The Spectrum of Ideas: Malcolm X vs. MLK

During the Civil Rights movement, their was a spectrum of ideas in the black community as to what the best way was to finally achieve the justice that they had been fighting for. Two of the biggest names of civil rights activists were Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

M.L.K always believed in the nonviolent movement to achieve the initial goal of integration and continued that thought throughout the rest of his years and an activist. Malcolm X came on to the scene later in the movement, and his core belief was that nonviolence will not achieve much, that violence in unavoidable because of the way that African-Americans are being treated by whites and authority.

There were two different problems in the North and South and Malcolm and M.L.K tried to address individually, and that is the main reason why their ideas were different than each other, but they both had the same goal: complete equality between races.

Jackie Robinson

Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was the second baseman in baseball. He was the first African American to play in the major league. April 15, 1947, Robinson is played for the first time by The Brooklyn Dodgers. When  The Dodgers signed Robinson they heralded the end of racial segregation in professional baseball. Robinson was a symbol for many black people in America. His character, use of nonviolence, and his skills in baseball, challenged the basis of racial segregation and influenced many black people in America. Not only was he a large influencer of the Civil Rights Movement, but he also was a major contributor. Besides baseball, Robinson was also vice president of a major American corporation; Chock full o'Nuts. In the 1960's, he helped establish the Freedom National Bank. It was a black-owned financial institution based in Harlem. When Robinson died in 1972, he was finally recognized for his accomplishments on and off the field. He received the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidental Medal of Freedom. On the field, Jackie won Rookie of the Year, he was an All-Star for six seasons consecutively and won National League Most Valuable Player in 1949. Jackie Robinson proved to the country that black people could be just as good as white people. Their skin color didn't handicap them. He was one of the biggest icons in the Civil Rights Movement.

Ella Baker and the birth of SNCC

Miss Baker and many of her peers strongly believed that having the right to vote was one step closer to freedom itself. This ideal is still prevalent in today's society, if we do not express our collective voice then as individuals it is impossible to influence the policies that have large impacts on our lives. The SNCC was composed of a group of college student activists who took pride in the ideals that they fought for. One of their main organized events were the Freedom rides. SNCC members rode buses all throughout the Southern states where segregation was most prominent, as they fought for desegregation on terminal facilities and travel. Violence had risen within the first few stops of the freedom rides the bus had gotten set on fire and mobbed by an angry group, but this still could not put a stop to them. AS they were all inspired by Gandhi's ways of life, carrying themselves with kindness, not acting out with violence. When looking at today's society, is the idea of in order to be counted as we must be heard first?

Double V Campaign

    When WWII began in 1939, many African Americans watched Hitler's actions with mixed views. While everybody knew what Hitler was doing was morally wrong, they didn't seem too different from how African Americans were being treated in the United States. In 1942, a letter was published from an African American soldier named James Thompson. In his letter, Thompson expressed that African Americans should acquire citizenship and equality in the US. His main purpose for writing this letter was the fact that African Americans were fighting for freedom overseas but they didn't have freedom at home. The publisher of the letter, the Pittsburg Courier, described this campaign as, "Victory at Home & Victory Abroad," also called the Double V Campaign. The "victory" mentioned is referring to the attempt at freedom at home and abroad.
    African Americans that were helping their nation to win the war made sure to point out the hypocrisy of the US Government. Since African American soldier proved themselves during WWII, they had good reason to push for the end of segregation. The return of African American soldiers from the war sparked the Civil Rights Movement. While African Americans were not immediately given freedom, the public advertising for equality made many Americans change their views on segregation.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail: An Analysis (Adrienne Mitchel)

Martin Luther King Jr. knew Birmingham, Alabama was perhaps the most segregated city in the United States. And it was because of this that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference chose this city in 1963 to start a series of nonviolent actions against segregation.

On April 3, 1963, the first protests began. These included lunch-counter sit-ins (sitting down in “whites-only” public places and refusing to move in order to cause the business to lose customers) and street demonstrations.

On April 12, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr was arrested for this nonviolent protest against segregation. After learning of his arrest, eight prominent white clergymen — four bishops, one rabbi, and three reverends — wrote a public statement urging the community to stop these demonstrations and instead solve the issue through the court system. They wrote that, “We recognize the natural impatience of people who feel that their hopes are slow in being realized. But we are convinced that these demonstrations are unwise and untimely.” In response, Martin Luther King Jr wrote his famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” This letter not only addresses the criticisms of the clergymen, but it also encompasses all the actions that must be taken in order for the world to change for the better.

This letter is not only important in history, but also in literature, as it masterfully conveys King’s beliefs through a variety of complex rhetorical strategies. For example, the audience that his letter was written to required his letter to compel those who publicly disagreed with his viewpoint to realize the validity of his actions. In order to achieve this, King clearly acknowledges and refutes the clergymen’s arguments written in their letter by utilizing religious allusions to further compel his religious audience. Understanding that his audience would be familiar with historical religious figures, King quotes St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Paul Tillich to prove that there are some cases in which the law must be broken. An example of his utilization of biblical references to convince the clergymen that his actions are just is: “You speak of our activity in Birmingham as extreme… Was not Jesus an extremist for love: ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.’”

Martin Luther King Jr’s letter shows more than just his beliefs — it also shows his character. Even though he was in jail when he wrote the letter, there is nothing malicious or cruel in it. The tone is calm, understanding, and respectful. Although his whole life he had to face discrimination, King maintains his composure and recognizes that “an eye for an eye” is not the answer. His steadfast belief in direct nonviolent action is what made him such an important leader of the black rights movement. And through his writings, Martin Luther King Jr’s words will live immortality on, giving current and future human rights activists inspiration and support.

  

 

Jim Crow Segregation Laws

From 1877 to the beginning of the 1950s, Jim Crow laws were a part of the lives of African Americans. These laws stated that all public places were to be separate for blacks and whites. For example, there were separate water fountains, one for "colored" people and one for white people. Jim Crow laws also stated that it was legal to segregate blacks and whites as long as it remained separate but equal. For example, there was a separate school for blacks, and a separate school for whites.  Schools were not separate but equal. Instead, they were separate and unequal. African American schools typically did not have a heater, and schoolchildren often had to sit two or more to a desk. In contrast, white schools had all the basic necessities, and were much fancier. Even restaurants were separate and unequal. Some even denied service to African Americans on no rational basis other than the fact that they were black. Eventually however, Jim Crow laws were challenged in court and, after much fighting, civil rights activists finally succeeded, and schools became desegregated.

Dorothy Dandrige

Dorothy Dandrige was a film actress, singer and classic pin-ups. Born in 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio, Dorothy Dandrige had early success in show business by performing with her sister. Following that her first hit show in the 1945 musical Carmen Jones, she became the first ever African American to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award. In her teenage years, Dandrige began small roles in a number of films, including Going Places(1938), with Louis Armstrong.

Although in Dandrige lost the award to Grace Kelly, Dandrige seemed achieving the same level of achievement in fame with actresses such as Marilyn Monroe and Ava Gardner. In 1955, she was even featured on the cover of Life magazine. However in the years following her success with Carmen Jones she found it hard in finding a strong leading roles due to her because her opportunities were still very limited due to her race. For example, Dandrige had turned down a supporting role of Tuptim in The King and I (1956) because she had refused to play a slave. Finally on September 8th, 1965, Dorothy Dandrige was found dead in her Hollywood home at the age of 42 due to an overdose on antidepressants. In her final days, it was said that Dandrige had a little bit more than $2 in her bank account.

Despite Dorothy Dandrige's fame and talent, she still faced so much discrimination in her field of work. Yet her achievements were one of the first steps into fighting against segregation and racism.