Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement

Many leaders emerged during the time of the Civil Rights Movement, capturing America’s attention. The best-known leaders were Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. In this discussion Martin Luther King and Malcolm X’s lives and achievements will be compared and contrasted.

Their beliefs were shaped by their childhood experiences and by the way they were raised. Both men fought for their rights, but used different methods in order to make it come about. And even though their visions of the future for African Americans differed greatly, their approaches were still very effective. King used the nonviolent approach whilst Malcolm X insisted on using the fierce one. However, both are legendary men, yet to this day they are envisioned as two of America’s great icons.

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on the 15th of January 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the son of Reverend Michael King Sr. and Alberta King. King was originally named Michael King Jr. after his father, who later changed his name as a tribute to Martin Luther the reformer. The King family were middle-class African Americans who valued education. As a child, King grew up being counted upon as inferior. He was told that black kids weren’t allowed to use the same facilities as the white kids; they weren’t even allowed to drink from the same water fountains as white children. All around him African Americans in the south suffered humiliating injustices by white people. These early childhood experiences have led young King to his passionate drive for equality where he became, probably, the most well-known individual in relation to the future campaigns for African American rights. In his last semester at Morehouse College, King was ordained as a Baptist minister at the Ebene...

... middle of paper ...

...tessay/biography/historical-figures/martin-luther-king-jr-and-malcolm-x. Last accessed 9th March 2014.

Mabelle. (2011). Differences Between Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Available: http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/differences-between-martin-luther-king-and-malcolm-x/. Last accessed 9th March 2014.

Bhattacharya, P. (2011). Accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr. Available: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/accomplishments-of-martin-luther-king-jr.html. Last accessed 9th March 2014.

The Gook. (2012). Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X: Incompatible or Complementary? Available: http://constantmoon.wordpress.com/2012/12/05/martin-luther-king-jr-and-malcolm-x/. Last accessed 9th March 2014.

The Henry Ford. (2002). The Story Behind the Bus. Available: http://www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/rosaparks/story.asp. Last accessed 9th March 2014.