Malcolm X: A True Hero

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When it comes to Civil Rights, we must be thankful for those who fought for them. Spending hours protesting, marching, and putting their lives on the line so we could live the way we now do. But when it comes time to recognizing the heroes who dedicated themselves to fighting for equality and their accomplishments, many are often overlooked. This is certainly apparent for Malcolm X. Not only is Malcolm X unrecognized for his accomplishments, he is seen by some as a villain. Although Malcolm X did not have a non-violent approach, he sought justice for African Americans and dedicated his life to ending the racial injustice, making him a hero.
Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. As a child, he witnessed family struggles nobody should go through. He would often witness members of the Ku Klux Klan riding to …show more content…

His troubled background also sets a negative tone for him since many argue his “criminal career on the streets of Boston and New York, [for which] he was arrested and was sentenced to ten years in prison for robbery” ( Baughman 1). Many argue that Malcolm X was just a street criminal who encouraged violence as revenge to what happened to his family. It is also said that he was a racist who blamed African American troubles on white people and opposed black people from integrating with white America (Greenspan 5). It is no doubt that Malcolm X was not Martin Luther King Jr. who he is often compared to. King had a more peaceful and patient approach, whereas Malcolm demanded Civil Rights immediately. In fact, it is said that Malcolm X went as far as to calling King a “White man in his thinking” (Smitha 1). Because of his troubled background and a few of his poor judgements his legacy will forever be a debate of whether or not he is a hero. However, it is important to keep in mind what he has

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