Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X During the Civil Rights Movement Reputable leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, played a significant role in raising awareness about the inequality African Americans and others faced, during the Civil Rights Movement. King is most well known as a skilled orator who encouraged nonviolence as a means to end racism. Malcolm X, on the other hand, was a strong advocate for an immediate end to racism and believed it should be ended by any means necessary. Each leader had a distinct air about him and a unique set of beliefs that set him apart from the other. Although both men wanted to achieve similar goals, their methods were different. Martin Luther King was one of the most popular faces of the Civil Rights Movement. King grew up in a middle-class family and was well educated. Later, King followed his father’s footsteps and became a reverend. As he grew older, King became a very well respected member of society, as he was a part of the church, a man with strong values, and a natural leader. When conflicts between African Americans and whites …show more content…
Although both men successfully made changes and improvements throughout the Civil Rights Movement, King’s actions left a greater impact. King became the face of the movement towards equality and justice. His positive stance and support for nonviolence proved to be successful in ending racism and segregation. His desire not to hurt people and achieve his goal through peaceful actions earned the respect of both many African Americans and whites. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is one of the most popular and notable speeches in the world. His speech emphasized how American society must treat everyone equally, in order to ensure a better future for future generations. Because of his contributions and improvements towards ending segregation and racism, King also won the Nobel Peace