Years after the deaths of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X, the two men still remain fixed images in the American consciousness: Martin Luther King, Jr., an advocate of non-violence, delivering his “I Have a Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and Malcolm X, the black nationalist, encouraging African Americans to fight racial oppression “by any means necessary.” Were these two men really ideological opposites? Their chosen paths to their goals were certainly different. Did they share any common ground? Were their thoughts about each other and the struggle for African American liberation changing in the years leading up to their assassinations? Is it possible that the two leaders may have converged, if not for their untimely deaths? These are interesting questions, I believe.
Here is an excerpt from a letter to Rev. King from Malcom X.
"If capitalistic Kennedy and communistic Khrushchev can find something in common on which to form a United Front despite their tremendous ideological differences, it is a disgrace for Negro leaders not to be able to submerge our "minor" differences in order to seek a common solution to a common problem. . . "
Malcolm X's slaying came at a time "when he was reevaluating his philosophy showing more tolerance for white people and the nonviolent movement." (see Malcolm X’s quote from “The Ballot or the Bullet” below)
“Although I’m still a Muslim, I’m not here tonight to discuss my religion. I’m not here to try to change your religion. I’m not here to argue or discuss anything that we differ about, because it’s time for us to submerge our differences and realize that it is best for us to first see that we have the same problem, a common problem…Whether we are Christians or Muslims or nationalists or agnostics or atheists, we must first learn to forget our differences, let us differ in the closet; when we come out in front, let us not have anything to argue about…”
In Martin Luther King's autobiography he makes this statement on Black Power (Chapter 29 of his Autobiography)
I am glad we stop to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. I am old enough to remember those days (albeit from a child's eyes). I admire his bravery, integrity and determination. As I get older I am amazed at his tolerance of people's foolishness and hatred. When I think of Martin Luther King, Jr. I remember him exuding a sense that "we are in this together - like it or not -- and it is for the long haul. How can we make it work?"“There is a concrete, real black power that I believe in. I don’t believe in black separatism, I don’t believe in black power that would have racist overtones, but certainly if black power means the amassing of political and economic power in order to gain our just and legitimate goals, then we all believe in that. And I think that all white people of good will believe in that.”
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1 comment:
Good post, Sou.
Nice You Tube choice, too.
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