Preview

Good Vs. Evil: Martin Luther King And Malcolm X

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2088 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Good Vs. Evil: Martin Luther King And Malcolm X
Since the dawn of time, there has always existed the concept of good vs evil. Normally, this concept is used to explain two forces battling against each other in order to influence people’s actions. However, these concepts also exist on a realistic level; although the realistic form is based on race rather than morals. Like a recessive gene, black people were suppressed by the dominant gene, white people, in the 1950’s. Because the oppression was a colossal dilemma and a difficult problem to solve, few people chose to solve it. However, some were brave enough to fight against this evil. Among them were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. While King wanted to solve the problem with peace, Malcolm knew the only way to solve the dispute was fighting …show more content…
When Malcom attended school. he was asked what he wanted to be. He replied that he wished to be a lawyer, but the teacher said, considering his race, to think realistically. This incident was the turning point of Malcom’s life and influenced his future actions. From that point forward Malcolm felt like the class pet rather than a student. Feeling this way, he dropped out of school and moved to Boston to like with his sister. Although when Malcolm moved to Boston, he was arrested due to theft, and was forced to take a light sentence. While in prison, he joined the Nation of Islam and devoured books in order to make up for the education he lost out on. When he left prison, Malcolm had brewed a strong hatred for the white race and their oppressing powers. Subsequently, when Malcolm X decided that the hour of liberation had arrived for his oppressed brothers, he was determined to show them how deceitful, rotten, and disrespectful the white race …show more content…
Malcolm believed that the true religion was Islam and his brother had been put in the dark because they had accepted the white man’s version of truth: Christianity. In the Bible, the world began with God’s creation of Heaven and Earth. Although this is a truth that Malcolm believe, it’s about the only thing he believed true about the God of the Bible. He found it odd that the beginning of the Bible doesn’t speak of a religion. Thus he concluded that God couldn’t have left his people without a religion and this religion was Islam. His ideologies came about because of his analysis of past events. He found that because the Christ was to be born at a much later time in history, and with Christ being the root word in Christianity, Christianity couldn’t have been the religion that God gave his people. Meaning, according to Malcolm in the speech “The History Of The Black man, “[it is] for this reason, Almighty God Allah, the God of our forefathers, has raised The Honorable Elijah Muhammad from the midst of our downtrodden people here in America” (Malcolm). Recognizing this, Malcom was inspired to liberate his brothers of whom the white man, “[had] made spiritually blind depriving [them] of the light of truth.” (Malcolm) The way his brothers were deprived of the truth was by having the white idea of Christianity pumped into their system like drugs. Malcolm said, “American enslavers have

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Why Is Malcom X Necessary

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In jail his brother Reginald would come over and talk about how he converted to Islam and told him the ways of Islam and that opened the eyes of Malcom forever. Malcom was intrigued and began to study Elijah Muhammad’s teachings and devoted his whole life to Islamic beliefs. He was so driven to learn his religion and for equality among his fellow brothers and sisters. During segregated times Malcom X was a civil rights activist who wanted all blacks to be treated equally and fair. Though the way he saw it was that black people must do anything and everything to be treated fair even if it lead to violence.…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malcom X Research Paper

    • 484 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Malcom X’s mother would never recover from this event and was later committed to a mental hospital. Malcom X was forced to live with family friends and attended West Junior High School. Even though he was liked by classmates he dropped out at the age of 15 when he told his teacher that he wanted to be a lawyer and in response she said “you need to think of something you can be ... why don't you plan on carpentry?" After this event Malcom X moved to Boston where he was introduced to the underground life and soon became involved in drugs and crime. This lifestyle was soon cut short when he was arrested and sentenced to ten years on charges of larceny. During his sentence to get back all the years of education he missed out on he devoted himself to books from the school library. Also during this time Malcom X converted to the Nation of Islam and upon release changed is surname from “Little” to “X” to pay tribute to his unknown name from his African ancestors. Now working with the leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammad, and Malcom X travelled throughout the United States giving speeches voicing his options on racial injustice and through his work was able to increase the total members of the Nation of Islam from 400 to…

    • 484 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One major reason why Malcolm had begun to think the way he did, started back when he was just a child. His family lived on a farm in Nebraska, and was happily living together. He grew up around the time that racism was execrable. Malcolm's father was a kind person that wouldn't hurt anybody. He was a man that just wanted to make the life for his family as best as he could. He worked many hours to keep food on the table of the home, cloth his children's backs and to keep up with the bills. His father had to do all this by himself, since the mother had to stay home and look after the kids. His father had some conflicts with members of the Klu Klux Klan. These men didn't want any colored people living in what they claimed as their town. Malcolm's father was a strong man and didn't care how they felt. He didn't leave his home for any reason at all. The men would come to there house at night time and scare them by braking all the windows in the house and telling them to get out. These despicable acts didn't seem to phase his father one bit at all. The men where starting to get fed up with his strong ways and bravery towards the white man. Then one night they decided to scare the family a lot worse than they have tried before. It was awfully late and the whole family were asleep. The men doused the house with gasoline and broke the windows with a firebomb. The house burst into flames and the father woke up to save his family. He managed to escape with everyone…

    • 1332 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The absence of both his mother and father left him vulnerable to the lure of the streets and criminal behavior. As a result of the loss of both parents, Malcomn spent time in a foster home and a reform school later on. Malcolm’s desire to learn was shot down by his teachers and his environment of white classmates. Malcolm began questioning whether learning was a priority for him and began to become disappointed with those around him. The incident of his teacher telling him his dream of being a lawyer wasn’t his kind was one of the events that caused Malcolm to become even more disillusioned with the church and God.…

    • 1028 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The teachings resonated and cut deep into Malcolm because of the empowerment, pride, equality, and separation of black people he sought for. After prison Malcolm continued to follow the Nation of Islam in which he…

    • 536 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Malcolm X Research Paper

    • 3556 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Born on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska Malcolm Little was both impressionable and rebellious; a dangerous combination for a black youth at the time. Malcolm's father was an advocate for the UNIA and ardent admirer of Marcus Garvey's back to Africa movement. Malcolm's mother was fair complexioned whilst his father was very dark. Amongst his five siblings, Malcolm was of fairest complexion, with red hair. Interestingly, he notes how his mother treated him the worst and his father favored him the most. These perceptions, he muses, are based on the psychological imprint of race superiority and conversely shame. Nevertheless, young Malcolm lived without the pretenses of race weighing heavily upon him. He engaged in white culture for much of his youth. From an early age, he possessed natural charisma and intelligence. These attributes, paired with passion for his cause and confidence became the governing force for recruitment for the Nation of Islam, the organization Malcolm would join when he reached his first "enlightment" in prison in…

    • 3556 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Growing up, Malcolm started getting into trouble at school. He was sent to a detention home when he was 13. When Malcolm came back from the detention home, he received good grades and was elected president of his class. He told a teacher that he wanted to become…

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Amidst the dark clouds, clouds that rose far away destroying the clear sky of this country over the course of decades, rose two significant figures. They were the fighters, the leaders, the teachers; they were the generals who led their forces of justice and equality against the numbering and thundering dark clouds; their men stood together, side by side, and fought courageously to win the war against the darkness of racism. These men, however, belonged to two forces; one was led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the other, a much aggressive one, by Malcolm X. While being unquestionably different, they were alike; they both fought for the same goal, but on different battlegrounds.…

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malcom X Summary

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister who, as a teen, spent most of his time hustling people and getting into trouble. This soon landed him in prison. During his prison sentence he became self-educated, which led him to be an articulate speaker, to discover the true history of African American slaves, and to become a strong advocator of human rights.…

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Why Was Malcolm X Unjust

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Malcolm was a strong believer of self defense . He was known for causing violent protest and many ridiculed him for his past which was full of crime. Malcolm told his followers that they needed to defend themselves to the fullest by any means necessary. When asked about the issue he said "It is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself, when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks. It is legal and lawful to own a shotgun or a rifle. We believe in obeying the law." Malcolm X was taught by his Muslim leader that beloved that the white man was the devil . However after going on a trip to Mecca he was enlightened and saw that the blacks and whites there loved each other and tested each other like they were of the same color. He later returned to the US with a changed heart and went about creating peace with…

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    While being sent to prison Malcolm joined forces with the Nation of Islam, and began to known as Minister Malcolm. The fiery spokesman finally changed his name to El Hajj Malik El Shabazz. While most people contrasted Malcolm with Martin Luther King because of how he approached the issue. Malcolm saw how the boycotts and peaceful marches were not changing, so he wanted the black community to stand up and fight back. Malcolm preached about nationalism and self-defense, and overall this terrified the whites. He wanted blacks to have a separate land of their own away from the whites. With the blacks fighting back for the equality they righteously deserved what would become of the whites? He came to inspire the black community on not being afraid to fight. People started to take a stand. It even amounted to the created of the Black Panthers, which will later be known as the most significant activist group during the civil rights movement. The Black Panthers also took the assertive stand. They also agreed with Malcolm about how the peaceful acts were not working. They also said these boycotts and sit-ins would take too long acquiring change. They knew what they wanted and were determined to make it known. The Black Panther’s armed its members so they could monitor police and…

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malcolm X Argument

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages

    He also believes that hate that was seen among black people is a reaction to the hate of society that has rejected them. When Malcolm was asked if the God of Muslims and of the Jews and the Christians ate the same God? Malcolm believed and said that “If they believe in the same God who created the universe, then we all believe in the same God.” Malcolm meant by this that we are all the same and believe in the same God but might call God with different names according to the religion but does not change the fact that we all believe in one God. He also believes in a society in which people can live like human beings on the basis of quality. He wanted the African Americans to be treated in the same way and have their rights as human beings because that’s what they…

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    He was a strong leader, and people wanted to help his cause. He at one point told a white woman who had gone to him seeking a way to help his cause. He told he he didn’t want her help, and held the belief that that white people couldn’t help with his cause. He eventually changed his mind, after going on his pilgrimage to Mecca, where he partook in activities there with all different complexions, and he realized that coexistence was possible, and what he decided he wanted to strive for. Malcolm went through the stages of Internalization and Commitment.…

    • 983 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malcolm X Quote Analysis

    • 970 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Malcolm X travels down a long road, as revealed in The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley. Malcolm’s lifelong adventure through racial discrimination taught Malcolm some very important messages. Toward the end of his life, he wrote to friends: “I’ve had enough of someone else’s propaganda. I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole” (Malcolm X, 373). Malcolm’s outlook on life revealed in this quote is much different than how he felt at the start of his journey. Malcolm’s experience taught him never to give up, to be true to himself, and never to judge people as a whole. These…

    • 970 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Dingoes

    • 1523 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Malcolm X believed in separatism – blacks living separate from whites in USA. His father was a Baptist minister who had been influenced by Marcus Garvey who believed in separatism and this was inculcated into Malcolm X in his youth. His family was poverty stricken as his father died young. His mother could not cope and white foster parents brought him up. Malcolm X grew up an angry young man. In 1941 he dropped out of school and moved to Boston’s ghetto. He became a shoeshine boy and a railroad waiter. He got involved in drug dealing, burglary and pimping. In 1945 Malcolm X received a 10-year jail sentence for his crimes.…

    • 1523 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays