Martin Luther King Jr. og Malcolm X: en sammenligning

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X grew up in two totally different ways and places. Martin Luther King was raised in a comfortable middle-class family where education was a must. On the other hand, Malcolm X came from an unstable and poorer home. He did not have the possibility of going much to school so he was forced to teach himself, but he was very intelligent and had many good qualities. He reached the top and greatness on his own. Martin Luther King’s family name was very “big” in Atlanta where he grew up but he was not affected by it. His parents made sure that he grew up as every other normal child.Malcolm X’s house was burned down by the Klu Klux Klan when he was a little boy which caused his father’s death. Later on his mother had a nervous breakdown and his family was torn apart and all eight children were placed in foster homes. His father beat his mother and both of them abused their children and were violent towards them.It all set traces on his personal development and an enormous anger built up inside him. Martin Luther King had an entirely different childhood. He was a cleaver student who skipped two grades, he entered a college with only 15 years and had an average A. Both Martin Luther King and Malcolm X reached out to the people with very powerful speeches, each influenced by their childhoods. They were admired and appreciated, but by different people. Also their view on American racism was different because of their dissimilar backgrounds. King had a more positive attitude than Malcolm X. He believed that through peaceful demonstrations and discussions, the blacks and whites eventually will reach full equality.