Prior to, and even during the African-American Civil Rights Movement of 1954-1968 , the United States of America saw a separation between their Blacks and Whites, as a result of the practice of the Jim Crow Laws which promoted the idea that the Blacks were lesser than the White . This saw the rise of two prominent African-American Civil Rights activists, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Though the two activists had a common goal (which was racial equality), their ideas of equality and how they proposed to achieve it very much differed from one another, and as a result, the two leaders were portrayed as contrasting leaders during the African-American Civil Rights Movement. In this paper, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X’s
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For instance, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a devoted Christian and was “by vocation a Baptist minister” . In general, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ideologies were based on the teachings of Christianity. Christianity reflected how he believed the Blacks should approach desegregation which included the use of non-violent protesting and Pacifism . In heavy contrast to this, Malcolm X was a devoted Muslim who believed in the teachings of Islam, and later joined the Nation of Islam during his time in prison . Similar to Dr. King, Jr., X’s stand on racial equality was heavily influenced by his faith. However, unlike Dr. King, Jr., X based his beliefs on the teachings of Islam, and teachings of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. This was especially evident in his belief in Black Nationalism, the essential idea that the Blacks were sufficient on their own and did not need the Whites. Because of their difference of religious beliefs and how it affected their standpoint on racial equality, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s beliefs opposed those of Malcolm X’s to a great extent during the African-American Civil Rights …show more content…
For one, Dr. King, Jr. believed in non-violent protesting and Pacifism. Dr. King, Jr.’s reason for approaching racial equality with non-violence is seen in his six principles, where he states that non-violence “is a way of life for courageous people”, “seeks to win friendship and understanding”, “seeks to defeat injustice not people”, “holds that suffering can educate and transform”, “chooses love instead of hate”, and “believes that the universe is on the side of justice” . Dr. King, Jr. could not fathom the idea of fighting violence with violence, and was especially inspired by the acts of non-violence by Mahatma Gandhi during the British Colonialism . On the other hand, X strongly believed in fighting racial segregation with violence and using violence as self-defense “by any means
For instance, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a devoted Christian and was “by vocation a Baptist minister” . In general, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ideologies were based on the teachings of Christianity. Christianity reflected how he believed the Blacks should approach desegregation which included the use of non-violent protesting and Pacifism . In heavy contrast to this, Malcolm X was a devoted Muslim who believed in the teachings of Islam, and later joined the Nation of Islam during his time in prison . Similar to Dr. King, Jr., X’s stand on racial equality was heavily influenced by his faith. However, unlike Dr. King, Jr., X based his beliefs on the teachings of Islam, and teachings of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. This was especially evident in his belief in Black Nationalism, the essential idea that the Blacks were sufficient on their own and did not need the Whites. Because of their difference of religious beliefs and how it affected their standpoint on racial equality, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s beliefs opposed those of Malcolm X’s to a great extent during the African-American Civil Rights …show more content…
For one, Dr. King, Jr. believed in non-violent protesting and Pacifism. Dr. King, Jr.’s reason for approaching racial equality with non-violence is seen in his six principles, where he states that non-violence “is a way of life for courageous people”, “seeks to win friendship and understanding”, “seeks to defeat injustice not people”, “holds that suffering can educate and transform”, “chooses love instead of hate”, and “believes that the universe is on the side of justice” . Dr. King, Jr. could not fathom the idea of fighting violence with violence, and was especially inspired by the acts of non-violence by Mahatma Gandhi during the British Colonialism . On the other hand, X strongly believed in fighting racial segregation with violence and using violence as self-defense “by any means