Compare And Contrast Malcolm X And Martin Luther King Jr

Many today consider Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. to be revolutionary men. Though these two men had similar goals for changes in the African American communities, they are perceived differently. Though Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were well-known Civil Rights Activists, they were significantly different men with the common goal of aiding their fellow members of the African-American community.
Malcolm X and MLK had similar religious upbringing because their fathers taught in Baptist churches. Unfortunately, Malcolm X’s life proved to be a little bit more tumultuous than MLK’s. Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little. After his father died in a so-called train accident, Little’s mother was committed to an insane asylum. Because of this, Little and his brothers and sisters were separated into different foster care homes. As a child Little did well in school, but when he was told that being a lawyer was not a realistic goal for a person of his skin color he lost interest. As a result, Malcolm turned to violence, drugs, and theft. He …show more content…
Malcolm X desired change to take place immediately. He was influenced by Marcus Garvey in some of his ideas. He believed that all whites were devils and should be treated accordingly. He urged his black followers to defend themselves against white aggression “by any means necessary”. It was his public speaking that inspired the Black power movement. X also believed in separatism: to keep the whites with the whites and the blacks with the blacks. King too wanted change. However, King was a gradualist. He was influenced by Gandhi’s nonviolence teachings and he tried to urge his followers to do the same. King showed his seriousness for nonviolence through peaceful protests such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington, and the March to Selma. King also believed in integration. He wanted the whites and blacks to mix with one