How Blacks disagreed amongst themselves in the 1960’s Essay Example

lived in a single-parent household with his mother, as his father was found dead, likely due to white supremacists. After his father's death, Malcolm's mother suffered from depression and experienced a decline in mental health, greatly affecting Malcolm's life. He and his family constantly faced discrimination and harassment from white individuals, causing him to develop an interest in drugs and criminal activities as an escape from the difficulties he endured.

Despite facing unequal treatment, MLK and others sought equality in different ways influenced by their diverse backgrounds. Education played a crucial role in King's life as he showed immense determination to pursue it from a young age. At the age of fifteen, his exceptional performance on college entrance exams granted him admission into Morehouse College. Through hard work and dedication, King earned an impressive PhD from the University of Boston and received a Doctorate of Philosophy in Systematic Theology on June 5, 1955.

Despite having a challenging upbringing, Malcolm X displayed promising academic potential. However, due to racial discrimination, his teacher consistently undermined his ambitions solely because he was black. Ultimately, in 1938, Malcolm was expelled from school and subsequently placed in a juvenile detention center. This episode critically affected him, pushing him towards a life of criminal activity and drug use in Harlem, New York.

The majority of Black people felt it was safe to support a stable character such as King as he was well educated, and a religious person. However, some blacks felt that they would rather support a ruthless approach from Malcolm X, as they believed he would gain them the Equality they wanted so badly, in a more efficient manner than MLK. King's

actions were supported by his faith in Christianity; King himself was a very religious man as he took upon his dad's mentality and beliefs, he soon became a Baptist minister and was beginning to put his beliefs into action.

Both King and Malcolm X had a religious background that influenced their beliefs and actions. King's Christian faith guided him to treat everyone equally, based on teachings from the Bible like 'turn the other cheek' and 'love your neighbor.' He firmly opposed violence. Similarly, Malcolm X initially practiced Christianity due to his upbringing in a Christian family but later converted to Islam, particularly the Nation of Islam, during his time in prison.

Due to the fact that most Americans are Christians, it was highly probable that King would gain more support because of his strong Christian beliefs. On the other hand, Malcolm X, who had converted to Islam, would not have attracted as much Christian support as MLK. As a result, Black Americans, who strongly adhered to Christianity, might have been reluctant to align themselves with an Islamic leader. Consequently, Malcolm X mainly received support from The Nation of Islam.

Martin Luther King possessed unique ideologies that set him apart from other leaders, aiming to achieve equality in America without resorting to violence or violating the law. King employed the American legal system to advance their cause, believing that they could leverage the 'Bill of Rights' to further their objectives. Furthermore, he utilized the Linda Brown case as evidence that responding to violence with violence was not justified. Both Martin Luther King and the SCLC shared a strong conviction that by challenging existing laws, they could attain

social equality and eradicate segregation.

MLK viewed political and legal changes as crucial for abolishing segregation. He used peaceful speeches and protests to outlaw racial, sexual, and religious discrimination, leading to the enactment of civil rights legislation. While MLK successfully transformed the law, some critics contend that he overlooked other pressing issues like inadequate housing for black citizens and low-quality job opportunities.

Despite the end of segregation, Black people continued to face discrimination from white individuals and were treated as inferior citizens. This unfair treatment was still prevalent even after MLK successfully abolished the segregation law, resulting in a significant impact on their quality of life. To combat these injustices, King utilized various strategies to achieve equality for all Americans. These methods included nonviolent protests such as peaceful demonstrations, sit-ins, bus boycotts, marches, speeches, as well as swim-ins, read-ins, and watch-ins.

King and his organization, SCLC, led peaceful protests, including sit-ins. These sit-ins gained widespread attention, reaching over 100 cities and involving 50,000 people, mostly students. However, the police showed little sympathy towards the protesters. They frequently arrested black students who were peacefully sitting down while ignoring white individuals who were verbally assaulting the demonstrators.

The heavy-handed displays by the police and white bystanders, shown on television and in the media, garnered public sympathy for the protesters in the Northern states. Dr. King successfully accomplished his goal of obtaining publicity, support, and sympathy. The Supreme Court's decision prohibited any southern state from enforcing discriminatory seating arrangements on inter-state buses. Nevertheless, this ruling was challenged when a diverse group of Civil Rights activists embarked on a journey from Washington D.C to New Orleans. During their trip, the freedom riders faced

physical attacks and witnessed their bus being set ablaze.

The sit-ins demonstrated their effectiveness when black individuals refused to patronize segregated counters and, as a result of organizing these peaceful protests, these establishments eventually shut down. However, implementing these sit-ins often proved to be a lengthy and slow process, and some individuals simply chose to disregard them. The introduction of laws like the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Bill garnered increased support for King. In recognition of his efforts to eradicate racial discrimination through nonviolent means, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. This accolade further solidified public perception of his success and virtuous character, resulting in even greater support.

One of the major criticisms of Martin Luther King was the lack of focus on social and economic changes, particularly the issue of segregated communities. Most of this criticism came from the Northern States where King's attention was not as dedicated. On the other hand, Malcolm X had contrasting views and ideologies. He rejected the idea of non-violence and criticized King for being manipulated by the white man. Malcolm X promoted black pride and advocated for excluding white individuals from the Civil Rights Movement, thereby strongly believing in 'White Supremacy'.

Malcolm X believed that black individuals should defend themselves against violence and also prioritize social and economic transformations to improve the lives of black citizens in America. However, his perspective differed greatly from Martin Luther King's principles, leading to criticism. As a result, the SCLC and SNCC, reflecting their contrasting ideologies, adopted different approaches to achieve greater Civil Rights.

Both Malcolm X and MLK shared similar methods in their activism. They both pursued careers as

ministers and delivered speeches specifically targeted at black Muslims. Additionally, they effectively utilized publicity to gain more supporters. However, despite these similarities, there were notable differences in their approaches.

Malcolm X strongly advocated for the separation of Blacks and Whites, emphasizing the need for black people to respond to any violence directed towards them. He also made political statements concerning the dire social conditions prevalent in ghettos, such as crime, prostitution, drugs, and unemployment. Promising action and improvement in these areas became his mission.

The text examines Martin Luther King's critique of prioritizing legislation over tackling social and economic issues such as housing and employment disparities among black and white individuals. It also emphasizes the influence of Malcolm X's ideologies on the Black Panthers, a group comprising approximately 2000 members in the late 1960s. Tragically, this unity was short-lived as clashes with law enforcement ultimately resulted in the dissolution of the organization. However, it acknowledges that Malcolm X altered his perspective following his pilgrimage, where he observed people from different races worshipping a common deity.

Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam, also known as the black Muslims, and joined the Sunny Muslims who were more well-known. He gained support from impoverished individuals as he worked to enhance their quality of life. Malcolm X informed people that the Nation of Islam could assist them just as it had aided him, which garnered support from both these individuals and black Muslims. Given that the North was more industrialized, the social and economic changes, including education, housing, and employment, were region-specific. Consequently, people in the northern states recognized Malcolm X's efforts and offered him significant support in the poorer areas.

Malcolm

X's emphasis was on social and economic changes, a stance that garnered criticism for King. Consequently, Malcolm X gained support from individuals who had criticized King. This division within the Civil Rights Movement led to disagreement among black people, as they debated whether to align with MLK or Malcolm X. Moreover, Malcolm X faced challenges in gaining support from white individuals, as they accused him of racism against them. Unlike Martin Luther King, Malcolm X did not receive backing from authorities since he frequently challenged them and rejected non-violence.

In conclusion, the main reason for the disagreement among black people during the 1960's was due to contrasting beliefs among their leaders. Malcolm X exhibited a strong aversion towards white supremacists and refused support from white individuals. Conversely, King embraced the idea that everyone was created in God's image and did not discriminate based on religion or color. Malcolm X faced criticism for being perceived as a hypocrite, as he aimed for equality while displaying racism towards white individuals.

There was a disagreement among black individuals about whether to support someone with a harsh approach, like Malcolm X, or someone like King who treated others with respect and followed the appropriate path in their pursuit of social equality. Even though Malcolm X's efforts improved the living conditions of black people, I believe that Martin Luther King and the SCLC had the most effective approach in obtaining more civil rights because they remained faithful to their beliefs and achieved great success. King's work inspired many and played a pivotal role in propelling the Civil Rights Movement forward.