Comparing Malcolm X and Martin Luther King - Essay Example

Martin Luther King Jr. was follower of the Christian faith. Struggle of Martin Luther Jr. for the right of for his fellow African-American was always non-violent and peaceful throughout his entire movement. He always remained firm on his ground, even he have been physically attacked he never leapt out of his destiny, and never reacted with violence. Malcolm X was a believer of Muslim faith, and strongly believed on Muslim principles. His most renowned quote was “By any means necessary” (Otis 143-144).

He believed in violence against violence. His theory was to get freedom; he was all for it by any way violent or nonviolent way. Although his stance changes later in his life, when he met other Muslims in his visited to Jerusalem. At that moment he changed his thoughts, and became nonviolent. In the start of his preaching, Malcolm X never wanted black and white integration. He grew up minding to the words of his father. Father of Malcolm X was a follower of Marcus Garvey (one of the most influential and earliest black-nationalist minds was founder of the “Back to Africa” social movement).

In 1946, he was convicted of robbery and sent to prison. During his prison he studied “Nation of Islam”, Muslim sect founded by Elijah Muhammed. After his release from prison, he joined daily activities of the NoI with dedication. The NoI appealed to warm and young blood of Malcolm, as it was griped with the prosperity of black culture and history, and completely rejecting values and norms of white society. In contrast to Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr. was non-violent and peace loving person.

He was in favor of peace and integration between black and white races. Martin was influenced by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. He studied Gandhi's non-violent strategies and found how, to change hearts through love of one’s enemies and sacrifice. Leader and his followers can convert a society externally by diplomacy. His one of the famous civil rights move was the “March on Washington”, which framed the different views of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. This event took place on August 28, 1963.

Around 20,000 or more people including whites participated in the march from Washington Monument to the Lincoln memorial in Washington D.C. This march turned out to be one of King’s greatest achievements throughout his life. This event was where he was crowned for the face of the civil rights movement. King never acted out even in the time of violence. Martin wanted all the races should get united to put halt on hatred and violence. Thoughts of Malcolm X were different regarding the march. According to him integration would destroy the movements of African-American for their social rights.

He thought that American blacks should be more worried with helping each other and blacks should start this by giving self respect to the same race first. He was not agreed with what King Jr. had to say, in his view dream of King was not a dream but a nightmare. MLK’s struggle to civil rights and equality was non-violent, preaching out for non-violence, nonviolent resistance, and all this with what he named as a, “weapons of love” (King, Carson and Carson 135-136). On the other hand, Malcolm X’s approaches for civil rights and equality were different.

He does not trust whites, willingly used any means necessary to get social and equal rights. He believed segregation until he went to Makkah.