Martin Luther King, Jr. vs Malcolm XThe Civil Rights Movement during the 1950s and 1960s had a great impact on black and white Americans.
The topic of integration was the main issue throughout this time frame. Two men in particular had the greatest influence on this situation, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights activist whose peaceful protests were modeled after the practices of Gandhi.
He led a revolt that became known as the Negro revolt, which lasted over a decade. It consisted of nonviolent protests, including boycotts of segregated lunch counters and peaceful “sit-ins. ” King was definitely a good example and role model for African Americans in the time of integration. Malcolm X took a totally different route than King. Joining the Nation of Islam, he started a career as a Muslim minister in 1952.
He felt that blacks should abandon all hopes for integration and instead should separate themselves from the white Americans as much as possible. Malcolm X believed this should be achieved by any means necessary, even actions resorting in violence. Obviously these men had very different viewpoints on how the issue of integration should have been handled. I believe Dr.
King had the right idea, even though he was pushed around a lot and thrown in jail.Malcolm X and his idea that violence can lead to happiness in the black American community I feel was the wrong way to go because, as history can show, violence never leads to anything ultimately good.Bibliography: .