Growing up, Malcolm X lived in an underprivileged home. He taught himself. He never received a lot of schooling. He eventually became great through his own intelligence and determination. Malcolm X was born in a neighborhood where there was a lot of fear and anger. His house was burnt down by the Ku Klux Klan. This eventually resulted in the murder of his father. After this happened, his mother had a breakdown causing the family to break up. Through his life, he grew up and was forced by a hatred and desire for payback.
Martin Luther King Jr. was raised in a better environment. Growing up in Atlanta, his family had established their family name. In his house, education, security, and safety was provided. There was no reason to feel a strong hatred for whites as in the case of Malcom X.
Both men are very important in the Civil Rights movement. King held a positive attitude and believed that through peaceful demonstrations and arguments, blacks would be able to achieve equality. Malcom X held memories from his childhood. He grew up angry and believed that equality was impossible because whites have no moral principles.
Through this, King continued to feel that black and white people should be united and live in peace. Malcolm X promoted nationalist and separatist doctrines. He felt that revolution and force could only attain peace in society.
After Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on December 3, 1955, the Black community of Montgomery planned a boycott of the buses. They selected Martin Luther King Jr, to be the chair. After just over a year, the plan worked and buses were integrated.
After his family's break up, Malcolm got involved in bad street life. He was arrested and sent to jail. In jail he met Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam in America. Through this time, Malcolm became the most effective leader. He established chapters throughout the country. This nation advocated self-defense and wanted complete independence of Black America.
The government started to protect Martin Luther King Jr. It was easier and safer to deal with him. The government eventually stopped protecting King after he opposed the Vietnam War. There were problems in society and a huge battle.
King and Malcolm, were eventually assassinated. Both at the age of 39. Malcolm died first in New York of 1965. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in Memphis of 1968.
Both wee not very different from each other. They had a goal of equality. Though their ways of achieving this goal differed greatly. They were on the same path trying to establish the true meaning of America.
Source: http://www.cyberlearning-world.com/nhhs/project/1998/xandking.htm
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