Malcolm X vs. Martin Luther King Jr.
Whose Philosophy made more Sense For America In 1960
History 8B Addyson Gallagher
Faith May 24, 2023
Two names come to mind when people think of breaking down racial barriers in America. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X had the same goal but had different methods for gaining equal treatment. King was raised in a middle-class, Christian family and was told his whole life, "Do not let them make you feel you are not as good as White people. You are as good as anyone else, and don't you forget it." (Background, Essay) King entered the world with these principles and a mindset that he was just as good as anyone else. Mahatma Gandhi's teachings of peacefulness and love appealed to King. These teachings inspired King to lead
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King had the idea of boycotting certain businesses that did not hire or serve Blacks. He wanted White owners to know they had power in society. King planned that all the money not being spent on those businesses might open up jobs for many African-American people. (Doc 6) The protestors made more money than ever after these boycotts but still spent that money in White stores, supporting and working for White men. Malcolm X's ideas for economics were more practical and allowed Black communities to grow stronger. Malcolm’s theory was that Blacks needed to stop spending their money in White communities and put it back into the black community. He said, "... we have to learn how to own and operate the businesses of our community…. When you take money out of the community you live… the neighborhood in which you spend it becomes wealthier and wealthier, and the neighborhood out of which you take your money becomes poorer and poorer." (Doc 7) Malcolm is saying, look, Blacks need to support themselves, build themselves up, and show White men they can do everything White men can, maybe even
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr's techniques are very different, but similar. They both want the same thing: negro companies. The way they carry out this, though, is different. Malcolm wants to make his own negro company. Furthermore, Martin wants to protest peacefully by banning products from companies that do not hire negroes.
Malcolm’s family was terrorized by Ku Klux Klan members during his early childhood, moving multiple times until finally residing in Michigan where Malcolm’s father was presumably killed Malcolm found his way to the city of Boston after his father’s death. Malcolm’s father’s death was of mysterious circumstances and rumours of white racists being responsible deeply affected Malcolm. As a youth he experienced harsh racism when his aspirations to become a career driven black man were met with roadblocks in school and racism from his teachers (Perry, 1991). Realizing that society in America had no real place for a black man of his potential he turned to the underworld to make a name and life for himself, as he was a very ambitious and driven individual from the get go (Perry,1991). Rejected from employers, and met with systemic racism wherever he went Malcolm became a street hustler, pimping, gambling, stealing and dealing his way on the inner-city streets until he eventually put in prison.
Malcolm X, on the other hand, had a more exclusive stance, concentrating only on the empowerment of Black Americans. For Black Americans who
On the other hand, Malcolm X writes analogies that continue through the essay to highlight the key points for the reader to follow. In one analogy, Malcolm compares the government to a chicken, “The present American ‘system’ can never produce freedom for the black man. A chicken cannot lay a duck egg because the chicken’s ‘system’ is not designed or equipped to produce a duck egg” (X 304). Malcolm X’s analogy simplifies down his argument to something everyone can agree with, a fact of nature. There is no way for a chicken to produce a duck, therefore there is no way for America to produce freedom for black men.
They both made impacts in the black community and they both stood up for their race. MLK and Malcolm did have their differences. Like MLK wanted to boycott and picket, while Malcolm did not. What led up to MLK making a speech, was to make the point that you should be allowed to work anywhere no matter your race. In addition to protesting, MLK felt that he needed to get the word out even more, so he delivered his famous "I have a dream" speech.
That also falls under the chart of systemic oppression, how the society doesn’t want colored people to become something big in their life, clearly stating that they are worthless, and can’t be better than the whites. As years pass by Malcolm X moves to boston, thinking that he will have a lot more opportunities education wise, work, etc. The author shows how Malcolm was changing, starting to get involved in drugs and robberies. He was always hanging out on the ghetto side of the town, his style was starting to change. Malcolm was also trying to deny his blackness, by getting his hair done “conk” style, he was trying to act less black and more to the white side.
Both speakers wanted blacks to be able to work to make money to provide for themselves without having to rely on white people for money. Martin Luther King, Jr's speech said a lot about relying on whites for money. In the first Reading Passage, Martin Luther King Jr said; "This is nonviolence at its peak of power when it cuts into the profit margin of a business to bring about a more just distribution of jobs and opportunities for Negro wage earners and consumers. " This quote is saying that their peaceful tactics and it was very effective. This is only one of the many quotes that support this.
Malcolm X was the critic America produced. Robin Kelly explains how his past is something that is gruesome, but also common amongst the Black community. Malcolm X dealt with the history that produced him through becoming a critic while following Islam. Racism is the reason his father, and multiple uncles died, it is the reason “he was told he could not be a lawyer” (Stewart, Nov 9); and the barriers created by racism put him in foster care, which led him to become a pimp before being incarcerated. Cohen attributed the 1920’s black economy as establishing the New Negro, and that contributes to Malcolm X’s belief in creating an independent, African American driven, economy.
Malcolm X believed it was vital for Black Americans to learn about economics and finances. Malcolm X said, “So, the economic philosophy of black nationalism puts a burden upon the black men learning how to control his economy” (Document G). He thought it was best to keep the money cycling throughout their community. Unlike King, Malcolm disliked boycotts and protests because he believed it took money away from the community they live in, “in order for us to control the economy of out own community, we have to learn the importance of spending money in the community where we live” (Document G).
He thought the only way to survive as a black person was to do what others did so successfully, and illegally. A person’s environment, circumstances and upbringing can seriously impact a person’s life, and through that, a person’s self-confidence. The significant changes in Malcolm X’s life profoundly impacted his outlook of himself, his potential, and, as a result, his life choices. The unbridled racism prevalent in this time period had negatively impacted Malcolm X’s beliefs of himself and of his potential. This led him to just go with the flow of life rather than to forge a way for himself in the world.
Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X were important figures in the Civil Rights movements they both had different views on how to accomplish their goals this paper will compare and contrast those views I believe that MLK's philosophy will be proven to be the better one Dr King in Malcolm X had opposing views on whites and blacks and how they should work together and cooperate in the future In document to it shows us how Dr King wants to see blacks and whites cooperating in the future in the document it says that all men are created equal and that he has a dream one day the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together and respect one another he wants us to work together pray together struggle together go to jail together and climb up for Freedom together and document three it shows how Malcolm X wants to see blacks and white cooperate together let the sincere white individuals find other white individuals so they can feel as they do and let them form their own groups to try to
( 290) Like Socrates, King pursued what he thought to be just actions. Despite facing opposition and imprisonment, King never wavered in his pursuit of justice and his legacy continues to inspire future generations to work towards a more just and equal
Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X? What would you do if your race was segregated and abused by whites? Would you use violence or nonviolence? The 1950 and 60’s was a long period of time of major conflict between African Americans and whites in the United States.
He expresses to me how important gaining an education was for him. If Malcolm had not gone to college, he believes that his life would have been filled with crime and neglect, much like his childhood. Both Douglass and Malcolm realized that education was vital to moving on in a positive direction life. Despite being in different time periods, the narrative still connects with the present almost exactly as many minorities seek education as their stepping stone to creating a life of
Throughout King’s argument, he appealed his own ethos to his opponents by saying “I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth”. Dr.