MLK & Malcolm X
mlk Martin Luther King Jr. was raised in an activist family. Every member of the family was involved in fighting or supporting the fight for their rights at one point. MLK organized a protest in Alabama because after WWII there had been around 60 bombings of African American churches and homes. He also helped conduct boycotts and sit-ins. The the head of the Birmingham police department was televised with his violence shown across the states, King was arrested.
However, he had a lot of support from his family and the nation. In 963 he gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington. After the Civil Rights act was passed in 64 he turned his help to registering African American voters in the South. In 1965 he lead another march which he was then arrested for again. However the nation protested against his arrest like the times before and faced all the brutality thrown at him until King was freed and was allowed to continue the march. He was killed by James Earl Ray in 1968 which caused a bunch of riots and violence to break out. |
malcom xMalcom Little grew up with a bad relationship with white Americans. His house was burned down by the KKK and his father was murdered. He turned to violence in Harlem and was sent to jail where he rethought is life and converted to Islam where he also picked up the last name "X". Wallace Fard founded the Nation of Islam in the 30's. This was the one religion African Americans felt they could turn to because it was closest with their roots.
The followers in this group became known as Black Muslims. Fard disappeared and Elija Muhammad became the leader of the movement. When Malcom X converted he was recognized and was made a Leading Spokesman of the Black Muslims. He spread the word that whites were not to be trusted. He wanted to establish a separate state for Blacks where they could be free and he promoted violence for self defense. He later left the group because he was softening down on violence and even met up with MLK to exchange remarks. He led a mass rally in Harlem in 1965 where the Black Muslims shot him down. |
The leadersGandhi Vs. MLK: They were actually two very similar activists by promoting their stance through peace. Both took the stance off nonviolent resistance which gained them the support of the public and their sympathy. Both leaders turned the tables on their attackers by making them look awful to the public. Gandhi protested the unjust laws of the British government while King protested for black rights. however the flaws of nonviolence protest was that a lot of people were killed and seriously injured and they endangered themselves by standing alone also.
MLK Vs. Malcom X: MLK had this big dream that one day the races would be okay with each other and be equal. However, Malcom X wanted the Blacks to have complete control over where they lived. He did not believe that they could get along without being separate nations within our nation. King was against violence even if it was self defense because it would only add fuel to the fire. On the other side. Malcom X promoted violence as self defense since the government was not protecting them. |