Malcolm X And MLK Jr Comparison

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o dignify himself as a human being. His optimism toward social justice aided him in being able to integrate into a segregated society. He primarily succeeded in academics by graduating at the early age of fifteen then furthering his education by studying religion at Morehouse College. After his ordainment, he strived to prove that he was just as good as anyone else at Crozer seminary by succeeding socially and academically once again. His succession led to furthering his studies by the achievement of a doctoral degree from Boston University.
Although Martin was able to dignify himself as a person it seemed as if he did not have a good sense of self-identity like that of Malcolm X. “Martin also recalled his feelings at an outing when he discovered that watermelon was being served. He remembered; “I didn’t want to be seen eating it because of the association in many people’s minds between Negroes and watermelon. It was silly, I know, but it shows how white prejudices can affect a Negro.” (Cone, p. 28).
Malcolm X was born in 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska yet he was raised mainly in Mason, Michigan after members of the white community in Nebraska set his family’s home on fire. Unlike Martin, Malcolm belonged to a large immediate family. His father also had been a Georgian Baptist preacher like both Martin’s father and grandfather. However, Malcolm’s father and mother were nationalists unlike the integrationists of Martin’s parents, family, and social community. Malcolm’s mother originally was from the West Indies and a daughter of an African who was raped by a White man. His father was a dedicated organizer for Marcus Garvey’s UNIA organization before his death when Malcolm was only six years old. His father’s death profoundly affected Malcolm’s family for they became a product of social services. His mother was forced to accept the belief that she was mentally unstable to care for his family and was ...