Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr

Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr. were the superstars, so to speak of the Civil Rights Movement. By far they are the most famous individual to be involved with the Civil Rights Movement. When you look at history books are magazine articles they are still mentioned even today in time. Even though they both died in the 60’s , their legacy still lives on, to live in a world free of segregation, but they each had different ways of getting what they want. Some ways of getting what they wasn’t led to bad memories that people rather not speak about. Martin Luther King Jr. was a peaceful man, his father was a southern Baptist preacher, and he as a young boy decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. While in being in his ministry he decided to become a part of the Civil Rights Movement. His way of protesting was subtle yet effective. Martin’s long speeches often caught wandering people, and drew them into the crowd. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, and he was the youngest person ever to receive this award. He was assassinated on April 4th, 1968 in Memphis Tennessee, which led to many riots by the African American communities around the world. Malcom X was, different from Martin Luther King Jr. in some ways. In people’s eyes in America Martin Luther King Jr. was remember to be a very happy and up lifting person. Most people try to forget Malcom X, after being sent to prison for drug use he was converted to Islam by the honorable Elijah Muhammad. He was they on pro segregation wanting blacks to establish their own and not rely or use the white man by any means. But after his Pilgrimage to Mecca he seen that just how blacks where bowing and serving Allah then he realized that being pro segregation was pointless his main focus became fighting oppression. Malcom X was known for his boldness he is often tagged with the quote “to do whatever it takes” meaning he would do whatever it took to be considered equal. This usually led to the less peaceful acts of protesting, plus he was more interested in speaking “black pride”. While he was going through this so called new reform he was kicked out of the NOI and he was forced not to speak but he still spoke and on February 21, 1965 he was assassinated by the Black Muslim movement.

Both Marin and Malcom where consider to be great leaders and role models. They each just had a different way of expressing their opinions. While some people liked a more practical approach others liked to be peaceful, because there was a lesser chance of guns going off. I have come to the realization that even though they are two different people they both were fighting for the same thing the battle of oppression and the freedom from segregation. So they used what power they had and made to make a voice for themselves though sometimes Malcom’s way of “protesting” was more of a brawl that people tried to stay away from, their speeches and rallies often led to the protests, speeches, and eventually the assassination of both of them. It’s hard to say what they would feel like if they were alive today but I think one big thing would be pride. Not pride because they are Americans, but pride because they had so much impact on black history, well history in general. They are both remembered each in different reasons. But even though their opinions and ideas were expressed in dissimilar ways martin Luther King Jr. got his voice on constant replay in people’s heads and Malcom X was feared and respected by people to be the man who was a “Black Activist” and each had their role in black and white history even though their stories aren’t black and white.