How Did Malcolm X Influence The Black Power Movement

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Malcolm x, one of the leaders of the nation of Islam, his ideas were opposed to those of martin Luther king and as African Americans lost faith in peaceful protests it led to the rise of black power. Many people were dissatisfied with Martin Luther King’s tactics therefore in the 1960s different black power movements rose such as the Nation of Islam and the Black Panthers. The black power movement came to an end in the 1970s despite achieving not as much for the black people in the north; it did however build their confidence and self-esteem. Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam, believed in a strong moral code, self-discipline. He encouraged black men to find dignity in hard work and to disapprove the illegal world of gambling, drinking, prostitution and drugs. The nation of Islam was very appealing to young black men especially those who came from a world of crime. Another belief of Elijah Muhammad was separatism, he believed that the black people should have their own state and should protect themselves with force against the whites. This belief divided the black people; there were 3 main divisions, the nation of Islam, Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement. Because of this division…show more content…
He was a very important figure as he attracted many new converts by his influential, powerful oratory. He convinced people such as Muhammad Ali to become a member of the nation of Islam. Malcolm X was highly critical of Martin Luther King, addressing him as ‘Uncle Tom’ and the civil rights movement. He argued that the SCLC and the NAACP trusted the American system and believed in the ‘American dream’ therefore they’d never be able to set the black people free and gain them independence. He also criticised Martin Luther king by saying that he was preventing black people from effectively fighting for their rights by involving religion, which he explained in his speech, ‘The ballot or the
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