Malcolm Many prominent African Americans have become strong leaders in the fight to close the racial divide. Malcolm From negative racist experiences, Malcolm learned early on to stand up for what he believed in. His critics portray him as an innately good man, but criticize the way he takes a stand. Some would have liked to see him join forces with Martin Luther King Jr., another civil rights activist. Despite how he may be portrayed, Malcolm X was a great man of many talents and accomplishments and will forever be remembered for his contributions to the civil rights movement. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Malcolm X's personality developed throughout his life, these changes can be mapped into four respective parts, each of which helps Malcolm determine who he was. As Malcolm stated: People always speculate: why are they the way they are? To understand any person, his entire life, from birth, must be reviewed. All our experiences blend into our personality. Everything that happened to us is an ingredient. I was born into trouble! Malcolm a streetcar” (Myers 21) This tragedy caused a great rift in Malcolm’s family. At the age of thirteen, Malcolm had watched his house burn. He had been exposed to his father's violent death, he had known extreme hunger, he had seen his mother's slow breakdown, and he had even seen brothers and sisters placed in homes. (Perry 32) Years without a proper school education have left the troubled Malcolm to a life on the streets. While in prison on burglary charges, Malcolm founded the Black Muslim movement and the Islamic religion. Malcolm /bc:bluffton.edu/BcnewsMalcolm also believed that this freedom should be sought: by any means necessary! I am for freedom. http://mercury.spaceports.com/x/quotes.htmlRegarding the American black revolt, Malcolm believed that: "it is not correct to classify the Negro revolt simply as a racial conflict of blacks against whites, [it is a] global rebellion of the oppressed against the oppressor" (http://bc.bluffton.edu/BCNews) He believed that this revolution of the American Negro was part of the rebellion against all oppression that seemed to characterize the era. Two In addition to the vast resources related to Malcolm, there are a number of common misconceptions, such as regarding his trip to Mecca, which supposedly changed his entire belief system. This was actually the opinion of the Reverend Albert Cleage, who in a speech given in Detroit states: "I completely reject [Malcolm's total change in beliefs], I say that if this kind of transformation, if in Mecca he had decided that blacks and whites can unite, then his life at that time would become meaningless in terms of the global black struggle" (Bailey 15) Another misconception was that Malcolm advocated violent action, when in reality he often told his followers that they wouldn't havenever had to initiate violence (Perry 283). Many people wondered how appropriate Malcolm's ways were to achieve his goals, but questions aside, critics praised Malcolm. Many white journalists and politicians were pleased with Malcolm's respectful ways, he could criticize them but did not treat them unkindly. AShe told an audience of blacks, compared to white policemen: "maybe some of these blue-eyed, blue-uniformed devils here are really black. If any of them smile, it's because he's a brother." (Perry 284) Malcolm was often known for his ability to rally the spirit of a crowd. Malcolm's audience often became very involved in the speech itself, often shouting, "Say, brother, say it." (Perry 175). For all of Malcolm's praise, there was also some discontent, Malcolm was supposedly arrogant towards his "students". “He made sure they knew that he was the teacher and that they were the students” (Perry 275). It was also often noted that Malcolm verbally degraded Martin Luther King Jr. In reference to Martin's peaceful sit-ins, Malcolm states: "Anyone can sit down. An old woman can sit down. A coward can sit down. It takes a man to stand." (Perry 282 ) Even if people wanted the racial barrier to fall, they could not accept violence as a means to do so. “If he wanted to create some sort of peace between the two, then why would he try to create more violence to stop the existing violence?” (Perry 285) They disagreed with his “by any means necessary” philosophy. There is much speculation about what would have happened if Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. had joined forces. In Malcolm's eyes the main difference between him and Martin was that "[Martin] doesn't mind getting beaten up and I do." (Perry 323) Malcolm told an audience, “you will have to fight!” (Perry 282) By saying this he implied that violence should be tolerated if it is for a good cause. Martin's view of the civil rights struggle was almost directly polar with Malcolms: "forgive them, they know not what they do" (Perry 183), he would say. He believed that nonviolence represented blacks as people who only wanted to exercise their rights as Americans. These strong differences of opinion made the relationship between the two men difficult. Perhaps if the two had joined forces, a new revolution would have been born that exemplified the silent and deafening battle against racial barriers. Having studied several styles of debate, he often chose to answer a question with a question, "parrying" difficult questions with equally difficult questions. his own. He was once asked if the Nation of Islam supported the United States government and he replied, "Does the government support us and protect us?" (179 MALCOLM) In this way Malcolm was able to indirectly answer the question he was asked, but at the same time create questions of his own. In addition to his debating skills, Malcolm was skilled at using political metaphors. The use of these metaphors strengthened his reputation as the "pre-eminent" spokesperson for black separatism. Comparing a child's independence from his parents to the independence he was advocating for. He warned that if the "mother" (the United States) did not grant independence to the "child" (blacks), it would have to be taken by force, and if it came to that, it could cause the death of the "mother". (Perry 187) Malcolm's ability to adapt to his surroundings, allowing him to rally a college campus one day and a group in the ghetto the next, his popularity increased because he was able to speak to his audience, in a way that he spoke to them. In the temples of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm spoke in terms of devils and gods. In higher education institutions,he spoke in terms of the oppressed and their oppressors (Perry 179). While in Harlem, Malcolm completed another stepping stone in his life. He became the Prime Minister of the Harlem Mosque. Here he “learned, debated, and wrestled with the competing platforms of revolutionary and cultural nationalism, electoral politics, socialism, and communism” (http://bc.bluffton.edu/BCNews/Archive/news.stm.). the majority of blacks felt and thought. On December 4, 1963, Malcolm was suspended from the Nation of Islam for his inappropriate comment on the assassination of JF Kennedy. After his suspension he left them and went on to form Muslim Mosque Inc, in 1964, and the Organization for African-American Unity. This allowed Malcolm to show "his" people his new beliefs that blacks and whites could coexist in one society. The founding portion of the Organization's declaration states: The Organization for African-American Unity will include people of African descent in the Western Hemisphere, as well as our brothers and sisters on the African continent. (Myers 158) This shows that Malcolm's definition of "African", as stated in the statement, includes both whites and blacks, not just "black Africans". It also demonstrates his desire for blacks and whites to work in harmony. The March on Washington took place on August 28, 1963. Malcolm disliked the march, calling it the “farce on Washington” (Myers 130). he was entirely too peaceful and hated the fact that blacks had allowed whites to become leaders of the march. Malcolm's idea that whites would take over was right. Members of the Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee (SNCC), who had been active in sit-ins across the South, had prepared a speech. But the speech was considered too hostile by some white clergy and was edited. (Myers 130) Shortly thereafter, Malcolm stated that "white people used black people as 'puppets'" (Perry 131). Three weeks later a church in Birmingham was bombed, four children died and in another part of the city a thirteen-year-old was shot dead. These events angered supporters of Martin Luther King Jr., who said they could not preach nonviolence at a time when black children were being killed and that they had no positive plan that blacks could adopt to move forward. Despite people's feelings, King remained true to his nonviolent beliefs. Because of the recent horrors, people's hearts have preferred Malcolm's voice asking aloud "How could you turn the other cheek when your children were being killed?" (Myers 133) According to Malcolm the march was this: He stopped being angry. He stopped being impatient. In fact, it has ceased to be a march. It Became a Picnic (Perry 211) In some ways the march succeeded in raising public awareness of civil rights action, but more importantly it increased Malcolm's popularity. When the March Falls were depicted, that was when people were able to see, hear, and recognize Malcolm's true greatness. Malcolm X was a great man who knew exactly what he believed. From an early stage in his life, Malcolm saw the pain that racism caused the black community. He attracted the attention of many critics, but all the criticism did not come in a negative form, many considered him a spectacular man and leader. His uncanny ability to speak to people of different lifestyles was incredible. She knew how to capture the attention of any man and involve him. Malcolm may never have created any new civil rights legislation, he was able to take black anger that had been repressed for a long period of time and release it, to put it to good use"."

Topic > Malcolm Many prominent African Americans have become strong leaders in the fight to close the racial divide. Malcolm From negative racist experiences, Malcolm learned early on to stand up for what he believed in. His critics portray him as an innately good man, but criticize the way he takes a stand. Some would have liked to see him join forces with Martin Luther King Jr., another civil rights activist. Despite how he may be portrayed, Malcolm X was a great man of many talents and accomplishments and will forever be remembered for his contributions to the civil rights movement. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Malcolm X's personality developed throughout his life, these changes can be mapped into four respective parts, each of which helps Malcolm determine who he was. As Malcolm stated: People always speculate: why are they the way they are? To understand any person, his entire life, from birth, must be reviewed. All our experiences blend into our personality. Everything that happened to us is an ingredient. I was born into trouble! Malcolm a streetcar” (Myers 21) This tragedy caused a great rift in Malcolm’s family. At the age of thirteen, Malcolm had watched his house burn. He had been exposed to his father's violent death, he had known extreme hunger, he had seen his mother's slow breakdown, and he had even seen brothers and sisters placed in homes. (Perry 32) Years without a proper school education have left the troubled Malcolm to a life on the streets. While in prison on burglary charges, Malcolm founded the Black Muslim movement and the Islamic religion. Malcolm /bc:bluffton.edu/BcnewsMalcolm also believed that this freedom should be sought: by any means necessary! I am for freedom. http://mercury.spaceports.com/x/quotes.htmlRegarding the American black revolt, Malcolm believed that: "it is not correct to classify the Negro revolt simply as a racial conflict of blacks against whites, [it is a] global rebellion of the oppressed against the oppressor" (http://bc.bluffton.edu/BCNews) He believed that this revolution of the American Negro was part of the rebellion against all oppression that seemed to characterize the era. Two In addition to the vast resources related to Malcolm, there are a number of common misconceptions, such as regarding his trip to Mecca, which supposedly changed his entire belief system. This was actually the opinion of the Reverend Albert Cleage, who in a speech given in Detroit states: "I completely reject [Malcolm's total change in beliefs], I say that if this kind of transformation, if in Mecca he had decided that blacks and whites can unite, then his life at that time would become meaningless in terms of the global black struggle" (Bailey 15) Another misconception was that Malcolm advocated violent action, when in reality he often told his followers that they wouldn't havenever had to initiate violence (Perry 283). Many people wondered how appropriate Malcolm's ways were to achieve his goals, but questions aside, critics praised Malcolm. Many white journalists and politicians were pleased with Malcolm's respectful ways, he could criticize them but did not treat them unkindly. AShe told an audience of blacks, compared to white policemen: "maybe some of these blue-eyed, blue-uniformed devils here are really black. If any of them smile, it's because he's a brother." (Perry 284) Malcolm was often known for his ability to rally the spirit of a crowd. Malcolm's audience often became very involved in the speech itself, often shouting, "Say, brother, say it." (Perry 175). For all of Malcolm's praise, there was also some discontent, Malcolm was supposedly arrogant towards his "students". “He made sure they knew that he was the teacher and that they were the students” (Perry 275). It was also often noted that Malcolm verbally degraded Martin Luther King Jr. In reference to Martin's peaceful sit-ins, Malcolm states: "Anyone can sit down. An old woman can sit down. A coward can sit down. It takes a man to stand." (Perry 282 ) Even if people wanted the racial barrier to fall, they could not accept violence as a means to do so. “If he wanted to create some sort of peace between the two, then why would he try to create more violence to stop the existing violence?” (Perry 285) They disagreed with his “by any means necessary” philosophy. There is much speculation about what would have happened if Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. had joined forces. In Malcolm's eyes the main difference between him and Martin was that "[Martin] doesn't mind getting beaten up and I do." (Perry 323) Malcolm told an audience, “you will have to fight!” (Perry 282) By saying this he implied that violence should be tolerated if it is for a good cause. Martin's view of the civil rights struggle was almost directly polar with Malcolms: "forgive them, they know not what they do" (Perry 183), he would say. He believed that nonviolence represented blacks as people who only wanted to exercise their rights as Americans. These strong differences of opinion made the relationship between the two men difficult. Perhaps if the two had joined forces, a new revolution would have been born that exemplified the silent and deafening battle against racial barriers. Having studied several styles of debate, he often chose to answer a question with a question, "parrying" difficult questions with equally difficult questions. his own. He was once asked if the Nation of Islam supported the United States government and he replied, "Does the government support us and protect us?" (179 MALCOLM) In this way Malcolm was able to indirectly answer the question he was asked, but at the same time create questions of his own. In addition to his debating skills, Malcolm was skilled at using political metaphors. The use of these metaphors strengthened his reputation as the "pre-eminent" spokesperson for black separatism. Comparing a child's independence from his parents to the independence he was advocating for. He warned that if the "mother" (the United States) did not grant independence to the "child" (blacks), it would have to be taken by force, and if it came to that, it could cause the death of the "mother". (Perry 187) Malcolm's ability to adapt to his surroundings, allowing him to rally a college campus one day and a group in the ghetto the next, his popularity increased because he was able to speak to his audience, in a way that he spoke to them. In the temples of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm spoke in terms of devils and gods. In higher education institutions,he spoke in terms of the oppressed and their oppressors (Perry 179). While in Harlem, Malcolm completed another stepping stone in his life. He became the Prime Minister of the Harlem Mosque. Here he “learned, debated, and wrestled with the competing platforms of revolutionary and cultural nationalism, electoral politics, socialism, and communism” (http://bc.bluffton.edu/BCNews/Archive/news.stm.). the majority of blacks felt and thought. On December 4, 1963, Malcolm was suspended from the Nation of Islam for his inappropriate comment on the assassination of JF Kennedy. After his suspension he left them and went on to form Muslim Mosque Inc, in 1964, and the Organization for African-American Unity. This allowed Malcolm to show "his" people his new beliefs that blacks and whites could coexist in one society. The founding portion of the Organization's declaration states: The Organization for African-American Unity will include people of African descent in the Western Hemisphere, as well as our brothers and sisters on the African continent. (Myers 158) This shows that Malcolm's definition of "African", as stated in the statement, includes both whites and blacks, not just "black Africans". It also demonstrates his desire for blacks and whites to work in harmony. The March on Washington took place on August 28, 1963. Malcolm disliked the march, calling it the “farce on Washington” (Myers 130). he was entirely too peaceful and hated the fact that blacks had allowed whites to become leaders of the march. Malcolm's idea that whites would take over was right. Members of the Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee (SNCC), who had been active in sit-ins across the South, had prepared a speech. But the speech was considered too hostile by some white clergy and was edited. (Myers 130) Shortly thereafter, Malcolm stated that "white people used black people as 'puppets'" (Perry 131). Three weeks later a church in Birmingham was bombed, four children died and in another part of the city a thirteen-year-old was shot dead. These events angered supporters of Martin Luther King Jr., who said they could not preach nonviolence at a time when black children were being killed and that they had no positive plan that blacks could adopt to move forward. Despite people's feelings, King remained true to his nonviolent beliefs. Because of the recent horrors, people's hearts have preferred Malcolm's voice asking aloud "How could you turn the other cheek when your children were being killed?" (Myers 133) According to Malcolm the march was this: He stopped being angry. He stopped being impatient. In fact, it has ceased to be a march. It Became a Picnic (Perry 211) In some ways the march succeeded in raising public awareness of civil rights action, but more importantly it increased Malcolm's popularity. When the March Falls were depicted, that was when people were able to see, hear, and recognize Malcolm's true greatness. Malcolm X was a great man who knew exactly what he believed. From an early stage in his life, Malcolm saw the pain that racism caused the black community. He attracted the attention of many critics, but all the criticism did not come in a negative form, many considered him a spectacular man and leader. His uncanny ability to speak to people of different lifestyles was incredible. She knew how to capture the attention of any man and involve him. Malcolm may never have created any new civil rights legislation, he was able to take black anger that had been repressed for a long period of time and release it, to put it to good use"."