compare and contrast martin luther king and Malcolm X?

Answer 1

Both are viewed by most African-Americans as civil rights heroes.

Dr. King was a marvelous human being and deserved all the accolades he got in life and deserves all the accolades he continues to get in death. The civil rights movement of the 1950's & 1960's most likely couldn't have happened without him and our country is far better for it. And as a minister, he was a man of peace and tolerance.

Personally, not being African-American, I'm not a big fan of Malcolm X. He began life as a criminal, then turned into someone who preached hate towards white people and pushed for racial separation. He went as far as to cheer the death of Pres. John F. Kennedy. He only repented of his racist views shortly before his death, at the hands of other African-Americans ironically.

I mean, I'm sure he made some African-Americans feel real tough with his hateful rhetoric. And for a minority group that has been so horribly oppressed in America, such a thing is probably very important. Still, I can't point to one thing that he did that ended up helping the civil rights movement to any great degree.

Answer 2

Dr. King wanted to end segregation so that the country could move forward; he believed in peace, progress, forgiveness, and brotherhood. He was a Lutheran minister, and he preached all over the country about the worth of all people, black or white or any other color.

Malcolm X wanted revenge. He believed in segregation, actually; the goal of his Nation of Islam movement was to encourage black Americans to become Muslim, the religion of most people in Africa, and abandon Christianity if they were Christian (because slaveholders forced Christianity on their African slaves, and Malcolm X felt that Islam was more true to their African roots); he was as racist as any white person, and wanted African Americans to retaliate against their oppressors, using violence if necessary. His movement gained a lot of support. Then he made the hajj, the journey or pilgrimage to the Muslim holy city of Mecca, which is expected of all Muslims. While he was in Mecca, he experienced the love, acceptance, and brotherhood of "true" Islam, and when he returned to the US he denounced his own campaign for the "Nation of Islam."

In the end, he came to share Dr. King's ideals of interracial cooperation, mutual understanding, and brotherly love.

I hope this helped.