Comparing The Views Of Martin Luther King Jr. And Malcolm X

In recent months, the debate over civil rights has once again been brought to the forefront. The call for change has not been this loud since the 1960s. At that time, it was widely agreed that there needed to be economic change in the lives of African Americans, as they were paid less than whites and often denied jobs altogether due to the color of their skin. However, there was a difference of opinion from two prominent leaders of the civil rights movement on how to bring about the desired change. Martin Luther King Jr. was of the mind that boycotting and peaceful protest was the solution to a better economic condition; alternativly, Malcolm X believed that the situation would be solved more effectively by keeping black commerce exclusivly within black communities. While both viewpoints have similarities and individual merit, I tend to favor that of Rev. King.

belived that marching and boycotting were the key to obtaining more favorable economic conditions for African Americans. He believed that the best way to fight racism is not to cooperate with it; rather, he called for peaceful resistance. Reverand King stated that when you cut into the profit margins of businesses by boycotting those ones that do not provide equal paying jobs to members of the black community, it becomes the economic necessity of those businesses to provide those jobs in order to maintain their income, thus improving the economic conditions of the black community, a view that milllions took to heart and instigated around the country. I personally agree with this position on the basis that blacks and whites working side by side would erase many false pretences between both concerned parties, and lead to a greater understanding of each other. This, in turn, would lead to an understanding that we are all equal as human beings, and the work of one is worth the same as the work of the