What are the differences and similarities between Martin Luther King and Malcolm X?

Civil Rights Leaders Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X were very huge leading figures during the Civil Rights movement. Though they had many differences, they had some similarities. Both men’s fathers were preachers and both men were religious preachers themselves. Dr. King and Malcolm X were around the same age and they were both assassinated. Coincidentally, both men had the same number of children and eventually they had the same ideologies for the Civil Rights Movement. However, Dr. King and Malcolm X were different in ways such as Malcolm X wanted black supremacy and Dr. King wanted equality, Malcolm X saw violence as an option to achieve his goals if peace did not work and Dr. King believed in complete nonviolence, and Malcolm X…show more content…
This supports Dr. King’s idea of equality and unity and contradicts Malcolm X’s idea of black supremacy, showing how the two men have contrasting ideals. Malcolm X used violence as a way to get more black rights and to hopefully lead up to black supremacy. Dr. Martin L King Jr used non violence protesting as a way to symbol that people standing up for their rights are not wrong or barbaric, but the people who are stopping these nonviolent protests look bad because there is no physical harm being done. Malcolm X states, “This is why I say it’s the ballot or the bullet. It’s liberty or it’s death” (The Ballot or the Bullet). This describes Malcolm X warning that if black people are not allowed suffrage and other rights, then there is going to be violence and death involved to have those rights granted. Malcolm X is showing that he is not afraid to have a violent revolution if there has to be one. Dr. King however states, “We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must ride to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force” (I Have A Dream). Martin Luther King Jr is trying to persuade others that a violent protest will only hurt, not help in getting equality and that a peaceful, powerful protest will ensure smoother integration and peace. Dr. King is promoting the opposite of Malcolm X by saying peace is power whereas Malcolm X is trying to bring forth the

However, Malcolm X was a black nationalist with a firm belief in black supremacy. Although he also wanted civil rights, he championed black superiority over whites and wanted the races to be distinctly separated, as he remained suspicious of white people and believed that African Americans should only seek to help one another.

Tactics
The issue of how to achieve their goals also differed. To achieve racial equality, Martin Luther King believed non-violent resistance was the key to ending all violence and racial hatred, in order to eventually achieve equality between races. These non-violent tactics were evident during peaceful protests such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955.

Malcolm X on the other hand, believed that non-violent methods were too slow to achieve progress and signified weakness. He strongly believed in black pride and that African Americans should achieve their goals “by any means necessary”, advocating black militancy both as a form of self-defence and defiance against white aggression. 

Racism has always been a bitter reality in society across the nations. The various human race faces discrimination in their life due to some factors. The most common one is race, the colour of skin.

Table of Contents

• Martin Luther King vs Malcolm X
• Comparison Table Between Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X
• Who is Martin Luther King Jr?
• Who is Malcolm X?
• Main Differences Between Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X
• Conclusion
• References

The darker shade of skin or the so-called Black people has majorly suffered a lot of racism, which has sometimes been extremely harsh on them.

But the world has been fortunate enough to relish the existence of two such great personalities who took a firm stand against racism. Their names were Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Mr Malcolm X.

Martin Luther King vs Malcolm X

The main difference between Martin Luther King and Malcolm X is that Martin Luther King believed in non-violence and peaceful protests and was ready to work hand in hand with the whites to fight against racism and bring change in society. On the other hand, Malcolm X was ready to get violent if required to fulfil his motto to eradicate racism from the roots of society. He showed no tolerance towards white people to run the movement. 

In history, everyone knows that no two great men are alike. And when you compare Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, you will know instantly that such is true. There are many differences between the two, apart from the striking one: that Martin Luther King was a very good statesman who delivered moving speeches about peace, freedom and democracy while Malcolm X was a known eradicator of those who were not of the superior white race.

The beliefs of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X may stem from the fact that their childhoods were vastly different, given that the former lived in a very comfortable and middle class home while the latter experienced the worst that an underprivileged home. The former was very educated, while the latter was self-taught after what little schooling he had received. Martin Luther King actually came from a family who was well-known in their area of Atlanta, while Malcolm X was a virtual nobody.

One could probably say that Martin Luther King enjoyed the best that life had to offer at that time especially the presence of loving parents. On the other hand, Malcolm X was someone who early on experienced anger over witnessing his house being burned followed by his father being murdered. His mother then suffered a breakdown and this resulted into his family being split up. Based on their childhood and growing up years alone (class issues, educational opportunities, level of household comfort and presence of loving parents), you could probably tell where their beliefs were grounded on.

Where Martin Luther King was focused on equality and the goodness of man, as well as his ability to do good in the name of goodness itself, Malcolm X’s own view of the world was pretty much tinted with anger, bitterness and the desire to get back at the world that treated him pretty much unfairly.

What were the differences between Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X in terms of their approaches to the civil rights movement?

What are some similarities and differences between MLK and Malcolm X quizlet?