MLK And Malcolm X Essay Research Paper

MLK And Malcolm X Essay, Research Paper

MLK and Malcolm X:

Different Tactics Same Results

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X grew up in different environments. King was raised in a comfortable middle-class family where education was firmly stressed. Malcolm X, on the other hand came from an underprivileged home, where education was not such a big deal. Malcolm X was a self taught man, who received little schooling and rose to greatness on his own due to his own intelligence and determination. The early backgrounds of the two were clearly responsible for the distinct different responses to their fight against American racism. With King being a well-educated man, he had read up on non-violence, and would use non-violence as the tactic of the Civil Rights Movement in which he led. Malcolm X, however chose self-defense and violence as the method for getting his point across. Although Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X used different methods, they were both after the same thing, and that was racial and social equality for all races.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born into a family whose name was already well established in Atlanta, GA. King.s parents made sure that their child was secured and well taken care of. Malcolm X however was raised in a completely different atmosphere. He was raised in an atmosphere of fear and anger, where his seeds of bitterness were planted. When Malcolm X (his name was Malcolm Little at this point in time) was small his family was force to move to Michigan due to constant harassment from the Klu Klux Klan. Once the family arrived in Michigan, things only seemed to get worse. His father was killed, his mother had a nervous breakdown, and was placed in mental hospital, and the rest of his family was split up. Malcolm was haunted by this early nightmare for most of his life. From that point in his life hatred and a desire for revenge drove him.

Through the movements, King had a more positive attitude towards integration than that of Malcolm X. King believed that through peaceful demonstrations and arguments, that blacks would someday achieve full equality with whites. Malcolm X.s despair about life was reflected in his angry, pessimistic belief that equality is impossible because whites had no morals towards blacks. King had a more integrationalist type philosophy, where he felt that blacks and whites should be united and live together in peace. Malcolm X, however believed in a separatist philosophy. He believed that only through revolution and force that blacks could obtain their rightful place in society.

Both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered their messages through powerful, hard-hitting speeches. Nevertheless, their intentions were delivered in different styles with different purposes. .King was basically a peaceful leader who urged non-violence to his followers. He traveled about the country giving speeches that inspired black and white listeners to work together for racial harmony..(pg. 135, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Freedom Movement) Malcolm X, for the most part believed that non-violence and integration was a trick by whites to keep blacks in the place the they wanted to keep them in. He was furious with white racism and encouraged his followers, through his speeches to rise up and defend themselves against their white enemies.

Malcolm X and Martin Luther King childhood’s had powerful influences on the men they became and their speeches. Malcolm X was brought up in an atmosphere on violence. During his childhood, Malcolm X saw all the abuse that his mother and father had received from whites, due to the color of their skin. Malcolm X.s resentment towards whites increased as he suffered through the ravages of integrated schooling. Malcolm X was an intelligent student who shared the dream of being a lawyer. That dream was shot down by one of his teachers who told him to concentrate on things that were in reality, obtainable. Although Malcolm X was an intelligent student, Malcolm X.s anger caused him to drop out of school. He then moved to Boston with his stepsister, Ella, where he began to get involved into the street life and crime. From Boston, he went on to Harlem, New York, where he began to sell and use drugs and would later, back in Boston, set up a burglary ring to support his habit of drug use. Malcolm X.s hostility and promotion of violence as a way of getting change was clearly something he had learned from the experiences of his childhood.

Martin Luther King Jr. lived in an entirely different environment. He was a smart student, who skipped two grades before entering an Ivy League college at only the age of 15. He was the class valedictorian with an A average. King paraded his graduation present in a new green Chevrolet before his fellow graduates. He was raised in the perfect environment where dreams and love were generated. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X childhood’s were .a study in polarity.. (pg. 254, Reflecting Black) Whereas, Malcolm X was raised in nightmarish conditions, King.s home was almost dream-like. He was raised in a comfortable middle-class home where strong values natured his sense of self-worth.

Sure, many have admired Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. for the way that they preached. .Both King and Malcolm X promoted self-knowledge and respect for one.s history and culture as a basis of unity.. (pg. 253, Reflecting Bla