...Reading the Nonviolent excerpts, the two chosen to write about are Malcolm X and Martin Luther King. It seems that the two men only agreed upon one idea, which is, bettering the life for African Americans in America, alternatively, having two different views on how to achieve this goal. Malcolm X was not a radical. However, he voiced different views during the Civil Rights Movements. It is believed by a majority of educated African Americans that if Malcolm was a radical so was every white American that murdered African Americans before as well as through the duration of the Civil Rights Movement. Moreover, Malcolm X was not violent. He believed in self-defense. Self-defense only when an act of crime was being done against an individual,...
Words: 645 - Pages: 3
...December 2, 2013 The Fight for Equality In the 1950's and 1960's there was many inequalities that really held back many people from especially the African Americans to have the right of being just like everyone else. But as well all know the white refused to give those type of right to them. So this is when the African Americans would start to take a stand for one another in a Civil Rights Movement lead by many African American activists such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Eisenhower. These Americans stood up for what they knew was right not only for them but fir the good of their people. Martin Luther King Jr. immediate purpose was to convince Americans across the country to embrace racial equality and to further strengthen the resolve of those already involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Audiences could really embrace these words that Dr. King was saying in his "I Have A Dream" speech. Though audiences' purposes are not as easily summarized to the fact of the racial inequality towards the whites and African Americans. Some at the time may have sought to be inspired by Dr. King. Opponents to racial equality who heard his speech may have listened for the purpose of seeking to find ways to further argue against racial equality. Audiences since then may have used Dr. King's speech to educate or to advocate for other social justice issues. Eisenhower also having to do with acting to those same ideas of inequality. Eisenhower viewed civil rights as a local opinion...
Words: 1179 - Pages: 5
...day-to-day parenting and basic schooling have greatly begun to undervalue and fail to encourage reading. Malcolm X was a major advocate for the power of literature, as well as the knowledge that emerges from a well read individual's mind. In a personal essay from his biography, the civil rights leader discusses the pleasure that reading can provide as well as the craving for knowledge it invokes, however, in today’s world of endless distractions it’s extremely likely he would have faced many...
Words: 639 - Pages: 3
...Rhetorical Analysis of the “Ballot or the Bullet” and “Somebody Blew Up America” The purpose of this essay to compare and contrast the rhetoric in Amira Baraka’s “Somebody Blew up America” and Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet in regards to ethos, pathos, and logos. Amiri Baraka, born Everett LeRoi Jones, was an African-American writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essays, and music criticism. Baraka read his poem “Somebody Blew up America?” on the September 11th attacks and was heavily criticized for anti-Semitism and attacks on public figures. His poem is free verse and has no set structure but maintains its rhythmic elements for oral sharing. The poem was meant to be shared orally so that Baraka would be able to emphasize and share lines specifically for an audience. Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, was an African-American Muslim minister...
Words: 1322 - Pages: 6
...The Civil Rights Movement was the struggle of African-Americans in the 1950’s through the 1960’s to achieve equality between the minority and the majority in the United States. During this time, many African-Americans were restricted the rights to enact in laws such as equal opportunity in employment, housing, education, and even the right to vote. The goal that the African-Americans had hoped to achieve, was that the Jim Crow Laws would be inevitably suppressed. The Jim Crow Laws, or Black Codes, was presented to the states by government officials stating that local laws could enforce racial segregation in Southern United States. African-Americans were forced to use separate bathrooms and water fountains labeled “black”, they were told to sit in the back of the bus...
Words: 2015 - Pages: 9
...The Assassination of Malcolm X Stephanie Wright HIS/145 February 10, 2014 Joseph Pirrelli The Assassination of Malcolm X I have been given the privilege to follow the life of Malcolm X. In my entries I will attempt to be as accurate and precise as I follow his life. The days to follow are my thoughts, views and findings. Let me start at the beginning. Born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925 as Malcolm Little. The son of Reverend Earl and Louise Little. Reverend Little was a Baptist minister and an advocate of Marcus Garvey. I guess it is safe to say that Malcolm had the blood of an activist. Rev. Little moved his family to Lansing when their house was burned down mysteriously. Rev. Little after having an argument with his wife was found dead in 1931. His head was severely bashed and his torso was cut almost in two by a streetcar. His death was reported a suicide but the community felt like it he was murdered. The stress of raising 6 children alone was too much for Louise to bare. She was declared insane and was placed in an institution in 1939. At 14 years old Malcolm’s life began to take a turn. After working odd job after odd job he finally found a job with the New Haven Railroad. He was fired from this job as well. He began to partake in the life of petty larceny and was eventually caught. After being found guilty he was sentenced to prison. In prison he began to educate himself and he converted to the Islamic faith. In 1952 Malcolm was released from prison...
Words: 994 - Pages: 4
...Berkeley Preparatory School Jim Brown’s Role in Shaping Perceptions of Athletes as Advocates for Social Change. Arjun Tummala Honors US History - H Block Mr. Kurt Wahlgren March 15, 2024 To what extent did the activism of Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown shape perceptions of athletes as advocates for social change? Table of Contents:. Introduction Jim Brown's Emergence as an Activist Public Perceptions and Reactions Legacy and Influence on Athlete Activism Tainted Legacy Conclusion. Both historically and contemporarily, professional athletes have gained popularity not solely for their exceptional abilities within their respective sports, but also for...
Words: 2948 - Pages: 12
...Under the Surface I believe the American flag symbolizes unity, freedom, and a strong nation. Red represents hardiness and valor, white represents hope, purity, and innocence, and blue represent vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Since 9-11, America has been filled with hatred and the blame went on more than just a few of people but on an entire religion. Often times Muslims that has no affiliation with the attack has been categorize as terrorist. The Islamic as a whole is a great faith for one to follow but a small group associated with the religion has caused much shame to the community. Al-Qaeda is a militant Islamist organization founded by Osama bin Landen in the late 1980s, which was the terrorist organization solely responsible for the attack of 9-11. Al-Qaeda has redefined the way we look at the Islamic religion. Al-Qaeda is the reason many Americans view the Islamic religion in such a negative way and classifies all Muslims as terrorists. Al-Qaeda is a political movement with a demonstrated military ability, which has sought to bypass the state while co-opting its attributes and channeling its resources (Mohamedou 42). The organization, which coalesced in Afghanistan under the initial troika leadership of Palestinian teacher Abdallah Azzam, Egyptian surgeon Ayman al Dhawahiri, and Saudi businessman Osama Bin Laden in August 1989, was born more in context of a major international armed conflict, namely the Soviet Union’s failed take –over...
Words: 1392 - Pages: 6
...THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY MALCOLM X DUE: 27TH APRIL 2011 . "By any means necessary. I'm for freedom. I 'm for a society in which our people are recognized and respected as human beings, and I believe that we have the right to resort to any means necessary to bring that about." -Malcolm X. ABSTRACT As part of the leadership seminar requirements, I was supposed to choose a book from the assigned books to review. This paper seeks to successfully review the leadership approach of Malcolm X. It highlights the main themes of the book and states the arguments of agreement and disagreement with the author. It also seeks to construct the portrait of leadership style of Malcolm X, discusses his strengths and weaknesses. In addition, lessons and personal insights I discovered during my course of reading are included in the review. I chose to review the autobiography of Malcolm X because he was unique revolutionary. He was not afraid to say things that needed to be heard. Also through him, many African Americans were able to stand together and fight for their rights. Another inspiring reason is the fact he continued his struggle for equality despite the numerous death threats on his life and his family. This quality of selflessness, the concern for the welfare of others I believe is essential for leaders to have. People were empowered by his speeches and honesty. SUMMARY OF THE BOOK The autobiography of Malcolm X is a compilation of a series of interviews between Malcolm X and Alex Haley. The...
Words: 4137 - Pages: 17
...years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans in Southern states still inhabited a starkly unequal world of disenfranchisement, segregation and various forms of oppression, including race-inspired violence. “Jim Crow” laws at the local and state levels barred them from classrooms and bathrooms, from theaters and train cars, from juries and legislatures. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the “separate but equal” doctrine that formed the basis for state-sanctioned discrimination, drawing national and international attention to African Americans’ plight. In the turbulent decade and a half that followed, civil rights activists used nonviolent protest and civil disobedience to bring about change, and the federal government made legislative headway with initiatives such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Many leaders from within the African American community and beyond rose to prominence during the Civil Rights era, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Andrew Goodman and others. They risked—and sometimes lost—their lives in the name of freedom and equality. Advertisement Freedom MarchPlay video Freedom March Bet You Didn't Know: Rosa ParksPlay video Bet You Didn't Know: Rosa Parks Condoleezza Rice: Memories of Dr. KingPlay video Condoleezza Rice: Memories of Dr. King BACKGROUND Because large segments of the populace–particularly African-Americans, women, and men without property–have not always...
Words: 2087 - Pages: 9
...The Basics on the Civil Right Movement Because large segments of the populace--particularly African-Americans, women, and men without property--have not always been accorded full citizenship rights in the American Republic, civil rights movements, or "freedom struggles," have been frequent features of the nation's history. In particular, movements to obtain civil rights for black Americans have had special historical significance. Such movements have not only secured citizenship rights for blacks but have also redefined prevailing conceptions of the nature of civil rights and the role of government in protecting these rights. The most important achievements of African-American civil rights movements have been the post-Civil War constitutional amendments that abolished slavery and established the citizenship status of blacks and the judicial decisions and legislation based on these amendments, notably the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision of 1954, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Moreover, these legal changes greatly affected the opportunities available to women, nonblack minorities, disabled individuals, and other victims of discrimination. The modern period of civil rights reform can be divided into several phases, each beginning with isolated, small-scale protests and ultimately resulting in the emergence of new, more militant movements, leaders, and organizations. The Brown decision demonstrated that the litigation...
Words: 1943 - Pages: 8
...process was long and tenuous in many countries, and many of these movements did not fully achieve their goals although, the efforts of these movements did lead to improvements in the legal rights of previously oppressed groups of people. Table of Contents Malcolm X…………………………..pg. 3 - 5 Martin Luther King Jr. ……………pg. 6-7 Rosa Parks ………………………….pg. 8- 10 Stokely Carmichael…………………pg. 11-14 Marcus Garvey………………………pg. 15-17 Frederick Douglass…………………..pg. 18-20 John Brown…………………………pg. 21- 23 Medgar Evers ………………………pg. 24- 25 Nat Turner…………………………..pg. 26- 27 Homer Plessy……………………..pg. 28-30 Malcolm X [pic] Malcolm X May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965), born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz,was an African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers, he was a courageous advocate for the rights of blacks, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans. Detractors accused him of preaching racism, black supremacy, and violence. He has been called one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history. Malcolm X's father died—killed by white supremacists, it was rumored—when he was young, and at least one of his uncles was lynched. When he was thirteen, his mother was placed in a mental hospital, and he was placed in a series of foster homes. In 1946, at age 20, he went to prison for breaking and entering...
Words: 3949 - Pages: 16
...Introduction: African American history. It has great and true stories to tell. These African Americans have different and unique stories to tell. Because of these people, they have made the United States a better place. Let’s go deeper into African American history. Pre-20th Century Contributions Way before the 20th century, African Americans made outstanding contributions to various characteristics of American society despite the challenges of slavery and discrimination. They excelled in areas such as literature, politics, arts, music, abolitionism, and entrepreneurship. But what people have had a huge impact in this era of Black excellence? Let’s list a few. Phillis Wheatley. She was the first ever published African-American female poet....
Words: 1635 - Pages: 7
...addressing the task below, and a conclusion. Theme: Reform Movements Task: Some suggestions you might wish to consider include the abolitionist movement, Populist movement, Progressive movement, women’s rights movement, civil rights movement, and the labor movement. Gathering the Facts: 1- The Abolitionist Movement • “The goal of the abolitionist movement was the immediate emancipation of all slaves and the end of racial discrimination and segregation. • Advocating for immediate emancipation distinguished abolitionists from more moderate anti-slavery advocates who argued for gradual emancipation, and from free-soil activists who sought to restrict slavery to existing areas and prevent its spread further west. • Radical abolitionism was partly fueled by the religious fervor of the Second Great Awakening, which prompted many people to advocate for emancipation on religious grounds. • Abolitionist ideas became increasingly prominent in Northern churches and politics beginning in the 1830s, which contributed to the regional animosity between North and South leading up to the Civil War.” ~ history.com • “Although many New Englanders had grown wealthy in the slave trade before the importation of slaves was outlawed, that area of the country became the hotbed of abolitionist sentiment. Abolitionist newspapers and pamphlets sprang into existence. These were numerous enough by 1820 that South Carolina instituted penalties for anyone...
Words: 2348 - Pages: 10
...Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. James H. Cone, an advocate affectionately known for black liberation theology, a theology grounded in the experience of African Americans, and related to other Christian liberation theologies. James H. Cone approach provided a realistic snap shot of a new way to articulate the distinctiveness of theology in the Black Church. Frustrated and outraged at the White Church of playing a significant role in the oppression and racism of black people. Cone believed that the Black Church is a powerful force [in his life] and did not do enough in regard to racism among African Americans. Cone exploited scriptures, slave spirituals, blues, and other prominent African American thinkers such as David Walker, Henry McNeal Turner, and W.E.B. DuBois to help shape his theology. Malcolm X and the Black Power Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King also influenced his theology. Cone formulates a theology of liberation from within the context of the Black experience of oppression, interpreting the central kernel of the Gospels as Jesus' identification with the poor, oppressed, and the resurrection as the ultimate act of liberation. This theology cited as attempts to understand the meaning of faith, the meaning of God, in a world that is broken. Cone devoted his professional life to the study of religion from an African perspective. This groundbreaking influential work links the study of Jesus Christ life with the African American experience. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther...
Words: 1754 - Pages: 8
