Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X were both powerful African American figures in history who spoke on the issue of discrimination against blacks and equal rights. While Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X were both advocates for African Americans and had similar goals, they preached opposing methods, ideas and beliefs. Martin Luther King, a christian man, passionately upheld the idea of seeking freedom through nonviolent actions, depicted in his speech ‘I have a Dream’. Malcolm X practiced ideas which were inspired by the Muslim teachings and condoned fighting back and ‘playing fire with fire’ which he portrays in “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech. Despite their disagreements, ultimately, Martin and Malcolm both aimed for freedom and equal rights in America but their beliefs, methods, and deliveries were different.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
As a preacher of nonviolence and leader of peace, Martin Luther King Jr wanted blacks to unite against racism through a completely civil manner. After growing up in a middle class family and following the christian faith, Martin became a minister and
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“Concerning nonviolence, it is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks.” One of the main arguments Malcom is making in the speech is the power in fighting back. He claims that the African American community has been abused for too long and they need to take violent actions in order for anything to change. In other words, he is holding the black man accountable for their unfair conditions. “We want freedom now, but we’re not going to get it saying“We Shall Overcome.” We’ve got to fight until we overcome.” With this, Malcolm is rejecting Martin Luther Kings peaceful method and proposing something much more
Organized into six topical groups, the author did an excellent job in comparing and contrasting King and Malcolm’s views on subjects including integration, the American dream, means of struggle, and opposing racial philosophies that needless any improvement. An interpretive introductory essay, chronology, bibliography, document headnotes, and questions for consideration provide further pedagogical support for students. The author explains how Malcolm X came closer than any social reformer in history to embodying and articulating the totality of the African experience in America while Martin Luther King was not only the most important figure in American religious history in the 20th century, he was arguably its most brilliant
On April 3, 1964 Malcolm X delivered one of the most empowering speeches in American history. Two thousand people including some of his enemies turned out to hear him speak in Cleveland, Ohio. X was a black civil rights activist who played a huge role in the black community during the mid 20th century. His speech “The Ballot or the Bullet,” was about black nationalism during the current election year. At the time, blacks did not have much say in who they wanted to elect.
used ethos to encourage African Americans to overcome oppression,Martin Luther King Jr knew that any violence would ruin their chance at freedom, if this get violent it makes African Americans look bad and they will never receive the things they have been asking for, the most ethical thing for Martin Luther King Jr to do was to warn African Americans not to become violent, and explain to them that he knows that they have a taste for freedom, but being violent will not help them, and that exactly what he did; “ Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plain of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy, which has engulfed the Negro community, must not lead us to a distrust of all white people.”
The speech opened the eyes of many blacks, inspiring a change to begin to occur. Through analogies, metaphors, and a vitriolic and urgent tone, Malcolm X concisely and clearly informs the audience of their mistreatment and encourages them to get their just deserts. X’s intelligence, passion, and oratorical skills helped make “The Ballot or the Bullet” one of the greatest rhetorical acts in black history. This phrase, “The Ballot or the Bullet”, truly defines Malcolm X’s stance on the current treatment of blacks and how he believes a violent response is necessary when all other means of communication are ignored or
MLK and Malcolm X both wanted equality but in different ways. Martin Luther King believed in nonviolence to end segregation. However, Malcolm X believed in segregation; where African Americans would govern themselves without bothering the whites. But which idea was better for society? Malcolm X’s philosophy offers a variety of solutions for
Malcolm X and his ideals are arguably a representation of the transition from the early 1950 's non-violent movement for integration to a more aggressive black power movement. Evidence of this is shown through powerful strands of his novel “The Ballot or the Bullet” including when he writes, “I don 't mean go out and get violent, but at the same time you should never be non-violent unless you run into some non-violence.” (Malcolm 439). In writing that members of the civil rights movement should never be non-violent he does so facetiously. This excerpt indicates a call for violence as a more powerful method for achieving the equality he feels they deserve.
Philosophical differences between martin luther king and malcolm X The philosophical differences between Martin Luther King and Malcolm X have to do with the their protest strategies. MLK never fought with violence. Although he would get physically attacked, he stood his ground and continued to fight for equality peacefully. King believed that whites and blacks should come together to end the hate and violence.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are two profound African American figures in history. They both fought for equality and to better humanity. But, the tactics they used were very different. Their different views may have been rooted from the where they were raised. Martin Luther King Jr. grew up in a middle class family and received a very solid education.
(Mamiya 1). He spread the idea that only a violent revolution would bring change and equality for black Americans. “You don't have a peaceful revolution. You don't have a turn-the-cheek revolution. There's no such thing as a nonviolent revolution,” he said (“Malcolm X Biography” 1).
Introduction: Malcom X urges the Negro community to fight to gain the equal rights they deserve by taking action against their white oppressors. He emphasizes that blacks will gain their rights either thorough voting, with the ballot, or else through the inevitable violence with the bullet. Thesis [part a] Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., also fighting for the civil rights of black Americans in the 1960s, but in a more peaceful manner, Malcom X takes a different approach.
Even after all the injustices done to the black population of the United Sates, Dr. King is calling for them to set aside violence, bitterness, and hatred. He wants them to fight for their equality peacefully. According to Dr. King, this is the best way to stop violence. One side must step up and act peacefully in order for violence to end.
Martin Luther King Jr said,“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools”. In the late 1960s, racial tension was high, African Americans were not given the right to vote, the right to a fair education, and the right to a fair judgement. This then led to the separation of schools and the destruction of a normal livelihood. Dr.King and Malcolm X, two men in the face of oppression rose up to challenge the racial barrier, thus changing the world forever. Although Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X seem to have mutual respect and an equal understanding of the inequality, their philosophies were quite different from each other.
According to X, “The ballot or the bullet”... “Now in speaking like this, it doesn't mean that we're anti-white, but it does mean we're anti-exploitation,we're anti-degradation, we're anti-oppression. And if the white man doesn't want us to be anti-him, let him stop oppressing and exploiting and degrading us”(Malcolm #2). The essence of Malcolm’s argument is that he is not anti white, he is anti whites oppressing and disenfranchising African Americans and if the white person wants to not be hated, then he should stop hating himself. In a letter written in Mecca, Malcolm X says,“on this pilgrimage, what I have seen,and experienced, has forced me to re-arrange much of my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions” (Malcolm X).
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were both two African American civil rights activists who were very prominent throughout history. They fought for what they believed in but in vastly different ways. Martin Luther King Jr. was born to a middle class family and was well educated. Malcolm X, on the other hand, grew up in a rather hostile environment with barely enough schooling. Both their speeches, “I Have a Dream” and “The Ballot or the Bullet” may have shared some common traits, but at the same time, differed greatly in various aspects.
Malcolm showed through anaphora that as a whole a fresh start was not needed. The only thing that was needed was coming together as a group to engage and take action to gain negroes human rights. Not only human rights but also leading towards gaining civil rights along with it. Not having any rights before led them to believe that coming together to take action will lead to fight for what they believed.