Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X – So Similar yet So Different

The Civil Rights movement in the United States was a long struggle that sought to win equality for every American under the law. The movement spanned many years of heartache and violence as it exposed the racism and segregation that had taken hold of the nation. It was during this struggle that two great men stepped forward to lead. Although their methods of leadership were different, their goal was the same – equality for all African-American. These two men, two great African-American heroes, were named Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Martin Luther King Jr., born on January 15, 1929 as Michael King, was a pastor, activist, humanitarian and leader in the Civil Right Movement. He led many protests, namely the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 and the 1963 March on Washington, at which he delivered his famous “I have a Dream” speech. The Montgomery Bus Boycott was in direct relation to Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on a bus. The Boycott was effective as the US District Court ruled to end racial segregation on all Montgomery public buses. Similarly, Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little and later known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, was a Muslim minister and human rights activist. He was most recognized for his courageous advocating for the rights of black Americans and his words are believed to have been fodder for the Black Panther Party who sought to fight against police brutality against blacks. Both Dr. King and Malcolm X shared the same goal of securing equality for all African-Americans. They were relentless in their desire to ensure that racial segregation was ended and that blacks were assimilated into the country so that could share the opportunities offered to everyone else in the nation. Unfortunately, these goals were the only similarities that these great mean shared. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a peaceful man who believed that non-violent disobedience was the best way to show displeasure. As a Christian, although he was passionate about seeking equal rights for blacks in America, he was also firm in his desire to not create or encourage harmful behaviors. He was keen on staging peaceful sit-ins and boycotts, and would seek to give over to reason rather than emotion. Malcolm X was the opposite. He believed that the only way to be heard was to be violent and aggressive in his actions. He also believed in the segregation of blacks and whites, but on the level of blacks being superior and whites being inferior. Many of his speeches encouraged blacks to protect themselves “by any means necessary” and he was not shy about calling peaceful protestors such as Dr. King “chumps”, “cowards” and “uncle toms”. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X made remarkable strides in securing equality for African-Americans. Despite their differences, they both preached messages that helped to raise the self-esteem of blacks who had been oppressed for most of their lives. Both of these heroes helped to create a new movement of involved and educated African-Americans who are conscientious, hard-working and grateful for their freedom. It is important to note that in Malcolm X’s later years, he admitted that his days of aggression were caused by ignorance when he was part of the Muslim faith. It was after he left that faith that he was able to recognize the error in many of his ways and to see the value in Dr. King’s dream of unity. Works Cited
African-American Civil Rights Movement, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2014. .
Martin Luther King, Jr., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2014. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.>.
Malcolm X, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2014. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X>.