Compare And Contrast Martin Luther King Jr And Malcolm X

Throughout America’s history there has been many influential leaders who have strived to make a difference. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X both became key figures during the Civil Rights Movement. Each of their religious beliefs influenced them to stand up and demand a change. Although these two men differed in religious beliefs, their faith helped guide them into the strong, substantial leaders they became. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man of faith. His beliefs, and actions stem from his religious upbringing and active participation in the church. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. His father being a co-pastor at a Baptist church exposed King to the religion’s ideals and beliefs (Nobelprize.org).

Malcolm Little, now known as Malcolm X, emerged as a leader through his religion. Unlike King, Malcolm X had a rough child hood, experiencing the brunt of racism and hatred towards blacks. On May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska Malcolm Little was born into this world. Malcolm Little, soon to be Malcolm X, was the son outspoken Baptist minister Earl Little. Malcom’s father was an avid supporter of the Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. The public display of support toward Garvey was met with countless death threats to the Little family. Before Malcolm’s fourth birthday the family had been forced to relocate twice due to death threats from the Black Legion, a white supremacist organization. In 1929, regardless of effort to avoid the Black Legion, their house in Lansing, Michigan was burnt to the ground and then two years later Malcolm’s father was found dead lying across trolley track; police ruled both as “accidents” and no one was held responsible (malcolmx.com). As a result of Malcolm’s father’s death his mother, Louise Little, broke down mentally and was submitted to a mental institution. At the age of twenty-one, after going through numerous foster care programs, dropping out of high school, as messing around with drugs, Malcolm was given a lengthy prison sentence for burglary and possession of illegal firearms (Kennedy). In prison Malcolm found religion and focused on dedicating himself to the Nation of Islam.At a young age his father was killed and shortly after his death, Louise Little, his mother, was sent to an institution due to nervous breakdowns. X became a ward of the court, and was forced to be raised in white foster homes (Malcolm X, Autobiography). As he grew older he found him self in more and more trouble. He was sent to prison for burglary, which is where X was introduced to the Nation of Islam (NOI). NOI promoted