Martin Luther King Versus Malcolm X

1021 Words3 Pages

Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, also known as Malcolm Little, had many different influences, though they led in very different ways. These two important leaders had many struggles with their gaining of rights and even their personal lives. Their beliefs about segregation came from both home and personal thoughts that caused them to strike and act upon segregation laws. They both had their share of fights and let downs that made them fight back harder to win their rights. Martin Luther King was devoted to Christianity and is why he acted nonviolently but on the other hand Malcolm X followed the Muslim religion which led him to believe that whatever it takes is the best way to control things. Malcolm X had a rough life growing up in Omaha, Nebraska. He and his family witnessed their home burning down because someone lit it on fire. Soon after their house had burnt down a mob killed his father. His father was a rural farmer from Michigan who followed Marcus Garvey, who led and founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association. As a boy Malcolm would always go to the meetings with his father. His mother eventually broke down trying to keep the family together and was taken to a mental facility. He was then taken to foster care and attended a white school and was told he should find a job using his hands even though he was top of his class. He then got involved in gangs and went to jail (MLK vs. Malcolm).
While in jail he started following the words of Elijah Muhammad. Elijah was the leader of the Nation of Islam in America. Malcolm over time became the most important and favored leader of the Nation and created economic stability. During his leadership he brought many members to the group making a statement of independence. He a...

... middle of paper ...

...rent people but they were living and struggling the same.

Works Cited

About Dr. King. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from The King Center: http://www.thekingcenter.org/about-dr-king
Edwards, B. (2011, March 14). Mlk vs. Malcolm X. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from Life Examinations: http://lifeexaminations.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/mlk-vs-malcolm-x-similaritiesdifferences/
Malcolm Little/ Mlk. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from Martin Luther King Jr and the Global Freedom Struggle: http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_malcolm_x_1925_1965
Moritz, E. (n.d.). Comparison of Martin and Malcolm. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from Elkes Homepage: https://www.unix-ag.uni-kl.de/~moritz/6.html
Ramsees7. (n.d.). Malcolm X vs. Martin Luther King. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from blackstudies.net: http://blackstudies.net/malcolm-x-vs-martin-luther-king-3/

Open Document