Reexamines the ideology of the two most prominent leaders of the civil rights movement of the 1960s

"Compares the lives and civil rights views of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X"--OCLC

This dual biography of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King upends longstanding preconceptions to transform our understanding of the twentieth century's most iconic African American leaders. To most Americans, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. represent contrasting ideals: self-defense vs. nonviolence, black power vs. civil rights, the sword vs. the shield. The struggle for black freedom is wrought with the same contrasts. While nonviolent direct action is remembered as an unassailable part of American democracy, the movement's militancy is either vilified or erased outright. In The Sword and the Shield, Peniel E. Joseph upends these misconceptions and reveals a nuanced portrait of two men who, despite markedly different backgrounds, inspired and pushed each other throughout their adult lives. This is a strikingly revisionist biography, not only of Malcolm and Martin, but also of the movement and era they came to define.

Reexamines the ideology of the two most prominent leaders of the civil rights movement of the 1960s

Black America has made tremendous progress, and the hard work of our leaders from the past and today was instrumental in making our future better. However, we have a long way to go until we are truly proud of being black and proud of our accomplishments. There are too many murders, injustices in America judicial system, our choosing of political candidates and destruction of the black family for us to feel we succeeded. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. message of equality is extremely relevant today, and we must let America and the world understand, we are here, and we want police brutality to end, exploitation of black women to end and the psychological atmosphere of social media and Hollywood that make black men feel they are irrelevant to the black family progress. Malcolm X is FOREVER, Martin Luther King Jr is FOREVER, and we are FOREVER proud of having them as our FOREVER leaders!

The civil rights movement’s most prominent leaders, Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968) and Malcolm X (1925–1965), represent two wings of the revolt against racism: nonviolent resistance and revolution "by any means necessary." This volume presents the two leaders’ relationship to the civil rights movement beyond a simplified dualism. A rich selection of speeches, essays, and excerpts from Malcolm X’s autobiography and King’s sermons shows the breadth and range of each man’s philosophy, demonstrating their differences, similarities, and evolution over time. Organized into six topical groups, the documents allow students to compare the leaders’ views on subjects including integration, the American dream, means of struggle, and opposing racial philosophies. An interpretive introductory essay, chronology, selected bibliography, document headnotes, and questions for consideration provide further pedagogical support.