Similarities Between Martin Luther King Jr And Malcolm X

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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 is a book that explores a spectrum of documents and speeches contrasting between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Both of them are prominent throughout the Civil Rights Movement. It emphasized that Martin Luther King Jr. stressed that African-Americans could strive for equality without the use of violence. On the contrary, Malcolm X was a leader that condoned the use of violence to uprise against racism towards African-Americans. As the chapters progressed in the book, it unraveled that both leaders still passionately believed in their own morals of performing their leadership. Although Malcolm …show more content…

Martin Luther King Jr. is most famously known for his I Have a Dream speech. It was given in front of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963 during the March of Washington. King emphasized throughout the speech that he “had a dream…one day little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers…not be judged by the color of their skin…that all men are created equal (p.106).” The main message portrayed everybody of all races joining hands and rejoicing in the freedom everybody possesses, emitting a more tranquil environment. On the other hand, Malcolm X opposed this theoretical view of society and decreed his own views and attitudes towards Whites. Based on the title alone, it blatantly forecasts a negative perspective. It evoked to the people that violence is necessary to bring justice for the African-Americans, highlighting that White people “is the devil with arrogance,…rapists during slavery…[and] so guilty of white supremacy that [he] can’t hide his guilt by trying to accuse the Muslims of teaching black supremacy and hate (p.108-109)!” While Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned a communal society with all races joining hands, Malcolm X viewed that White people were vile and primal, subject to punishment and for African-Americans to become aware of