Comparing MLK And Malcolm X

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MLK and Malcolm X’s differences in life experience Shaping their Competing Viewpoints Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X were both two prominent leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, but they both had different ways of achieving their goals which could largely be blamed on how their background or how they grew up. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in the most safest and comfortable part of Jim Crow South in Atlanta and into a secure, middle class family. His family was deeply rooted in the Church and the life of clergy. Being lucky enough to grow up shielded from the mot abusive parts of racism, King lived a very fortunate life compared to other African Americans during the Jim Crow Era including Malcolm X, who will…show more content…
He was born in Nebraska but was mostly raised in Michigan and although King grew up in a community with a strong African American presence, Malcolm grew up in a community where little to none of that background. As a child, he lost his father at a young age and his mother was deemed mental and no longer fit to raise Malcolm. After being sent to a foster home, he was raised by white parents and attended white schools. However his dream to become a lawyer was ruined when a teacher heard his education plans and simply laughed. Feeling defeated, and probably angry Malcolm’s intentions to further his education were tarnished. He morphed into a new identity known as “Detroit Red” and committed numerous small crimes and this same recklessness eventually had him convicted and sentenced for eight to ten years in jail around 1946. His siblings sent him letters while Malcolm was in Charleston State Prison and became interested in the Nation of Islam. Malcolm then contacted Elijah Mohammed who was known, as the leader of the group and while The Nation of Islam wasn’t mainstream Islam, but a spin-off version where other African Americans wanted to follow some of the Muslim’s ideals or practices. For the first time Malcolm felt like he belonged somewhere with a new identity and purpose in life. He then changed his name from Malcolm Little to Malcolm X, the “X” replaced his former life and marked his new identity and beginning. Malcolm started reading more and memorized the dictionary in order to expand his vocabulary base. Malcolm grew up becoming a successful leader and a main advocate for the Civil Rights Movement just like Martin Luther King

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