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(These ideas also had the side effect of changing both of their names: Malcolm Little, inspired by similar moves by other members of the Nation of Islam, denounced his surname and became Malcolm X, and King's doctorate enabled him to become Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)

In the 1950's, Malcolm quickly became a prominent member of the Nation of Islam, his charismatic style and flair for rhetoric earning him national attention. However, his outspoken speeches about black supremacy and self-defense earned him a reputation for being an extremist. King's rise to national prominence came when he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott, using his role as spokesperson for the demonstration to further promote his ideas of non-violent resistance and ending segregation. His views were far more moderate than those of Malcolm X, but they also represented a challenge to the status quo. As such, both men found themselves watched with a keen eye by the FBI at the dawn of the 1960's.

The peak of both men's careers came in the 1960's. Malcolm X, by this point an even more prominent figure than Nation of Islam head Elijah Mohammed, began meeting with world leaders such as Fidel Castro, appearing on television talk shows, and speaking to colleges frequently. Martin Luther King, with demonstrations such as the March on Washington and the Selma to Montgomery marches, became the most visible and eloquent figure of the civil rights movement. However, perhaps emboldened by this power, both men began taking more radical stances at the risk of alienating their followers. Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam after clashing with Mohammed, and Martin Luther King publicly condemned the Vietnam War. Both of these statements marked the end of their most popular periods and arguably catalyzed their assassinations from this point on, they were both marked men.

The aftermath of the assassinations of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were sources of great sadness and unrest in the black community. Both men were in the process of changing their message - Malcolm X, after trips to Mecca and Africa, had begun softening his militant views, and Martin Luther King was beginning to see the limitations of exclusively peaceful protest. However, they had both created long-lasting images of what an ideal black community in America could be, and both still are powerful symbols for the two methods race can be dealt with either with reconciliation or resistance.

Learn more about this author, Charles Crane.
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