Ideologies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X The Civil Rights Movement 1950s and1960s consisted of the efforts made by Civil rights activist to end racial segregation and discrimination. Even though basic civil rights for African America where granted through the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments of the United States Constitution (Franklin, 535-536). However, Jim Crow laws and institutionalized racism continued to oppress African Americans decades later and considered them second class citizen. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X are probably the most prominent African American civil rights leaders of the 20th century.
Both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr were civil right leaders who were well respected for their ideas. However, they had differences that would impact the success of their initiatives. Malcolm X had superior solutions for a strong centralized black community and a stable black economy, while King’s ideas made more sense in terms of his nonviolent philosophy and push for an integrated education system. Whiles Martin Luther King, Jr’s idea about blacks and whites together would work in a perfect society,America was far from a perfect society in the 1960s.
MLK vs. Malcolm X In the 1960’s there was racism around every corner in America. The Civil Rights movement took place during the 1960’s, Two key figures in the movement were Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Two significant speeches given by Dr.King and Malcolm X that show their beliefs are Dr.King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech and Malcolm X’s ‘Response to Nonviolent Revolution’. In Malcolm X’s speech he makes a good argument for his claim that they have to be violent for a revolution, but Dr.King has a better argument for the claim that they should remain nonviolent. Two things that makes Dr.King’s argument better is his strong use of rhetorical devices and appeals.
Though both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were initially fighting for equality, the manner each fought with was completely opposite. Malcolm believed in getting civil rights through violence while King strongly stood firm in his nonviolent approach. Martin Luther King believed that handling a situation with a non violent approach would be more powerful. As stated in document 6, he proposed to African Americans refusing to buy products that were produced by the white Americans who did not support civil rights. This would cut into the amount of profit that a company makes and would speak louder than acting out of anger and hate.
Tyler Solomon Professor Teague HIST1152 April 7, 2024 Civil Rights Paper During the twentieth century, the United States was a battleground for African Americans as they fought for civil rights while defining their different visions of freedom and liberation. These debates were not only verbal confrontations but were also shown through texts and speeches that offered competing visions of freedom. For example, Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and his "Where Do We Go From Here" speech outlined a philosophy of nonviolent resistance and a call for economic and social equality.
Both Martin Luther King and Malcom X set out to change the future of African Americans. Although their intentions were for the betterment of their race, one man chose to use his words to make a difference, while the other chose more aggressive means. Their ways of getting their messages to be heard were extremely different. Malcom X was feared by many, while Martin Luther King was loved by many.
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King both insisted on equality, but their ideas on how to achieve equality and advance the Civil Rights Movement clashed. Malcolm X challenged the conventional methods of the Civil Rights Movement, especially the nonviolent approach presented by Martin Luther King Jr. (Malcolm X). Malcolm’s approach was less successful because white Americans could say that black people are violent, even though they are just defending themselves. Moreover, Malcolm’s philosophy was similar to that of Booker T. Washington’s. Malcolm tried to establish economic independence, reconnect African Americans with their heritage, and promote African American self determination (Burnett).
Selene Maldonado Lopez Dr. Brandon Wolfe- Hunnicutt History 3640 27 October 2015 Martin Luther King Jr. vs. Malcom X The Civil Rights Movement was a period of awakening, conflict, and influence. The strength and intensity of the movement was due prominently to the poignant and prophetic discourse of its two most prominent leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. These men helped lead to create a sense of distinctiveness by expressing compacted problems to discourse, direct courses of action, and hope for a future of freedom and equality in America.
The differences and similarities between Martin Luther King Jr's speech and Malcolm X's speech are what brought their powers together and what they had done to help the black community. The first piece of evidence that I have of their similarities is where it says in MLK Jr's speech that he wants to have peace and not to cause any more problems than there already. Therefore they have the same inconsequential ending to the problem that would help all of the black community. Although Malcolm has the same goal as MLK, that doesn't mean that they solve the problem the same way. The goal of peace and to have rights happens to be the same as Malcolm X's.
A political philosophy is a systematic set of beliefs and values that shape one's understanding of the ideal society, government, and citizen state relations. It highlights ideas on human nature, morality, justice, and power, guiding one's stance on political issues. Through a political philosophy, individuals can evaluate and address societal problems and work towards a more just and fair society. During the 1940-60's, African Americans faced segregation, discrimination, and violence, with limited access to education, employment, and political power, leading to widespread discontent and frustration. Although both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X played crucial roles in the Civil Rights Movement, King's philosophy of nonviolent resistance
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are two profound African American figures in history. They both fought for equality and to better humanity. But, the tactics they used were very different. Their different views may have been rooted from the where they were raised. Martin Luther King Jr. grew up in a middle class family and received a very solid education.
The 1960s served as a hotbed for tension between whites and African-Americans in the United States. Police brutality, segregation, intimidation, and other forms of social injustice was all too common. Martin Luther King is perhaps the most famous civil rights activist while Malcolm X was not quite as popular as King. MLK believed in the integration of races to make a common brotherhood. King is quoted as saying “...With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to climb up for freedom together…”
Jesse Owens said, “We all have dreams, but in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” In order to change an entire nation’s view of racial equality. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X utilized the only resources that they had as they fought against an entire society: their philosophy, morals, and hope. Although Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X adopted different strategies as they tried to rally a group of men and women worn down from centuries of hopelessness and racism. Both men were able to take the first step towards racial equality.
The civil rights movement of the 1960s was a long-due struggle by African Americans to gain rights equal to those of whites. They wanted fair treatment, equal employment opportunity, the right to vote, and other rights that white Americans got to enjoy under the U.S. Constitution that declared equality for all. (Unless you’re black). Activist leaders had two approaches to this: complete nonviolence, or equality by any means necessary. Two civil rights leaders of the time who epitomize these philosophies are Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
Dr. Martin Luther King came to prominence as black civil rights activist. He advocated for the right of People of Color through the philosophy of “Change without violence.” When he saw that the levels of racial discrimination was rising tremendously, he delivered his renown speech, “Nonviolence: the only road to freedom” to show to the white violent oppressors that the ideal of racial injustice is illegal, corrupt as well as immoral (King, 8). Malcom X was also a civil rights activist who fought for the rights of the African American. He started his own group fighting for civil rights activism when he felt that the existing civil rights movement was making limited progress.
