Bigger Historical Influence

[diget]

Who do you guys think had a bigger historical difference? MLK or Malcolm X?
I think Malcolm X's impact is downplayed for some reason amognst people nowadays. For whatever reason, I'm not sure.

[Guy Incognito]

Who do you guys think had a bigger historical difference? MLK or Malcolm X?
I think Malcolm X's impact is downplayed for some reason amognst people nowadays. For whatever reason, I'm not sure.


Thats the best topic i've seen on hear for ages. Really good question. (y) I dont feel totally equipped to give a definitive answer. I will say this though:

MLK had a massive effect whilst he was alive and brought things forward a long long way but Malcolms influence seems to have grown after his death and his influence can be seen and heard now more than MLK's, I think. Its in music, politics, journalism. But like i said I dont know enough about it - it'll be interestin to hear what other more knowledgable people think about it

[diget]

This may come off not to the effect hat I would like but...

I live in a predominently white area. I will freely admit this. The ratio of a white person to a black person in my area is (This is just ann estimate to get the general point across) 16:1. Growing up in emementary school, we are taught a fair bit about the civil rights battles in the 50s and 60s and in earl America. We read a lot of books about slavery. We discuss the impacts of the three major players during the civil rights marchs, MLK Jr, Malcolm X, and Rosa Parks. Well that isn't that true actually. They tell us that they are the threee major players. When discussing their roles and what they did, we discuss Rosa Parks and MLK fairly in depth. Malcolm X is swept under the rug quite quickly. A lot of people don't know who he is. I've personnaly begun to think it is because of the way he went about his business. The percption that I very well could have formed was that Martin Luther King Jr. was the passive, christian mediator who would never hur a fly and accomplished everything in a very democratic manner. Where as MAlcolm x was the violent radical who jst liked to brawl with a bunch of Crackers to get off at night. Now I nkow this is not true. So I ask you, those who live in more integrated parts of society, who do you feel had a bigger impact?

[abcdefz]

King.

[GreenEarthAl]

I think that Malcolm X had a bigger influence. Martin Luther King is more widely known and revered, but Malcom X had a much larger impact on history. Martin Luther King was much more of a radical than he's made out to be. Our government was really unhappy with how he went after the Vietnam war and with his mainstream appeal. But Malcolm X actually instilled real and lasting fear into the halls of government. And he really advanced and did a lot of innovating for an organizing model that is still the envy of organizers everywhere. There are portions of his Alex Haley autobiography that were suppressed and are now newly discovered. They are going to come out soon and there will be another new resurgence of interest in Malcolm X just as there was when Spike Lee made his movie.

[paulb]

Ronald McDonald.

[diget]

That's really cool GEA, thanks for the info. ive been meaning to pick up Malcolm X's autobiography. I'm waiting until I finish the book I'm currently reading. It looks really interresting.

Is there anyone else who has an opinion on this?