MLK, Malcolm X, and Civil Rights

The Civil Rights Movement of mid-20th century in America saw two poles: on the one end was Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK), and on the other was Malcolm X. MLK adopted the concept of civil disobedience into his Christian ethics to protest a racist structure in America. Malcolm X adopted the concept of militancy and showing the power structure that one is willing to fight back and use violence against violence to beat the same racist structure. MLK initially represented a Christian mindset, coming to the movement as he did from the Christian ministries and as a Christian preacher; Malcolm X represented a militant Islamic mindset, coming to the movement through the Nation of Islam, as a Muslim convert who had spent his youth involved in petty crime. But once they took part in the movement, both were very articulate, rational, forceful, and instrumental in shaping the destiny of America mid-century. They both saw a country in need of change: where they disagreed was on what that change should be and how it should be achieved. MLK wanted equal rights for blacks; Malcolm X wanted black liberation from the white establishment. MLK believed non-violence was the way; Malcolm X believed blacks had the right to defend themselves with force if under threat. Both leaders questioned the establishment in their speeches and conduct. But whereas MLK believed the establishment could be reformed, Malcolm X believed blacks should view it as the enemy.

Malcolm X grew up outside the establishment: a petty crook from Nebraska who hustled in Boston, Detroit and Harlem, Malcolm X was then known as Malcolm Little and had no connections to religion, education, or the establishment. His upbringing had been poor, and his family had relied on welfare. As a young man he tried to make good for himself through a life of petty crime. The closest he got to the establishment was when he went to jail for burglary from 1946 to 1952. But it was in jail that he finally came into contact with serious religion, converting to Islam via the Nation of Islam, which was popular particularly in Detroit at that time. In the Nation of Islam he saw an answer to all the frustration he had experienced in his life up to that point. It represented a new start, a fresh beginning, a way to see himself and the world through new eyes that gave the promise of new freedom and personhood. The Nation of Islam was led by Elijah Muhammad, who taught his followers that blacks were the original race and that Christian imperialism was a threat to their existence. Thus, as Malcolm X converted and adopted these views, he saw the white establishment power structure as directly and inherently opposed to the objectives of the black race. He also viewed MLK as an Uncle Tom type of leadera false shepherd who was leading blacks back into the embrace of the white establishment (Howard-Pitney 2). MLK for his part was born into a much different backgrounda prominent middle class family. He was educated at Morehouse College and Boston University, taking a PHD in philosophy from there in 1953, one year after Malcolm X was released from prison....

In conclusion, MLK and Malcolm X were similar in the sense that they saw the power struggle in the Civil Rights Movement as important. But they approached that struggle differently, each seeing himself as playing a different role. MLK wanted to lead the Civil Rights Movement and promote equality via integration. Malcolm X wanted to empower blacks to fight back and defend themselves against assaults, and achieve equality via independence. MLK saw himself as a Christian leader, while Malcolm X saw Islam as the way to liberate black mens minds. MLK wanted all communities to come together in harmony, which is why he refused to accept violence as an answer: he wanted to turn the other cheek like Christ, even when white officers or oppressors struck him or other blacks. Malcolm X, not being a Christian, had no liking for this type of civil disobedience: he taught blacks to be strong, to stand up for themselves, and to fight back when attacked. His view was that if one does not respond to violence with violence, one will essentially lie down for ones oppressors. Thus, Malcolm X believed MLK was a traitorat least early on. But when Malcolm X broke with Elijah Muhammad of the Nation of Islam, he began to see things from a new orientation and was more open to making peace with people. He offered protection to MLK for his protests, and he generally focused more on restoring the character of the black culture and community through the development of virtue and virtuous ways of thinking about community, society, politics, and…