King Jr Vs Mlk

In the book, “Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Civil Rights Struggle of the 1950s and 1960s: A brief History with Documents” by David Howard-Pitney. The book portrays the two main figures during the Civil Rights Movement in the early to-mid 20th century. During this time, Malcolm X and MLK had different strategies in trying to achieve rights for African Americans. However, it would have been harder to achieve the Civil Rights movement without Malcolm X with his troubled childhood, his impactful speeches, and Islam religion.

From the end of Malcolm X life, he knew the end was near for him as he predicted from his father’s murder, he would have the similar fate. He has been in the Civil Rights movement far longer than MLK Jr., so he knew his time was near. He wrote a letter, representing “When I am dead - I say it that way because from the things I know, I do not expect to live long enough…” He believes America was redeemable, and could lead to unity of purpose between him and MLK Jr. even though he knew

both had different religions implemented in them at a young age. MLK Jr being a minister of the black church, while Malcolm X was a minister in the Nation of Islam. In the beginning, Malcolm X used his new found religion to preach about hatred towards white people in a radical approach, however, when he broke with the Nation of Islam in 1964 after finding out the man he looked up to committed adultery. He then starts to believe the same tactic that King used towards the same goal of promoting black respect and pride, as he says,“the goal has always been the same, with the approaches to it as different as mine and Dr. Martin Luther King’s non-violent marching.” Malcolm X illustrates that even though they had similar goals, but they handle them in different ways, while MLK Jr. religion remains the same about non violence. Leading to both of them being assasinated, fighting for what was