integration through peace. Both leaders used public speeches and their faith to influence the public however King focused on success through peaceful protest and civil disobedience, while Malcolm X believed in pushing where it hurt and forcing whites to accept blacks as…

    • 1126 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Why Was Malcolm X Unjust

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Malcolm was a strong believer of self defense . He was known for causing violent protest and many ridiculed him for his past which was full of crime. Malcolm told his followers that they needed to defend themselves to the fullest by any means necessary. When asked about the issue he said "It is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself, when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks. It is legal and lawful to own a shotgun or a rifle. We believe in obeying the law." Malcolm X was taught by his Muslim leader that beloved that the white man was the devil . However after going on a trip to Mecca he was enlightened and saw that the blacks and whites there loved each other and tested each other like they were of the same color. He later returned to the US with a changed heart and went about creating peace with…

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    If we react to racism with a violent reaction, to me that’s not racism. Yours is racism, but my reaction has nothing to do with racism”. Malcolm X reacted to racism with a very negative perspective. He handled situations by respecting everyone, being courteous and obeying the law, but when someone was racist he became forceful and violent. He thought that the only way African Americans could stop racism was that he had to establish their own race entirely separate from white Americans.…

    • 515 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malcolm X Argument

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages

    He also believes that hate that was seen among black people is a reaction to the hate of society that has rejected them. When Malcolm was asked if the God of Muslims and of the Jews and the Christians ate the same God? Malcolm believed and said that “If they believe in the same God who created the universe, then we all believe in the same God.” Malcolm meant by this that we are all the same and believe in the same God but might call God with different names according to the religion but does not change the fact that we all believe in one God. He also believes in a society in which people can live like human beings on the basis of quality. He wanted the African Americans to be treated in the same way and have their rights as human beings because that’s what they…

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Malcom X a leader notable for his work through the Nation of Islam during the Civil Rights Movement was a firm Believer in self-defense or defense which is defined by Webster’s dictionary as “the act of defending someone or something from attack” and this way of thinking, which is only human nature has labeled him with the stereotype of being violent and menacing. Malcom X not only stood for the rights of blacks but the rights of all during a speech he gave in New York he was quoted as saying “We are not fighting for integration, nor are we fighting for separation. We are fighting for recognition as human beings. We are fighting for . . . human rights." (Speech in New York, 1964) And this part of his philosophy and him are not talked about, what is widely discussed and debated is his moto “by any means necessary” meaning that he was will do what it takes to get where he wanted African Americans to be to be in society, he also spoke on revolution principles saying "Revolution is bloody, revolution is hostile, revolution knows no compromise, revolution overturns and destroys everything that gets in its way." (Malcolm X: quote on revolution) this statement has been true throughout history, for there to be a revolution there must be sacrifice and the ones that sacrificed themselves where Blacks standing up for their rights and trying to prove that they’re not what society pictures them to be “As Malcolm X toured the nation in the early 1960s promoting the Nation of Islam, the civil rights movement, one of his favorite topics, reached full force. Malcolm X regularly attacked one of the fundamental goals of the civil rights struggle: integration. Instead he endorsed separatism, advocating that each African American "should be focusing his every effort toward building his own businesses, and decent homes for himself . . . patronize their own kind, hire their own kind,…

    • 2361 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Malcolm X

    • 1013 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Malcolm X believed that integration wasn’t the answer to American Negro’s problems. He believed that “no sane black man really wants integration! No sane white man really wants integration!” (250) It is this belief that Malcolm X proceeded to share among his fellow blacks. At this time in the United States there was a major drive for racial integration; however, Malcolm X was calling for racial separation. He believed that the civil rights gains made in America were not true and sincere. He criticized those African Americans who used nonviolence in order to achieve integration and advocated self-defense in the face of white violence. He urged black people to…

    • 1013 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays