Literacy, the ability to write or read, may seem useless for many but this is not the case. Literacy skills have seen the rise of people to prominent positions in society. Whatever one wishes to be in the future is his/her choice and inasmuch as people make the choices, their past and present conditions never determine their future positions in society. How captivating life is, surpasses words and this holds true everywhere and to every person. It resembles a mighty zone harboring every kind of choice for all people. Funny enough, it lets one choose according to the desires of his/her heart. It offers choices ranging from literacy skills, power, and ignorance, among others. However, whatever one chooses, he/she has a story to tell about it and Malcolm X and Sherman Alexie are not any exceptions. Having chosen literacy, they have resolved to address the subject in relation to society. Their ability to read and write has significantly influenced their lives, the reason as to why they are happy accounting their lives’ voyage from the scratches to their current prominent positions, not only in their societies but also in the world at large. As the accounts unfold, literacy ability determines someone’s position in society. For instance, Alexie and Malcolm develop from illiterate insignificant people to useful heroes of their societies.
Literacy Ability and Societal Position
Had it not been for their literacy levels, the two men would not have passed for heroes in their societies. The backgrounds of the two, as brought forth by their stories, could not scoop them a chance to be who they are today. For instance, Alexie’s rank as a playwright comes through his poor father’s small library. In fact, Alexie, the 34-year-old Indian, is currently an outstanding American author and a beneficiary of America’s 2010 Achievement Award, well known for his captivating fictions like The Reservation Blues, the Indian Killer, and The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me, among others. This paper dwells on the latter that gives the author’s account, right from his call to literature as a 3-year-old to his present position as a playwright and a mentor. Regardless of his poverty-stricken background, Alexie could learn how to read. The availability of the books as well as the motivation from his poor father fuelled his devotion to reading. He could read even if the words made no sense to him though he knew they would make it one day provided he pressed on and on choosing never to fail (Cohen 17), a decision that saw the dawn of his poetry and novel writings. His words drive home the point that for one to scoop a major rank in society, a good deal of determination to read must precede. He says that he does writing out of joy and love to save lives. Society recognizes him today, not only for his writings but also for his ability to instill reading and writing skills to kids, a dream he realized through his literacy levels.
Malcolm X, the former political activist and a chief spokesperson of the Islamic nation, assumes these positions purely through his self-education. Otherwise, he would be nobody in society. In fact, Malcolm asserts, “Many today who hear me somewhere in person or in television…will think I went to school” (Cohen 257-258). The words are heavily laden with his awareness of the correlation between people’s ranks and their literacy levels. Malcolm entirely attributes his position to his studies in prison where he got hold of a dictionary, which on the other hand changed his entire life in terms of reading. In fact, Learning to Read is an account of Malcolm, his life as a prisoner showing how the dictionary contributed to his present position. He says that he saw the need to foster his penmanship right from prison, words of which the reader sees the dawn of Malcolm’s greatness. It is purely founded on his literacy skills, which he acquired in prison. In fact, he testifies, “I knew right there in prison that reading had changed forever the course of my life and…will never catch me with a free fifteen minutes in which am not studying something I feel might be able to help the black man” (Cohen 265). Therefore, his literacy ability explains the reason behind his position in society. Nevertheless, in trying to imagine their lives as illiterate people, one must encounter a good deal of contrast in relation to who they are in present. For instance, they would be far from being famous as they are.
Their Lives as Illiterate and Ignorant
As the two stories unfold, the literate Malcom and Alexie would appear significantly different from their illiterate counterparts. The Joy of Reading: Superman and Me opens by featuring the young Alexie’s struggle with reading even without seeing the sense in what he read. This struggle forms the basis of his position as a prominent writer. However, it suffices for the reader to infer that, were it not for his childhood efforts, then Alexie of today would probably be an illiterate street boy and a beggar. In fact, Alexie confirms why this would be so. He says, “We were poor by most standards” (Cohen 15), a condition that would have persisted if Alexie ignored his father’s library. In addition, the story unfolds the teachers’ perception towards the Indian children, from which Alexie belonged. He says, “…Indian children…expected to be stupid…live up to those standards” (Cohen 17). Therefore, he would be as stupid as his Indian counterparts would, until he singled himself out of the misleading notion. Malcom would have died as an illiterate and a shallow-famed prisoner. In prison, he was lucky to encounter a dictionary that assisted him to grasp some words, which he could later read and write after he practiced. However, had he ignored the practice, he would have achieved his evident fame. In fact, he claims, “…an inmate was smiled upon if he demonstrated an unusually intense interest in books” (Cohen 260) to show how his life would be if he were illiterate. However, the reader might ask, ‘Is literacy related with power, happiness, and position?
Conclusion/Literacy vs. Power, Position, and Happiness
Literacy education determines ones power, position, and happiness. Malcom and Alexie’s accounts confirm this claim. For instance, the title The Joy of Reading and Writing is sufficient to tell how happy one becomes by virtue of his/her literacy. “I was smart…I was arrogant…I was lucky” (Cohen 17) are no more than tokens of happiness accredited to his ability to read and write showing how the two are interconnected. In addition, owing to his literacy ability, Alexie rises from a mere village boy to a prominent poet and a chief mentor of children in his society. Malcom could not make it to his political powers had it not been for his literacy capabilities. Therefore, building on these expositions, it becomes worth deducible that literacy is the basis of power, happiness, and too, the major determinant of one’s position in society.
Malcolm Little was born on May 19, 1925, at Omaha’s University Hospital in Nebraska, and he was the fourth child for Louise and the seventh for Earl (Marable 23). As a child, Malcolm’s parents were in the Marcus Garvey Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA). They married on May 10, 1919, and decided to dedicate their lives and future to the building of the Garvey movement in the United States (Marable 16).
As a child, Malcolm frequently went with his father to give guest sermons at local churches. Earl championed the teachings of Marcus Garvey and served as organizers of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) together with his wife. Earl’s pursuit of human rights and equality elicited aggression from white exponents. Despite the efforts to evade the Legion, “Earl’s Michigan home was burned down in 1929, and later he was found dead in the town’s trolley tracks, and police ruled the incident as an accident” (Haley 91).
Malcolm’s life became much harder, but he stayed focused and purposed to pursue his father’s dreams. In 1946, the two were arraigned in a court of law and jailed on burglary allegations. Malcolm’s influence on social and cultural perspectives on the lives of many Americans is vivid even in contemporary times.
His models and ideologies of violence to combat rejection and advance the accommodations approach of the radical resistance of Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) have been adopted by various groups when immediate change is deemed inevitable. In contemporary society in the United States and beyond, the use of force has worked to bring social and political changes after the failure of dialogue.
Malcolm’s involvement with the Nation of Islam
Malcolm’s period in school marked a time for self-enlightenment as he furthered his education. His brother, Reginald, “would visit and share his knowledge and beliefs to the Muslim religion while in prison” (Cleaver 19). Malcolm started “studying the doctrines of Elijah Muhammad, who was the leader of NOI” (Haley 111). At the time in the US, prejudice and discrimination were very common and tolerated. Malcolm’s experiences revealed an ignorant and discriminative American society.
This rejection, coupled with segregation against all African Americans, compelled the likes of Malcolm X to seek acceptance and parity for all people. Full of self-belief, Malcolm was becoming prominent in the Nation of Islam, as Elijah Muhammad cultivated belief in Malcolm and appointed him the minister and national spokesperson for the NOI (Breitman 43).
Muhammad believed and taught that the white fraternity joined forces against the empowerment and socio-economic-political insight by the black Americans. In the modern United States, the experience is different as all Americans work closely together to eliminate all sorts of disparities that persist in society. Even though the ideology of violence might appear indecent in contemporary society, even the non-violent protesters engage in violent deeds to achieve their goals.
Malcolm was fast and precise in his esteemed roles, and he utilized both the print and broadcast media to pass the NOI’s agenda across the American society. His unmoved drive and personal appeal catalyzed the process of winning the support of many people across the United States. People believed in what NOI was advocating, and they were ready to make a giant step in fighting for a state of their own and independence from the influence of the whites.
In 1952, Malcolm was acknowledged with raising the NOI membership from about 500 to 30,000 by 1963 (Breitman 48). The masses behind Malcolm bulged, and many controversies surrounded his daily life, which attracted the media. His life was projected with the media mainstream focusing on the objectives of the NOI. As people believed in Islam, the United States’ security agents such as the FBI edged in the organization to extract information about the group’s activities.
During the peak of the civil rights movement in 1963, Malcolm’s relationship with his mentor, Muhammad, declined. Malcolm discovered that his leader, Muhammad, was having secret relationships with several women within the NOI organization (Stockley and Hamilton 98). This act was against the teachings of the Nation of Islam, and Malcolm felt betrayed by his leader on top of feeling restricted by the peaceful approach by the NOI.
Unable to underestimate Muhammad’s disappointment, Malcolm severed his association with the NOI and opted to establish his own religious movement, viz. the Muslim Mosque. Today in the US, people have become free, and they do not tolerate their leaders if they feel they are violating the freedom to express one’s views.
The Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) fuelled the spirit of black radicalism, which was fundamental in influencing the life of Malcolm X since his father largely subscribed to Garvey’s teachings (Haley 43). Such teachings included black pride and economic self-reliance. He gained the sentiments of avoiding reliance on the white-ridden economy from his father, who practiced nomadism to support his family.
Malcolm’s teachings have helped African Americans to establish independent and sustainable economic means through establishing their own businesses and moving free from exploitation by the whites. The teachings of Garvey emphasized self-reliance as a way of achieving individual freedom. Malcolm X believed that his father’s commitment to preaching was a way of self-engagement and means to evade the exploitative labor by the white-dominated economy.
Political influence
Malcolm had a distinct political philosophy from the majority of the African American leaders who came before and during his time. Malcolm did not believe that black liberation was to be granted or achieved through peaceful means and agreements (Young 7). For Malcolm, the problem of segregation had matured through the centuries, and it was time to stage a protest forcefully and achieve assertion of equality, justice, and freedom for all humanity.
Unlike the conservative nature of the Nation of Islam teachings of non-violence, Malcolm acknowledged the good morals advanced by Elijah Muhammad, but he insisted that the oppressors could not be leveled by peaceful and cowardly approaches. In most of his speeches, he retaliated that they were black first, and anything else would follow. This assertion motivated his audience to be proud of their black heritage and adopt volatile self-defense to end white dominance (Breitman 112).
Apparently, most African Americans have ascended to positions of power and influence mainly because they acknowledge themselves as blacks with equal potential as the white Americans to lead the United States. For instance, the current president of the US, Barrack Obama, is a black American, which manifests the maturity in perspectives by all Americans.
Unlike other black activists like Marcus Garvey and Luther King, who contributed to the black liberation by setting the pace for the coming generations, Malcolm wanted an overhaul revolution, which would grant justice to generations.
Even before quitting the Nation of Islam, Malcolm was demonstrating independent reasoning from that of his leader, Muhammad. He opted for nationalism as his philosophy towards the liberation of the blacks. Such a philosophy could not allow compromise, and it encouraged blacks to have self-esteem in the quest to defeat white supremacy.
Malcolm X emphasized radical democracy among black radical organizations (Haley 17). Today marks more than 50 years after signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and most Americans believe that racial discrimination has dropped significantly, with the gap closing gradually with the hope of achieving what Malcolm X advocated in the 1960s. However, his contributions, even after his immature death, continue to be cherished. The Nation of Islam exercised unquestionable command from the top.
Women were excluded from taking positions in leadership. There was no room for criticism, and thus any critics would be silenced and accused of their alleged indecent perceptions about their leader, Elijah Muhammad (Stockley and Hamilton 101). When Malcolm formed the Organization of African-American Unity (OAAU), he intended to create a platform of radical democracy to all his followers.
He strongly believed that freedom was a fundamental right for all people. Malcolm’s call to achieve radical democracy has not just had an impact in the US but also all over the world since he traveled to many countries and particularly Africa (Baraka 122). For instance, the current Egyptian uprising against the government is seeking to enhance democracy and religious tolerance for all.
Malcolm believed in black power, unity amongst black people, and motivation to propel black movements as icebreakers in the fight for freedom. He insisted on the need for the blacks and whites to join hands regardless of their extremes for the common benefit of humanity.
He argued that it was time for a change, people in power were not ready for a revolution, and anybody who was ready for change was welcome. However, Malcolm was keen to encourage blacks to achieve unity among themselves first before seeking interracial unity. During his time in the Nation of Islam as a minister, Malcolm emphasized the need for the blacks to have solidarity as a technique to put off the tricks of the oppressor (Finley and Margarita 31).
Malcolm’s view on the position and role of women in society had a significant effect on the black radical organization. Islam taught strict laws against women and the nature of the real man as strong as opposed to the weak nature of women. Malcolm’s “hajj and his trips to Africa and the Middle East were important in shaping his understanding of gender” (Taylor 196). His visits to Mecca helped in opening up the idea about women, as he realized that they had the capability to take prominent duties in the fight for freedom.
After traveling to many different places, Malcolm acknowledged that the degree of progress was attributed to women in most ways. However, he advocated the need to educate women, coupled with giving them freedom, hence the incentive to empower their children. For instance, when he founded the OAAU, Malcolm ensured that women were involved in the decision-making processes (Taylor 188).
He knew that women’s liberation was to serve as a catalyst to black liberation. Malcolm’s experience had become diverse and wide, and his social vision and mission broadened. He had grown to tolerate and appreciate women’s presence in the struggle to end racial segregation. This notion has been incorporated into the women’s empowerment agenda by ensuring that they take important roles in leadership.
Cultural influence
Malcolm was critical in rebuilding the black cultural identity, which was designed to create harmony within the class characters of the differing cultural behaviors among the black people. Malcolm helped African Americans to restore the resistance nature in their social and religious lives (Baraka 113). More than anyone before him, his charisma and determination helped to revolutionize the black perspective coupled with changing conservative Negroes to gain pride in their black color and remain courageous African Americans (Haley 8).
Artists devoted their skills to creating black inventive and beautiful art, thus demonstrating black as adorable. Following his assassination on February 21, 1965, every region of African Americans acknowledged the impact of his cultural philosophy, and many embraced it further upon his death. Before Malcolm, many African Americans did not know who they were, as the majority thought of Africa as a continent of slaves, and they even disliked him for his assertions about the ‘black continent.’
Malcolm often reminded people that they could not ignore the roots of a tree and mind the tree (Marable 87). He was keen to let African Americans learn about themselves; hence, he made them love their origin just as they loved themselves. This aspect has influenced Africans everywhere across the globe to come out publicly to practice democracy by contesting for elective positions even when the whites form the majority.
According to Stockley and Hamilton (210), before the end of one year after Malcolm’s death, the need to assert black power was needed than ever. In order for African Americans to be free as Malcolm had always aspired, the authors called for blacks to start and control their own institutions, politics, and schools. Soon Malcolm’s influence was felt as non-violent movements started to embrace black power as opposed to white friendship.
Malcolm’s impact was overwhelming as every racist endeavor by the white was countered with the violent black response (Baraka 121). The white government and white supremacist groupings today are compelled to relax their stand and perspectives against the blacks. Africans in the diaspora are impressed with the immediate effects of the liberation efforts, which are accounted for violent resistances when dialogue is futile.
In most countries in Africa, Malcolm inspired Africans who favored violent resistance as opposed to the long, tedious, and compromising journey to liberation like the one adopted by Nelson Mandela in South Africa. Even in the contemporary era, there is a widespread acknowledgment of violent resistance across the world (Peniel 136). For instance, treaties, memorandums of understanding, and ceasefire agreements are, in most cases, attained after a series of violent engagements.
Conclusion
Like every other black person, Malcolm X felt the pain of segregation, and thus he dearly desired change for he knew something had to be done. His involvement with Marcus Garvey’s UNIA through his father, his life in prison, and joining the Nation of Islam transformed him from Malcolm Little to Malcolm x. His philosophy of violent resistance had a great impact on changing the perspective of both whites and blacks. Malcolm was successful since he led by example, and he was ready to press harder on behalf of the coming generations.
His ideology of violence was different from those of other leaders, as any case of violent demonstration spurred a quick response. Malcolm’s charisma and independent thinking influenced the young black radicals who later succeeded him. His contributions to socio-economic and political justice and self-assertion had an undisputed impact on the history of the United States. His influence on the blacks to be proud of themselves and the need for constant action are some of his significant legacies that live to impact humanity.
Works Cited
Baraka, Amiri. Blues People: Negro Music in White America, New York: W. Morrow, 1963. Print.
Breitman, George. By Any Means Necessary: Speeches, Interviews, and a Letter by Malcolm X, New York: Pathfinder Press, 1970. Print.
Cleaver, Eldridge. “Education and Revolution.” Black Scholar 2.1 (1969): 19-21. Print.
Haley, Alex. The Autobiography of Malcolm X, New York: Ballantine Books, 1992. Print.
Finley, Stephen, and Simon Margarita. “‘That Girl Is Poison’: White Supremacy, Anxiety, and the Conflation of Food and Women in the Nation of Islam. Women and new and African religions. Ed. Lillian Ashcraft-Eason, Darnise Martin, and Oyeronke Olademo. Westport: Greenwood Publishing, 2010. 3-29. Print.
Marable, Manning. Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, New York: Viking, 2011. Print.
Peniel Joseph. Waiting ’til the Midnight Hour: A Narrative History of Black Power in America, New York: Henry Holt and Co, 2006. Print.
Stockely, Carmichael, and Charles Hamilton. Black power: The politics of liberation in America, New York: Vintage, 1967. Print.
Taylor, Ula. “Women in the Documents: Thoughts on Uncovering the Personal, Political, and Professional.” Journal of Women’s History 20.1 (2008): 187-96. Print
Young, Cynthia. Soul Power: Culture, Radicalism, and the Making of a U.S. Third World Left, Durham: Duke University Press, 2006. Print
The doctrine that one’s national culture and interests are superior to any other, coupled with the love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it have been the major driving forces behind the democracy that has made the United States a global leader (Rickford 12). Religion, race, and gender have been highly controversial and debatable topics throughout the history of the country (Rickford 12). The history of the United States has been largely shaped by human rights advocates who felt the need for all people to be accorded equal respect regardless of their race or religion (Marable 31). Activism was geared towards empowering citizens to look beyond their patriotism and accept the fact that peace could not be separated from freedom, and the fact that they had to stand for something in order to give their lives a purpose.
Biography of Malcolm X
Malcolm X was an African American activist, born in 1925 as Malcolm Little to Earl Little and Louise Helen Norton Little. He died in 1965 aged 39 through an assassination. He was famously known for his advocacy against the white oppression of the black people in the United States (Haley 9). Those opposed to his activities accused him of being a racist and perpetrating violence in an otherwise peaceful country. However, Malcolm X did not let the detractors deter him from achieving his objective of seeing an equal society. This desire elevated him to one of the highly influential African Americans in the long history of the United States and the black community in the country (Haley 11). As a member and leader of the Nation of Islam, a movement he joined while in prison, Malcolm X made efforts to address other pertinent challenges in the society at the time such as drug addiction. However, through the movement, he championed for other controversial agendas such as the black supremacy and the opposition to the proposal of assimilation by the civil rights movement (Haley 12). However, after falling out with other leaders of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X renounced the group and refused to acknowledge racism. The main reasons for him leaving the group included the sexual misbehavior of Elijah Muhammad and the failure by the group to respond following confrontations with the police that led to the arrest of several Muslims (Marable 59).
This prompted him to mobilize members from various parts of the country to take action that included joining efforts with other religious activist groups, local politicians, and civil rights groups. Muhammad failed to support Malcolm X in all these response activities, thus triggering the climax of their bad relationship and the decision to leave. However, he continued to advocate for self-determination of African Americans through his newly formed group called Muslim Mosque Inc (Rickford 36). Malcolm X was later assassinated in 1965 by members of his previous group, who felt betrayed after several years of working together for a common course. Malcolm X met his wife Betty Sanders in 1955 during his regular lectures across the country (Haley 32). She later joined the Nation of Islam group the following year under the name Betty X. The couple was blessed with six daughters, with the last-born twins being arriving soon after their father had died (Marable 101).
Activism with the Nation of Islam
The activism journey of Malcolm X had its first major steps while in prison from 1946 to 1952. In prison, Malcolm X met several other activists such as John Bembry who played a huge role in influencing his decision to join the Nation of Islam (Haley 43). Malcolm X was attracted to the group by their advocacy agendas that included the liberation of the black people from white domination. He also believed that the white people were greedy, dishonest, and evil because of the way they perceived and treated African Americans. In addition, he was very hostile towards religion, an element that also endeared him a lot to the members of the group (Haley 44). However, this stance changed when Malcolm X contacted Muhammad, who was the supreme leader of the group. Muhammad convinced him back into religion and the teachings of Allah. This was geared towards helping him avoid engaging in bad things. However, Malcolm X swayed away from his religious ways and begun engaging the government for its laxity in addressing their concerns (Rickford 60).
The most famous one was the 1950 letter that he had addressed to President Harry Truman for allowing the United States to get involved in the Korean War. At the time, he also explained the reasons behind changing his second name from Little to X. Malcolm said that there was nothing white about him as symbolized by his second name (Rickford 60). Therefore, he chose letter X to represent his African name, albeit his little knowledge about his African roots. After his parole, Malcolm focused a lot on his ministry duties at both the Nation’s Temple Number One in Detroit and Boston’s Temple Number 11 (Rickford 67). He later created temples in other major cities across the country as the membership of the group kept growing. He was motivated to carry on with his activism by the large number of people that attended his rallies as well as the temples he established.
A big percentage of the people that were joining the group were African Americans who felt that their liberation would be delivered through the leadership of Malcolm X. At the time, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) launched an investigation into the likely relations between Malcolm and communist groups (Haley 81). The federal government believed that the communist groups played a huge role in empowering Malcolm to mobilize the members of the group into protests against the police, especially following the Hinton Johnson incident (Rickford 72). In addition, the media had continually given Malcolm extensive coverage with regard to the comments he was making on various issues. The government worked together with the Media to bring down Malcom X and present him to the public as a violent and racist person who was out to destabilize America. His prominence was growing, as evidenced during the 1960 United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he was part of the invited guests (Rickford 82). There, Malcolm met several influential African leaders who encouraged him to continue with his work. In particular, Cuban president Fidel Castro was impressed the most and even welcomed him to Cuba for further discussions (Rickford 106). His friendship with Castro cemented the allegation that he was working together with communist countries to destabilize America.
Relevance of his teachings and activism
The activism of Malcolm X was a very important event in the history of the United States. Firstly, through the activism he promoted the values of equality, justice, inclusiveness, and the need for mutual respect as adopted by the Nation of Islam. The teachings by the group argued that black people were the first in the world, thus the need to accord them the necessary respect (Shabazz 132). The Nation of Islam also believed that the white people were evil and would always remain inferior to the blacks regardless of the dominance they assume over them. These teachings helped to mobilize members of the African American community to fight for their rights, a phenomenon that created room for promotion of equality and human rights.
Secondly, the activism of Malcolm X played a crucial role in improving race relations in the United States. Although members of the white community repeatedly accused him of being a racist, his ability and willingness to engage the white community for the way they looked down on African Americans helped in enlightening the world about the importance of mutual respect (Shabazz 140). The relentless nature of his teachings and protests demanded the attention of the white community, as he was determined to show that everyone is important and should not be discriminated for whatever reason. The activism of Malcolm X created an inclusive environment that has made it easy for people from various races to coexist with harmony in the United States over the years (Haley 111). Malcolm X also played a crucial role in promoting democracy because his activism created room for everyone to express different views.
There are many reasons Malcolm X was very important to the struggle for liberation of African Americans and the fight against racism. The first reason is the fact that he acted as a source of inspiration and courage to everyone that advocated for equality, an inclusive society, and the end of racial discrimination (Shabazz 172). Many African Americans bought into his teachings because they felt that the idea of waiting to be accorded the freedom and equality they wanted would never happen in a society that was not ready to treat every person with respect and dignity. They wanted to end racism, violence, and discrimination in America. There was no one who matched the strength, courage, believe, passion, and charisma that Malcolm X exhibited in the fight for equality (Shabazz 172). His leadership liberated the black people from the dominance of the white community.
The second reason as to why Malcolm X was relevant to the fight for equality, African liberalism, and end of racism was his religious believes. Malcolm X was a staunch follower of the Black Muslim faith that was popular among African Americans mainly because it incorporated aspects of Black Nationalism into its teachings. His work with the Nation of Islam played a key role in the success of his activism because Christianity was considered a religion for white Americans. Its teachings were forced on African Americans during slavery (Shabazz 172). Therefore, they felt no connection to its values. The teachings of Islam were very similar to those of African Americans and promoted their identity and values. Malcolm X influenced Mohamed Ali to join the Nation of Islam and help fight for the respect of African Americans through sports (Haley 156).
Conclusion
From the activities of Malcolm X, it is very clear that the only way to achieve peace in the world is by first ensuring that people enjoy their freedom. The United States has come a long way with regard to the acknowledgement and promotion of human rights. Malcolm X was an influential figure in the history of black people in the United States by helping them understand that there is a huge difference between the freedom of expression and freedom after expression. In addition, he ensured that Americans understood the importance the understanding and accepting the reality. Although the United States of America is not doing excellently in terms of addressing racism, the efforts of Malcolm X have surely bore some noticeable fruits.
Works Cited
Haley, Alex. The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Ballantine Books, 2010.
Marable, Manning. Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention. Penguin Publishing Group, 2011.
Rickford, Russell. Betty Shabazz, Surviving Malcolm X: A Remarkable Story of Survival and Faith before and after Malcolm X. Sourcebooks, 2003.
Shabazz, Ilyasah. Malcolm Little: The Boy who grew up to become Malcolm X. Simon and Schuster, 2014.
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X came from community activist families with minister fathers and experienced racism in their youth. Nevertheless, Martin had a respectable social circle, a cozy home, and a friendly atmosphere. His early hatred of white people faded as he got older and had more positive experiences with them. He took advantage of several educational opportunities to develop his outstanding talents. Martin Luther King was chosen as the president of Montgomery Improvement Association “after completing his Ph. D. in theology at Boston University” (Nieman 149).
Malcolm X grew up in a ruined home: racists murdered his father, his mother was harassed by the state and then institutionalized, and he lived in foster families. Despite his deep intelligence, he was discouraged by the fact that every white is meaningful because of the skin color (Schulist). This truth inspired him to progress, and he taught blacks that whites must be disarmed. While spending time in Harlem, Malcolm became addicted to the underworld and was thrown into prison, where he educated himself, converted to Islam, and became Minister Malcolm X. The environment of two leaders formed their approaches to the civil rights struggle.
The goal of Dr. King was to eliminate legal obstacles to civil rights for black people and put together southern society to create an environment with healthy and positive interaction between blacks and whites. This struggle was not easy since “court decisions and statutes attacking the South’s caste system would meet massive, determined, ingenious, and often violent resistance from whites determined to preserve their power and privilege” (Nieman 150). Later, Dr. King was disappointed with whites’ behavior and attitude towards blacks and focused on social justice issues and poverty. Malcolm X initially considered white society to be irreparably spoiled and called blacks to learn to love themselves regardless of whites’ opinions. Later, however, he based his position on the idea that white society is full of corrupt values that must be eliminated so that black society could gain their rights.
Dr. King was primarily a political activist who sought to pressure politicians in his campaigns to initiate change. Malcolm X was a cultural activist and wanted to change the narrative white society imposed on black people by encouraging self-improvement and self-love. Later his theology became less passive, and he left the apolitical Nation of Islam (Schulist). While Martin participated in anti-poverty campaigns and anti-war activities, Malcolm remained primarily a racial justice activist for the rest of his life. He always took an interest in wider politics and economics, but he was killed before he could act on it.
Martin Luther King addressed both black and white people, and his goal was to convince them of Jim Crow’s moral injustice and social discrimination. Malcolm mostly directed his speeches to black audiences to persuade his followers to take action against white supremacy, address the problems black communities faced, and educate them. Both had a warlike tone, but while Martin used swift, revolutionary rhetoric with a high moral tone, Malcolm had a confrontational, direct, brutally sardonic, and more down-to-earth style. Scholars describe Dr. King’s manner: “King electrified the throng with a largely improvised speech… in rolling cadences, he assured his listeners” (Nieman 149). Martin was generous and oratorical, while Malcolm was talkative and didactic. Martin used non-violent civil disobedience based on militant pacifism to get his point across. Malcolm preferred to stay out of trouble with the government unless he defended black lives and strove for independence.
Nevertheless, both leaders had a common goal: they wanted black people’s dignity and humanity to be recognized and respected. Dr. King and Malcolm X were mass leaders and focused on the day-to-day struggles of blacks, using mass movements to achieve their goals. Both were deeply religious, had a global focus on human rights, confronted poverty, capitalism, unjust war, police brutality, and white supremacy. They had the same militant, radical outlook, were fearless facing violent threats, and had similar leadership styles.
Works Cited
Nieman, Donald G. Promises to Keep: African Americans and the Constitutional Order, 1776 to the Present. Oxford University Press, 2020.
Malcolm X remained a leader of a religious nationalistic Afro-American organization for twelve years. He was popularizing the idea of black supremacy among his followers. Besides, Malcolm X was exhorting society to segregate Americans of African ethnic background from citizens of European ancestry. This speech is to address Malcolm X’s Islam Nation activities and doctrine.
Work in the Islam Nation
Malcolm X was a talented orator because he was improving his skills during his work for the Islam Nation. Besides, he had a great influence on the audience due to his appearance and eloquence skills. Hence, he won the respect of many Afro-Americans because these people were unhappy and tired of their lives in slavery. The general ideas and thoughts of Malcolm X were signifying their dissatisfactions and complaints. He was considered to be the most influential man of the Islam Nation after Elijah Muhammad (Grewal, 2015). Nevertheless, many people of both Caucasian and Negroid races were confused with Malcolm X’s statements during that period. He was accused by his opponents of racism, the acceptance of race segregation, and of not helping to improve the relationships between the two races of America.
Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X had an arduous relationship at the beginning of the 1960s due to the rumors of the latter’s marriage, which was prohibited by the organization’s codex and doctrine. Moreover, the Islam Nation leader was jealous of Malcolm X’s success because he was known by the media and was an incredibly talented orator. In the year of 1964, Malcolm X made an official declaration about his departure from the organization (Grewal, 2015). Malcolm X was menaced by other members of the Islam Nation during the year 1964 because he became an opponent of Elijah Muhammad. Once, an unknown man called to X’s house to tell his wife that he was practically dead.
Before Malcolm X left the religious nationalistic Afro-American organization in the year of 1964, he was popularizing its doctrine through the speeches he performed. He claimed that black people were the first humans to inhabit our planet. Besides, Malcolm X thought and preached that people with white color of skin were the devil’s race, which was created by Yakub (an evil scientist). Malcolm X was proclaiming the supremacy of blacks, stressing that the white race’s death is imminent. He argued this point of view by saying that every person who abuses, robs, enslaves people, and bombs cities are the devil in the flesh. After Malcolm X had left the religious nationalistic Afro-American organization, he started to co-operate with the civil rights movement. “Substantially, as I saw it, the organization I hoped to build would differ from the Nation of Islam in that it would embrace all faiths of black men, and would carry into practice what the Nation of Islam had only preached” (X, Haley, & Sloan, 2015, p. 302). Although, he thought that this organization had to focus on the whole range of human rights, instead of just disputing a political status. What benefit do you think, Malcolm X had from protecting the rights and freedoms of the black population?
Moreover, X said that Islam was the only religion of black people, whereas Christianity was a white people’s faith, which was imposed on Afro-Americans by their slaveholders. “The Christian church returned to Africa under the banner of the Cross-conquering, killing, exploiting, pillaging, raping, bullying beating, and teaching white supremacy” (X et al., 2015, p 138). It would be proper to state that X was proclaiming the segregation of black people from white citizens during mass protests against this barrier between the two races in the United States of America. Another interesting fact is that Islam Nation leaders were developing a project of a new Commonwealth for black people on the territory of southern American states. This particular area was considered as a terminal for Afro-Americans that would like to return to their motherland. Moreover, Malcolm X was persuading his audience that the U.S. government was obligated to financially compensate for all the centuries of black people’s slavery. Besides, he denied a non-violence strategy, which was suggested by people who fought for the civil rights of blacks. Furthermore, Malcolm X insisted on Afro-Americans protecting themselves by collective self-defense.
Malcolm X’s chief complaint was that blacks were brainwashed by their slaveholders, the media, and American society. He saw that some Afro-Americans have resigned themselves to their fate on the territory of the United States of America. X wanted his countrymen and countrywomen to fight for their freedoms as hard and obstinately as it was possible. Do you think that it would be possible for X and his companions to establish a separate state for Afro-Americans?
Although Malcolm X remained a leader of the Islam Nation, he had some controversies that did not meet with the organization’s strategies. Therefore, he decided to leave this organization to argue his points of view to black people. Nevertheless, when he remained a member of the Islam Nation, all his speeches were overwhelmed with phrases that refer and show respect to the greatest Muslim leaders of all times. Furthermore, during his interviews, Malcolm X said that he was just a puppet in the hands of Muhammad who gave X various directions for his actions and speeches (X et al., 2015). Moreover, he claimed that Islam Nation members were professing their religion just like in the other parts of the world, but some divergences were obvious due to the low quality of life and poverty among black people in the United States of America.
Malcolm X claimed that he and other members of the civil rights movement were to protect themselves against different aggressors, that they were to fight for freedom and equality between races in any possible ways (X et al., 2015). When X was asked to express his opinion about socialism by one of the journalists, he said that he supported anything beneficial for Afro-Americans. Nevertheless, X was traveling to some Muslim countries to learn and gain more experience from the world’s Muslim leaders. These explorations slightly started to change his set of mind, especially after he met with revolutionists from Northern Africa. He confessed that he had realized all the backsides and dangers of racism. How did Malcolm X demonstrate his position as a racist before?
Conclusion
Malcolm X was considered to be one of the greatest and most influential authorities in the United States of America. His activities and works are appreciated by Afro-Americans nowadays because he was showing and proving that the black population was better than other races. Due to his statements and beliefs, Afro-Americans do not feel like derelicts among white people anymore. Malcolm X was professing that black people were the first humans on Earth, that Caucasians were the devil’s face, and that blacks should have protected themselves. Moreover, he wanted black people to segregate from the white ones, and to create a Commonwealth for Afro-Americans on the territory of Southern states.
References
Grewal, Z. (2015). 1965 and the global intellectual afterlife of Malcolm X. American Studies, 54(2), 9-21.
X, M., Haley, A., & Sloan, S. (2015). The autobiography of Malcolm X. New York, NY: Ishi Press International.
Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam after he conflicted with the movement and its leader, Elijah Muhammad, and embarked on a personal and spiritual tour of the Middle East and West Africa in the early 60s. While in Mecca, and as he completed the hajj, he experienced something that could only be described as his second conversion (Payne, 2020). He uncovered an all-inclusive, genuine, and united Islam – an experience that changed his worldview. As a result, in both the public and in the letters he sent from Mecca, he declared that blonde and blue-eyed Muslims exist and, in turn, broke away from years of his own teachings (Payne, 2020). Malcolm’s new worldview accommodated mainstream Islam’s doctrines and gave him political flexibility, making it possible for him to get support from sincere white people.
In his time abroad, he focused on reinforcing his qualifications as an orthodox American Muslim, which sharply contrasted those of Elijah Muhammad and his teachers. Through letters, he condemned Elijah personally as a “religious faker,” most probably referring to the rumors that the leader had fathered children with his secretaries while demanding absolute morality from his followers (Payne, 2020). While Malcolm was in Egypt, he studied and spent time with Muslim scholars and was certified as qualified to teach and spread the word of Allah.
Malcolm then shifted his efforts from the Middle East to Africa and became more political than religious. He was working to rally a diplomatic charge of Africans against the United States, which he felt was an anti-black oppressor (Payne, 2020). He wanted to get at least one African state to charge the United States with human rights violations in the United Nations. He submitted the idea during the second meeting of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Cairo, Egypt, in which emissaries from more than thirty states were in attendance (Payne, 2020). In spite of his lobbying, the OAU did not take a stronger stance as he was requesting. Instead, it approved a resolution concerned with the racial practices of the United States (Payne, 2020). Disappointed with the outcome, he wanted to talk personally to each leader once they returned to their countries as he felt the United States’ influence contributed to the outcome.
In his new philosophy, Malcolm changed his use of the mainstream media. Since he was building his mosque and organization, he wanted to get his message to the black people throughout the country (Payne, 2020). Therefore, he needed to change his obsession with opinions regarding white people and focus on how the media could get his message to them. The easiest way was to change the narrative that all white people were devils. He also saw capitalism as the real enemy and believed that a white person could not believe in one and not the other (Payne, 2020). As such, he stopped referring to himself as a black nationalist since there were other revolutionaries who were not black, especially in the African nations.
Malcolm’s final phase of life can be overly romanticized and misconstrued as gentle and more accommodating to the tastes of white people. In truth, he was just as fiery when he returned to the United States (Payne, 2020). Even though his worldview was taking a new turn, his criticism of liberalism continued strongly. He still stressed black people’s need for the right to self-defense but wanted to connect with non-violent civil rights organizations. In fact, it was at a secret meeting in the house of one civil rights leader that the idea of going to the United Nations was developed (Payne, 2020). However, Malcolm would never have the opportunity to fully evolve his new worldview, as he was shot and killed in 1965.
Reference
Payne, L. (2020). The dead are arising: The life of Malcolm X. Liveright.
Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska during the height of the discrimination and racial violence against African-Americans. Even after the family moves to Michigan to escape racial violence they still suffer for the simple reason that they are black. Malcolm’s father is murdered and his mother goes insane and is committed to a mental hospital. He ends up in a detention home until he finished 8th grade. Upon completion, he moves to Boston where he becomes involved in the nightlife. He was able to pass for being older by wearing flashy clothes, gambling, drinking, doing drugs, and dating an older white woman at a time when a black person could be lynched for doing so. Eventually, he takes a job as a railway porter and moves to New York to be a Harlem hustler. In Harlem, he indulges in running numbers, selling drugs, and pimping black brothels to white people. In addition, he committed several armed robberies.
Eventually, life in Harlem becomes too risky even for the adventurous Malcolm. He is arrested and imprisoned. It is in Jail that Malcolm begins his transformation when he converts to Islam under the Nation of Islam group. As a result of his conversion experience, he ceases drug use and he begins to read and pray diligently. Upon release on Parole Malcolm becomes a model citizen and an active member of the Detroit temple of the Nation of Islam. He also drops the name Little and adopts the placeholder “X” as a homage to his now-lost last name from his African ancestry.
Now known as Malcolm X he meets with Nation of Islam leader, Elijah Muhammad and rises to the rank of Temple assistant in Detroit to the Nation’s first national minister. Malcolm becomes an advocate for black unity and militancy this disturbs the Nation of Islam’s leadership and they suspend him.
As the Nation of Islam grew more frustrated with Malcolm he begins to receive death threats. After a particularly divisive argument with Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm leaves the Nation of Islam and he utilizes his fame to found his own Muslim Mosque Inc. This organization is more politically active than the Nation of Islam and its views on the Islamic faith are at variance with those of his original organization. In 1965 at the height of his fame he is assassinated.
What has it taught me?
The story of Malcolm X taught three things. First, that discrimination against African-Americans was a real, unwelcome, blight in our nation’s history. Second, a conversion experience can change a man from being a corrupt and worldly person who gives his life in the service of others. Third and most important, Malcolm X taught me that humanity is a basic human right.
Malcolm’s father was murdered, his mother driven mad by the violence around them, even after they left the Midwest where discrimination was supposed to be worse and moved to the more benign and tolerant state of Michigan. The specter of discrimination still followed them. This is an unfortunate truth, even though Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves in 1862 even in the mid-1950s there are still people who look down on African-Americans as if they were slaves. They are treated very poorly as if they were not human. They can even be beaten by a mob for dating a white person. Perhaps the unkindest cut of all is that “Colored”, a term that connotes being dirty, people are excluded from fine restaurants and hotels. Segregation was the order of the day. Malcolm X was the contemporary of Dr. Martin Luther King jr. Like Dr. King, he suffered many indignities by virtue of the color of his skin.
Prison should have been a low point in his life. Instead, Malcolm was converted to Islam and made a radical turn for the better. He turned his back on drugs and a life of crime. Instead, he chose to serve Allah in the most profound way possible. The Nation of Islam promised hope and unity to the downtrodden “colored” race. Even after his parole, he remained very active in organizing his fellows and leading them to the Nation of Islam. He also began to commit himself to improve his mind that he may better serve his fellow African-Americans. His conversion eventually made him a fiery radical who espoused militancy as a means to assert their rights. He becomes a sort of opposite to Dr. King who insisted on non-violent resistance. Malcolm X was a radical but was nevertheless a serious advocate of his people’s civil rights.
Humanity is a basic human right. This is a contentious lesson even in the modern-day as some people are still discriminated against and treated in an inhumane manner. But for the African-American people this was an essential issue in the time of Malcolm X. Their rights were often denied them. After all, the Bill of Rights applied to all people and the Declaration of Independence claims that all people are created “Free and Equal”. Yet their treatment was far from equal to whites. It is important to remember this lesson as we meet to celebrate diversity in America, not only are there many ethnic minorities already present there are many more who seek to share the virtues of our United States.
Author’s bias
Malcolm X and Hayley were biased in their efforts to present a sometimes larger-than-life representation of Malcolm X. The exaggerations broaden his legend and succeed in making him an even more heroic figure. An example that even the author admits is when Malcolm X pulled a stunt where he fired his gun into his head in front of his followers. The stunt intimidated them into obedience and was written into the book. However, later Malcolm X admits that the gun was empty. The fact that the anecdote was printed in its original form, that the gun was actually loaded, shows that Hayley was also interested in exaggerating Malcolm X’s legend.
Works Cited
Malcolm X, Hayley, Alex. The autobiography of Malcolm X.
In the history of the U.S., there have been an extended number of great and powerful influencers who used their inner strength to advocate for freedom and truth and make people’s lives better. Some of them used speeches and letters as their tools to influence society, spread their point of view, and allow everyone to see the real situation in the country. Many of these letters and orations are now studied by philosophers, linguists, and political scientists in order to gain an understanding of the motives and actions of those influencers. For example, “The Ballot or the Bullet” by Malcolm X and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr. are such historical pieces. They allow modern people to see how these figures perceived democracy and understand the American legal system, what strategies they used, and how they were influenced by their religion. While all these aspects are interesting, the purpose of this paper is to study Martin Luther King’s and Malcolm X’s perceptions of democracy and strategies of power and resistance.
To begin with, it is essential to notice that, in his letter, Martin Luther King expresses severe disappointment in the fact that both the White Citizen’s Councilor and the white moderate tell African Americans to stop their actions and wait. They insist on the current unnecessity of the Negro community gaining their rights and freedom. However, this is what leads America to democracy. According to the activist, the latter means allowing all people to live freely and without fear, segregation, violence, and the need to fight for their rights. Democracy is the ultimate absence of discrimination and prejudice, and in a democratic state, children should not feel inferior because of their skin color (Thepostarchive 00:14:02-00:14:41). Simultaneously, parents should not worry about their kids’ lives and health just because the people around them are opposed to their race. Finally, democracy does not allow any unreasonable sign or characteristic to be used against a person and in order to humiliate their dignity and deprive them of their civil and human rights.
In his letter, Martin Luther King Jr. describes the recent events and mentions some strategies that were used by the Negro community. Noticeably, all of them were peaceful and did not initially contain violence. As noticed by the activist, “in any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action” (Thepostarchive 00:04:29-00:04:37). While facing racial injustice, segregation, and brutality, experiencing unfair treatment in the courts, and having their houses and churches bombed, African Americans still tried to engage the city’s white power in good faith negotiations.
When this strategy failed, it was decided to change the plan. According to Martin Luther King Jr., they chose to prepare for nonviolent direct action that “seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue” (Thepostarchive 00:09:15-00:09:35). Again, the strategy did not contain any violence, and this is what defines the essence of the activist’s philosophy. He did not want to destroy and eliminate those who supported white supremacy. Instead, Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for helping such people see the benefits and value of brotherhood, mutual understanding, and love and get rid of racism and prejudice.
Further, it is essential to analyze the way Malcolm X views democracy. In his speech, the activist indicates that he has never seen true democracy, and the one that exists in the U.S. is actually hypocrisy (Npatou 00:25:18-00:25:20). Political figures lie to people and never hold their promises, worsening the situation in the country and making it more challenging for the Negro community to live. Therefore, though Malcolm X does not directly mention what democracy is, he instead states what features it should definitely not have.
On this basis, it is possible to understand how the activist perceives democracy in America. A democratic leader does not lie to the citizens and always holds their promises, and a democratic state “is supposed to guarantee voting rights to Negroes” (Npatou 00:33:36-00:33:40). According to Malcolm X, it is either “freedom for everybody or freedom for nobody” because democracy means providing everyone with equal rights (Npatou 00:37:40-00:37:42). In order for America to be truly democratic, discrimination has to be eliminated, and all people, especially African Americans, need to gain their freedom and use their civil and human rights. As for the strategy of achieving it, Malcolm X insists on uniting against white supremacy, becoming more politically educated and mature, and being ready to die if liberty is not achieved.
Works Cited
“Malcolm X’s Legendary Speech: “The Ballot or the Bullet” (annotations and subtitles).” YouTube, uploaded by Npatou, Web.
“Martin Luther King, Jr. Reads his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” YouTube, uploaded by Thepostarchive, Web.
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were the two major leaders in the Civil Rights Movement of mid 20th century. While both leaders had similar goals of demanding recognition and protection of African American liberties in society, their respective backgrounds, approaches, remained widely divergent. Concurrent sections of this essay shall highlight these differences and their impacts on the Civil Rights Movement. Both short-term and long-term impacts of the two approaches will be investigated.
The differences in both leaders’ backgrounds had significant impacts on respective civil rights struggles. Malcolm X was born of a Baptist father who had been a major champion of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (Karim). Malcolm’s father’s intense involvement in movement activities resulted in being at loggerheads with law enforcement. This placed his family in danger and thus embarked on constant relocation from one part of the country to the other before settling in Michigan. Malcolm’s father was later run over by a streetcar. His mother was later declared insane and sent to the mental care facility. These were sad times for the young Malcolm, who started living with foster families while attending various reform schools (Ogbar, 203). He later moved to Boston and got engaged in criminal activities that led to his confinement. It is during this imprisonment that Malcolm came to learn of Elijah Mohamed’s Islamic teachings and henceforth decided to become a Muslim, as well as being seriously involved in civil rights issues. Malcolm’s background is the opposite of that experienced by Martin Luther King (MLK). MLK was born of Baptist parents; his father was a minister, a post inherited from his father (MLK’s grandfather). This provided MLK with a strong religious foundation that would later influence his teachings and practices. After attending elementary school in Atlanta, MLK was admitted to the Pennsylvania-based Crozer Theological Seminary and later Boston University, where he received a Ph.D. in systematic Theology in 1955. He immediately took the ministerial role at Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church (Stanford University) and became increasingly engaged in civil rights issues.
The influence of both leaders’ backgrounds can be seen in the methods applied in their respective leadership roles. On his part, Martin Luther chooses a nonviolent approach in achieving movement goals. Without a doubt, the choice of his approach was influenced by the extensive theological teachings he had received since his childhood. Despite the pressure from some quarters within the movement to push for speedy agitations through violence, MLK relentlessly preached and practice a nonviolence approach. Many civil rights movements participants, including Malcolm X, had concluded that MLK’s approach would take longer to achieve the intended goals (MLK Online) but Martin was ready to wait. Malcolm X was on the view that armed violence was the best measure to meeting civil movement goals. The difference between both approaches led to disagreements between the two leaders to point that they could not merge and strengthen their ties. Each group thus retorted to continuing with putting pressure on the government using the means they so fit: Malcolm X continued with agitating for armed approaches whereas MLK kept preaching peace and nonviolence approach. Though both leaders had similar goals of having African American liberties becoming more recognized and protected by authorities, there were some other little differences regarding specific short and long-term goals of the Civil Rights Movement. On his part, Martin Luther King was determined to have African Americans being treated as equal under the rule of law with their white counterparts. In this regard, MLK intended to have greater integration of American people despite their race, religion, or sex. Luther’s goals, therefore, extended beyond the African American population in the country—he had all minorities included in his long-term goals. Malcolm would hear none of this; instead, he saw the complete “separation from the white man” as the best measure to address the crisis (Howard-Pitney 120). For sure, such a hard stance could not have been incorporated with Martin Luther’s non-violence approach.
Martin Luther was concerned with positive impacts in American society, not just African Americans. This meant that peaceful co-existence between the races had to be a prerequisite, and hence the non-violence approach. On the other hand, Malcolm X was seemingly concerned with short-run results on African American lives. These differences did not stop either of the leaders to achieve certain goals. Martin Luther achieved the integration of American races in both public and private sectors. In addition, his movement saw the segregation that had characterized lifestyle start to wane (Karim). Though Malcolm X did not live to achieve his goals, his followers were instrumental in the rise of Black Power as an authority in the civil rights movement in the 1960s and 70s (OAH 12). However, Black Power’s activities were in the authorities’ spotlight, which resulted in to decline in its membership and relevance in the civil rights fraternity.
The above analysis has compared two of the most dominant civil rights movement leaders. It has been established that the differences in respective approach styles developed from the leader’s upbringing. Martin Luther’s religious background was instrumental in his nonviolent approach. Malcolm X’s hardship in life resulted in the agitation of armed resistance. Martin Luther was, however, the one who was most successful in meeting the goals—Malcolm died before attaining his goals. His followers were also unsuccessful in reaching their fallen leaders’ aspirations.
References
Howard-Pitney, David. Martin Luther, Malcolm X and the Civil Rights. New York: Bedford, 2004.
Malcolm X is an American movie about celebrating the lives of sorrow and street prison and changing the situation for a better future. The biography of the activist Malcolm X reflects on the power to change one’s life without considering fate.
The film is very inspirational as well as educative in that it gives an insight of identity along with life’s lessons. In addition, the film is entertaining and makes the audience stay alert to capture all the happenings in a dynamic manner. Malcolm was born of a minister who advocated the beliefs of Marcus, an African-American chief (Ebert par. 1-4).
Malcolm’s father taught him that white America would not accept black people in the society thereby taking the belief that they had no hope in America. Malcolm, however, went against this conception to teach that people would change their way of thinking and embrace change for the better.
The film demonstrates Malcolm X’s living in various perspectives. At one time, he is demonstrated as a criminal for joining several groupings. Negative events in the occurrence include the death of Malcolm’s father together with his mother’s mental illness, which are traumatizing.
A number of flashbacks remind him of experiences with racism hence raising questions on whether people are one. The film begins while an American flag is being consumed by fire, which might signify the end of American nightmares as the flag becomes letter X (Ebert par. 5-8). In the early opening, there are war cases and various criminal activities that signify poor standards of living as people struggle to make money.
Violent actions in the nation victimized Malcolm X. The activist remembers how their house was burned and left his mother with no other choice rather than taking him to a foster home. His survival in such harsh conditions teaches us that life is more than we perceive it thus motivating change as a means to better lives. Malcolm was the brightest student in his class later led astray by the white teachers who encouraged working with hands. In his early working experiences, he engaged in minor gangster activities.
The movie quotes Malcolm as having had one-year imprisonment for burglary plus seven years due to his association with white women. Prison can be said to have changed him greatly when he joined the Muslim movement and learned to respect everyone (Ebert par. 9-15). This is followed by street preaching, an aspect that turns Malcolm to be the most charismatic figure in the Black Muslims movement. He teaches that the whites are evil hence Blacks need to awaken and be self-reliant.
His acceptance by Muslims after visiting a sacred place in Mecca gives him hope that diverse social settings can work together. The film demonstrates that there is hope in trusting people of different races, which encourages one to fight for rights, whether in native or intercultural settings. Early stages of the movie depict Malcolm as persuasive, but he later becomes courageous and self-confident.
The working together with Elijah Muhammad shows enhanced prominence and order. Malcolm is pitiful of his fellow gang member, Archie, having learned that he was living a destitute life characterized by pain and suffering (Ebert par. 16-18). He vows to help Archie out of his mental problems, a sign of love also featured in his relationship with Betty. The movie ends with a black teacher in an American class, a symbol of change, hope, and tolerance.