Similarities Between Martin Luther King Jr And Malcolm X

849 Words4 Pages
Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X were two very powerful advocates for civil rights in the south. These two men fought for equal rights for African Americans. Both were two influential leaders who changed this nation tremendously by expressing their beliefs to the masses. Even though they both had similar messages concerning their beliefs, they took different routes in getting what they believed in. Martin Luther king Jr was one of the most influential people in the civil rights movement. King fought for civil rights in the south, he followed the same ways of Gandhi with a non-violence movement. King believed in peaceful protest and use of civil disobedience. King believed violence wouldn’t help the African Americans gain the civil rights they wanted.…show more content…
Malcolm X demonstrated the anger and the struggle, of the African Americans in the 1960s. During his lifetime he influenced many African Americans to stand up for their rights against the injustices set by the American government. Malcolm was criticized for his extremist views and actions while on the other hand he has been praised for his efforts in raising the status for African Americans. The views of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X often collided because of their different methods of fighting for equality. Most of Malcolm X’s views collided with the views of Martin Luther King Jr. King’s philosophy was “turn the other cheek,” meaning violence will not elevate you and bring you closer to your goals. Malcolm’s view was “by any means necessary.” He believed that if there is something that is this important to you then it is worth fighting for; this is where the two men’s views were different. Kings views were of peace and non-violence “Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”(Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr). King is saying that two acts of
Open Document