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Malcolm X was a muslim, black man who cared very much about gaining equal rights. He was, in a way, an extremist. Though only taking action when he felt necessary, when he did take action, it often had drastic effects on the people and events occurring around him. Unlike Martin Luther King or other leading civil rights activists, he did not believe in peaceful protest. He believed in “whatever means necessary” to accomplish his goals. Because of his strong efforts and his unmatched determination, Malcolm X, formally known as Malcolm Little, changed the course of the civil rights movement. If not for him, the events that played out to cause the eventual conclusion of the struggle would have been forever altered.
Mr. Little’s journey started when he became intertwined with crime and began to obsess over justice and equality. Malcolm got involved in drug dealing, burglary and pimping. In 1945, he was sentenced to a 10-year jail sentence for his offences. While serving his sentence, Little was convinced, by his brothers, to join the Nation of Islam (NOI.) When let free, he took on the persona of Malcolm X, as Little was a slave name. Malcolm X left NOI in March 1964, though. This is because he felt that NOI was an organization that was too passive and that it was not forcing change into society, and that it was just waiting for the change to come on its own. However, he had made enemies in NOI. He created the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU). The aim of the OAAU was to segregate blacks from whites. He was assassinated February 21st 1965 in Manhattan by members of NOI.
Despite the controversy that he held, Malcolm X and the bold radicalism he possessed caused the major internationalization of the Civil Rights Movement. In No...
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...him, it is possible that King would not have been taken seriously either. He condemned the march on Washington - calling it, in his own autobiography, “the farce on Washington.” Because of Malcolm, hundreds, if not thousands of blacks did not march that day. Even though today many consider that a bad thing, he thought that the march demeaned and unempowered people of African-American descent.
Malcolm X brought pride to being black. He did not think that blacks had to be given rights by whites, but that they were independent peoples. Although before he could accomplish his life wishes he was assassinated, his impact on the Civil Rights Movement will never be forgotten. Historians will never forget the man who demanded freedom for his race. Sometimes, extremity is not bad thing, but in the case of Malcolm X, extremity is the life essence of pride, power, and freedom.
However, it was what happened in his life that made Malcolm X the man who people remember today. From a very early age, Little lived in fear of racism and hate groups, much of it rooting from his father’s murder by white supremacists. He was effectively orphaned by 13, as his mother was placed in a mental institution, and lived until he was 20 in several different foster homes. He was arrested for a crime and once released, went on to commit several crimes, including using and distributing drugs, etc. It was when he was imprisoned that he found the Nation of Islam, who helped him when he was released from prison to find a new life. From them, he was able to attain great oratory skills and create an environment when he spoke in which the people around him, white and black alike, felt empowered and equal. Once he discovered corruption and began to disdain the Nation of Islam, he became independent and was later assassinated. However, he along with MLK, were empowered by their stories, Malcolm’s being one of hatred, poverty, hope, and truth, that changed him to become a stimulus for African American equality in
American icon and former civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." This quote speaks volumes about the message that he is trying to convey towards society regarding racism. He is basically saying not to judge others just because of their skin color, but love them for who they are. We should not be too quick to judge others, and work to remove our own flaws. As a society, we should examine one based on "the content of their character." This quote is very significant and relevant to the topic, who was the most effective civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X, or Huey Newton?" When considering this question, I had to look at each civil rights leader and their contribution to ultimately ending/limiting racism. All three of the civil rights activists have contributed there time and effort, to ending a very important cause, such as racism. I believe that, throughout his lifetime, Martin Luther King Jr. was the most effective/important civil rights leader of his era, among Malcom X and Huey Newton.
he had grown frustrated with the non-violent, integrated struggle for civil rights and worried that blacks would ultimately lose control of their own movement. The reason Malcolm X was so beloved and iconic was due to him being a key figure in the black movement about the same time as Martin Luther King jr.. The era of the 1950-1960, advocating black pride, a separate black community and violence disguised as self defense. He stood against white aggression. Changing the last name of his to an x to demonstrate how he denies what he said to be a “slave” name. Charismatic and eloquent. His death in 1965 is what sparked and later laid the firm foundation for the Black Power movements in the late 1960s and 1970s. Opposite to popular belief, this man had done more harm than good in using violence against the white “devil”. It only proved those that though African Americans were only violent animals right. Even Martin Luther King Jr didn't like what how Malcolm X was going about gaining their civil rights , even going as far as saying he hated the use of the words “black power” because. Ultimately Malcolm didn't make any type of immensely big impact on the civil rights movement in a good way or help them stop the spread of racism and
“I’m for the truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole” (X). This quote by Malcolm X represented his attitude towards equality and self-empowerment. The true Malcolm X was a passionate human rights activist as well as an extremely outspoken man during the fifties and sixties. X encouraged millions of African Americans to fight for what they believed in and to take pride in their ethnicity. X persuaded a multitude of African Americans that they are supreme and should not be degraded for their skin color. He learned at a very early age if he wanted something in life, he had to make some noise
...uraged freedom of thought, speech, and choice. He was more than just a hero for the African-American community of that time; he was a hero for all communities. Malcolm X was not just a hero for the civil rights movement; he was a hero for the human rights movement. He was not just a hero for the communities of that time; he was a hero for communities of the future and times to come.
Malcolm X was an African American minister and civil rights leader. Unlike many activists of his time, he took a different approach to the movement. In his lifetime, from 1925 to 1965, he was known as an advocate for the rights of blacks, and has been named one of the greatest and most influential men in history. Early Life Malcolm was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska to Louise and Earl Little. His Father, Earl, was a Baptist minister and an active member of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (founded by Marcus Garvey).
Before the civil rights movement gained momentum around 1955, the African-American community was looked upon by many as a group of second-class citizens who were undeserving of rights enjoyed by white Americans. This started to change when men like Malcolm Little (Malcolm X) stood up for the cause and fought back against segregation. He was a man from humble beginnings and who dealt with racism and hatred from a young age, all of which shaped his activism. Malcolm, after his death, was recognized as one of the most important people of the 20th century by TIME Magazine. He watched from a young age as white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) terrorized African-Americans by lynching and torturing them because of their skin color (“Malcolm X”). This among many other racists acts witnessed by Malcolm shaped his philosophical and political views. Malcolm was a controversial figure because he initially supported a violent revolution against whites, but he had many supporters in the African-American community. One of them was Manning Marable, who wrote a biography about Malcolm, Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, in 2011. This book brings Malcolm’s story to life through research of his experiences and interviews with his close family and friends. Michiko Kakutani, a New York Times book critic, emphasizes in her review that though the biography is not as intense in details and philosophical views as is Malcolm X’s own autobiography, Marable “manages to situate Malcolm X within the context of 20th-century racial politics in America without losing focus on his...
Malcolm X is an extremely critical figure that contributed in shaping American social life. He was a famous man who articulated the struggle, anger, and beliefs of African Americans. He was a radical man who fought for change despite the situation. His struggle for equality for the black nation landed him in prison. While in prison, Malcolm was able to study, and earned a college degree. However, most importantly while in prison, Malcolm X was introduced to the Islam faith by one of the prisoners. He received teachings from the Muslim faith, which made him realize that, his people were being oppressed and abused by the whites. While out of prison, he went to visit honorable Elijah Muhammad and later on went around preaching Elijah Muhammad’s teachings. Through his preaching’s, he was able to bring many people into the Muslim faith. He later on decided to visit the Middle East and make a holy pilgrimage/ Hajj in Mecca. Malcolm X’s views about the potential for real change in America changed, after visiting Mecca and breaking with the Nation of Islam.
Because Malcolm X was very direct in his speech, the audience responded positively and respectfully. “It's time for us to submerge our differences and realize that it is best for us to first see that we have the same problem, a common problem; a problem that will make you catch hell whether you're a Baptist, or a Methodist, or a Muslim, or a nationalist. Malcolm X wanted to properly educate his people with the wisdom and knowledge that wasn’t being taught to African Americans, as they have been misguided all these years. He stressed the importance of unity in the black community and coming together as one because in all actuality they are all fighting the same war.
Malcolm X was a very influential leader during the Civil Rights Era, but he didn’t always have a positive outlook on how White Americans treated African Americans. Malcolm X was a prominent figure during the civil rights era and he wasn’t for integration and peace as other Civil Rights leaders of this time. In fact Malcolm X advocated and suggested an establishment of a separate black community, rather than integration and he provoked and influenced the Panthers to use violence as self defense, rather than non violence and trying to make peace, Malcolm and the Panthers uncompromising and disgusting beliefs of the evil of the white man scared and made the white man frightened the white community. Malcolm and the panthers had a good and bad affect on the Civil Rights era, him and the panthers used violence, criminal activity and anti-racism to get their points across which had a toll on the civil rights movement.
Of the people whose names are mentioned in history, some men like Thomas Edison are praised for their genius minds, while others such as Adolf Hitler are criticized for leaving a depressing legacy behind. While it is relative easy to notice the type of legacies these two men left, legacies of other men are often vague and they seem to be imbedded in gray shadows. This is how many people view the life of Malcolm X. Malcolm X during his lifetime had influenced many African Americans to step up for their rights against the injustices by the American government. One on hand, he has been criticized for his hard stances that resemble extremism, while on the other hand he has been praised him for his effort in raising the status for African Americans. The extremes in viewing his life from the modern day perspective have often come from reading his climatic speech The Ballot or the Bullet that he gave in many cities across America in 1964. When he was with the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X favored Blacks to be separated from the Whites, and during this time he strongly opposed White Supremacy. This also seems quite prevalent in his speech The Ballot or the Bullet. However, one events during the last year of his life reveal that he wanted the Blacks and the Whites to coexist as peaceful Americans.
Malcolm X, born in 1925 as Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska lived with the knowledge that his family house was burned down and that his father was killed by the Ku Klux Klan because he refused to vacate an area that was “supposed” to be for Whites only. His father was an independent man who wanted to fend for his family by himself and not have to rely on anyone
The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley is about a man who changed the history of America. Malcolm (Little) X preached what he believed about racism, discrimination, and segregation. He went through many changes in his fight for equality. The three transformations that really changed the way Malcolm thought and preached where his transformation in prison, his transformation into the Islamic religion (following Elijah Muhammad), and the biggest transformation of all, his pilgrimage to Mecca. In all of Malcolm actions, teachings and transformations we learn different points of view and we get a good look at different aspects of events. The life of Malcolm (Little) X as told in his autobiography should be read by all.
The history of the United States has in it much separation or segregation due to race. For a long time our country has seen racism as a large problem and this has caused ethnic groups to be looked down upon and forced into a lifestyle of difficulties and suppression. Due to this, races, particularly African-Americans, have been forced to deal with unequal opportunity and poverty, leading to less honorable ways of getting by and also organizations that support change. Malcolm X is one strong example of an African American man who became apart of a group acted against it, uniting people to promote the advancement of colored people and change. Malcolm's thoughts towards race and civil right in the previous years were displayed in a less way to the people and "by any means necessary" perspective. After his pilgrimage in 1964 his view of civil rights had quickly changed into a more complete view of civil rights, and the peoples views towards him. No one really knows what kind of impact Malcolm X would have had on history if he had not been assassinated. His beliefs and philosophy did gain him a place in history as one of the best-known Black Nationalist Leaders. Everyone seems to have known who Malcolm X was, and he ranks high with all other Black leaders. His ideas were radical and he was very out spoken. He was a major force in the development of black history. He fought not only for his people but also for all oppressed people everywhere. He was well spoken and he laid the groundwork for the black power movement of the late l960's.
Malcolm X or Malcolm Little and also known as “El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz”, was an African-American Muslim minister and a human rights activist. He had a hard child, a young adult. His admirers he was a courageous speaker for the rights of blacks, a man who accuses white America in the meanest terms for their crimes against black Americans. Critics accused him of preaching racism and violence. “He has been called one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history along with Martin Luther King Jr.”