Similarities Between Malcolm X And Martin Luther King Jr

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Integration vs. Seperation
Racism is a part of human nature. All humans judge each other whether it be because of their religion is different or their skin color is different. Human opinions are formed by views, morals, and values which lead to natural preferences. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X lived in a time period where racism prevented black Americans from their basic rights. King was a Christian minister who was involved in the civil rights struggle and began to take direct action with peaceful protests. King explained why he must take direct action in his letter “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. Malcom X was a Muslim who was trying to lead the Black Nationalist in taking direct action to gain control over their community. Malcom X
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Using religion allowed King to connect with the Christion’s in America, but lost the attention from the rest of his intended audience. King used religion as his credibility in what he is doing is right. “Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their village and carried their “thus save the Lord” far beyond the boundaries of their home towns…” (King 1). King is using the prophets as his reasoning to show why he left his town and went to Birmingham. The trouble in Birmingham is what brought him there. Within the letter King compares himself to Jesus, Amos, Paul and many other religious idols (6). Doing so allows him to show the audience that he is trying to spread his message just like these other people Christians look up to. Later on in King’s letter he spoke of his disappointment in churches, singling out everyone who does not go to church. Using religion, in Kings’ eyes, is not a way to remove apart of America but to really engage the Christians in America to see how past prophets were also trying to integrate everyone to believe as one. As King writes his letter he is careful to write everything in respect to his audience. King used this to try to convince America that he is only trying to show everyone that him and every other colored man is just the same as a white