Martin Luther King Jr. Vs Malcolm X

Essay, Research Paper

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X grew up in different

environments. King was raised in a comfortable middle-class family

where education was stressed. On the other hand, Malcolm X came from

and underprivileged home. He was a self-taught man who received

little schooling and rose to greatness on his own intelligence and

determination. Martin Luther King was born into a family whose name

in Atlanta was well established. Despite segregation, Martin Luther

King’s parents ensured that their child was secure and happy.

Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925 and was raised in a

completely different atmosphere than King, an atmosphere of fear and

anger where the seeds of bitterness were planted. The burning of his

house by the Klu Klux Klan resulted in the murder of his father. His

mother later suffered a nervous breakdown and his family was split up.

He was haunted by this early nightmare for most of his life. From

then on, he was driven by hatred and a desire for revenge.

The early backgrounds of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were

largely responsible for the distinct different responses to American

racism. Both men ultimately became towering icons of contemporary

African-American culture and had a great influence on black Americans.

However, King had a more positive attitude than Malcolm X, believing

that through peaceful demonstrations and arguments, blacks will be

able to 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 have no moral conscience. King

basically adopted on an integrationalist philosophy, whereby he felt

that blacks and whites should be united and live together in peace.

Malcolm X, however, promoted nationalist and separatist doctrines.

For most of his life, he believed that only through revolution and

force could blacks attain their rightful place in society.

Both X and King spread their message through powerful,

hard-hitting speeches. Nevertheless, their intentions were delivered

in different styles and purposes.

“King was basically a peaceful leader who urged non-violence

to his followers. He travelled 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 the whites to keep blacks in their places.

He was furious at white racism and encouraged his followers through

his speeches to rise up and protest against their white enemies.

After Malcolm X broke away from Elijah Mohammed, this change is

reflected in his more moderate speeches.

Malcolm X and Martin Luther King’s childhoods had powerful

influences on the men and their speeches. Malcolm X was brought up in

an atmosphere of violence. During his childhood, Malcolm X suffered

not only from abuse by whites, but also from domestic violence. His

father beat his mother and both of them abused their children. His

mother was forced to raise eight children during the depression.

After his mother had a mental breakdown, the children were all placed

in foster homes. Malcolm X’s resentment was increased as he suffered

through the ravages of integrated schooling. Although an intelligent

student who shared the dream of being a lawyer with Martin Luther

King, Malcolm X’s anger and disillusionment caused him to drop out of

school. He started to use cocaine and set up a burglary ring to

support his expensive habit. Malcolm X’s hostility and promotion of

violence as a way of getting change was well established in his

childhood.

Martin Luther King lived in an entirely different environment.

He was a smart student and 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. King and X’s

childhoods are “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 for

the way that they preached. “Both King and Malcolm X promoted

self-knowledge and respect for one’s history and culture as the basis

for unity.” (pg. 253, Reflecting Black.) Other than the fact that

they were similar in some ways, they also had many differences that

people admired, both in belief and speech.

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