The Contrast Between Martin Luther King and Malcolm X - Essay Example

Martin Luther King and Malcom X are two of the greatest names in the fight for black equality and opposition of white supremacy; however, they are as different as two men with a common agenda can be. In fact, they sometimes fiercely opposed each other method,s as is attested to by the fact that Malcom X at one point expressed his disdain for the Christian preacher’s pacifist approach to the struggle by claiming to call him, “Rev Chicken wing,” (Blake). Despite the fact they both lived and operated during the same period of history they hardly ever worked together; nevertheless, they both played a pivotal role in eliminating racism and promoting equality across the racial divide.

It is largely because of their efforts that the Americas can vote for a black president who only 50 years ago would not have been allowed a seat on a bus. Their dissimilar legacies are evident in the modern perception of their work, today while Martin Luther is considered the peaceful champion of civil rights movements; Malcolm X has been frozen history as the angry black radical, which he was until his visit to meccas after which mellowed his approach.The main difference between the two men was not so much in their message or objective but their methods, on one hand, Malcom X advocated for independence by any means necessary while Luther took a preached nonviolent disobedient philosophy akin to Gandhi’s.

One of the hallmark achievements of Martin Luther king’s career was the civil right movement march in Washington DC in 1963, in which he led his people in the march in a quest for equality and unity between the races. Martin Luther King believed that the only way the race problem would be solved was by the integration and collaboration between the races. This is a focal point in juxtaposing the two titans, Malcom X, on the other hand, was not opposed to segregation but only to white supremacy, as far as he was concerned, uniting blacks and whites would only serve to further undermine and exploit the blacks.

Therefore, he championed the separation of races in which black would expend their efforts and resources to help each other and build a strong independent black nation.Malcom X espoused a radical approach to equality much like Karl Marx; he believed there could be no social change unless those desirous of it forcefully instituted it. Therefore, he led the Nation of Islam to be violently forceful in their opposition to white power and thus promote the ideology of black power. To a great extent, his message espoused hatred and he frequently describes white people as devils and blamed them for a myriad of crimes against blacks and humanity in general.

This Marxist radicalism sharply contrasts with the non-violent values engendered by Martin Luther, he believed in working from within the system and in his speeches denounced hate and violence instead advocating for the achievement of prosperity through education and thinking. In his iconic speech, ‘I have a dream speech”, King invites the listener to envision a future where black and white children could grow up in a world where neither hatred nor inequality existed and have equal opportunities (King).

Similar to Gandhi, he was cognizant of the fact that by disobeying the system, he was more likely to cripple it with fewer casualties than would be the case if directly opposed it.