Malcom X and Martin Luther king where two people who fought to achieve the one thing civilization aspires most in the world, peace. Even though they both shared a similar goal, the controversy begins at the question: Who made the right approach? Martin Luther King made the decision to stand in front of hundreds of thousands of black people and families who were hurt and fed up. He said what needed to be said for people to finally earn the respect and freedom they deserve. He wanted people to look at his family and merely see a happy family not a happy “black” family. Malcom X wanted the same, but his approach was quite different. Malcom X wanted his people to stand with him and fight for what they deserve and finally make a difference in this cruel world. They both hated the way their families and themselves were being treated and decided that it was up to them to make a difference and take action. Martin Luther’s approach was the right approach, he said what needed to be said on behalf of himself and every black person and made a difference without using violence, and he stood up in front of thousands of people and spoke the truth. Martin Luther and Malcom X both gave a speech to fight for freedom. However, Malcom X had more violent intentions. Which approach was the better approach? Why? Did any of them achieve anything?
Martin Luther King’s approach during the civil rights movement was the right approach. He was able to say what he wanted to say and come through with his plans, to achieve freedom for every black person, peace, respect, and equality without using violence. He motivated so many people and he changed every black person’s life. However, he didn’t only inspire black people but also white people, everyone listened to his speech and most were moved by it. If it weren’t for Martin Luther King we would most likely still be living in a world of racism today. Martin Luther gave a lot of speeches in his time on earth but the most infamous speech that came through and was heard by thousands of people was his ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech “, in which he “spoke of his dream of a United States that is void of segregation and racism” (Tikkanen, 2019). The speech took place on August 28, 1963 and was witnessed by “A massive group of civil rights marchers gathered around the Lincoln memorial in Washington DC” (Zarr,2018). Martin Luther’s leadership played a main role in the movement’s success in ending the legal segregations between black and white people. Martin Luther King, Jr is known for his contributions to the American civil rights movement in the 1960s.
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Malcom X wanted nothing less than what Martin Luther King wanted. Yet, he had a different approach towards achieving his goal. Malcom X wanted a world in which the black people were completely separated from the white. He believed that the right way to achieve the segregation he aspired, would be if the black people went back to Africa and the white people remained in America, and that would be how they would achieve their freedom. Malcom X believed that the way they would be able to earn the respect they deserved, was if they stood up for themselves and fought against anyone that treated them differently or tried to get in their way. His dream was to build an army that would stand beside him and fight. He believed that if they stood up strong with their heads held high and didn’t fear anyone that they would be able to earn their freedom. Malcom X lived a very difficult life, he was not always sure what it was he believed, and at one point he even landed himself in jail. Although, Malcom X always faced difficulties “Malcolm dropped out of middle school, and a few years later moved to Boston and found work on the streets as a shoe-shiner, drug dealer, gambler and burglar”(love,2019). In addition to this, he even had to face his father’s death and even suffered from homelessness. Malcom X and his family always received threats from white organizations for his hopes and beliefs for the black community. The threats eventually grew to become a reality that threatened his and his mother’s lives. “His mother was attacked by Ku Klux Klansmen trying to force his family out of town because his father had spoken to a meeting of local blacks in support of Marcus Garvey’s ‘back to Africa’ movement. Malcolm’s family moved to Lansing, Michigan where one of his earliest memories was seeing his home burnt down in 1929 by members of the Black Legion, a white fascist organization; later his father’s body was found hacked to death.” (Simon, 2005). Malcom X once said “Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts a hand on you, send him to the cemetery.” After Malcom X’s death a group called the black panthers was formed and they followed and believed in Malcom X’s goals. The black panthers were a group of people that stood by Malcom X’s beliefs and wanted to be a part of his revolution in order to have freedom.
Martin Luther King Junior’s approach during the civil rights movement was non-violent, he wanted to be heard. Although he and his family were being treated horribly he didn’t want to use violence and fight for their rights, he gave many speeches until one of them was finally heard by everyone. His ‘I Have A Dream Speech’ its one of the most important speeches that took place during the civil rights movement, it is the speech that led to the freedom of all black people and families during the movement, Martin Luther King’s speech did lead to his death, but the freedom of every black person in the United States of America. “On October 14, 1964, he received the Nobel Peace Prize for fighting against racial inequality. In 1968, King was assassinated on April in Memphis, Tennessee. He continues to be remembered as one of the most praised African-American leaders in history”.(Johanna,2016). Malcom X’s is approach was preferred to by many people because many people gave speeches but barley were heard by the people so some believed that the only way they would finally be heard was if they united and defended themselves, Malcom X believed that if they did that then they would all be able to go back home to Africa, away from the whites, in a separate world. He wanted no contact what so ever with the whites. Malcom X also gave many speeches like Martin Luther King but had a different approach towards the crisis. Malcom X was loved by many people and many black people looked up to him he wanted to start a black organization just like the KKK (which threatened him and his family most of his life) but for the blacks, he wanted to show the whites that they are no better than the blacks.
In conclusion I prefer Martin Luther King’s non-violent approach rather than Malcom X’s approach because although Malcom X was a very brave and hardworking man willing to achieve his goal, Martin Luther was able to stand up for his people without violence and not only inspire the blacks but also the whites. He was able to get the whole country to listen to him and do something about the racism. Martin Luther changed every single back person’s life forever, he is the reason black people now a days walk the streets alongside their white friends, he’s the reason black and white children go to the same school and are friends, he’s the reason that most of the racism ended in this cruel world. Martin Luther did what every black activist tried to achieve but failed, just like himself many times, and this caused everyone including the president of the United States to listen and be moved by his words and his dream, he didn’t dream of being better than the whites, he simply dreamt of living in a world where they weren’t seen different because of their color, he wanted his children to be able to go to school and sit on a table with white children he wanted everyone to see the blacks as people not ‘black people’ he gave a speech the same as no other and he changed the lives of his family and his people forever, he gave them their freedom and rights till today. Thanks to Martin Luther king the blacks are now seen as people, not the ‘blacks’ and the whites are now seen as people and not the ‘whites’.
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