In his philosophy, he set out to achieve his objectives by whatever means applicable or necessary, even if it implied violence. If physically attacked, he would fight back in a physical manner. However, later in his life, Malcolm X became nonviolent.
The differences in Malcolm X’s and Martin Luther King’s approach were clearly portrayed during the famed Washington March on August 28, 1963. While King wanted the White and Black Americans to integrate, Malcolm felt that Black Americans should not have integrated with the other races, stating that the Blacks needed to operate separately and develop self-respect for their race (Mattson, 32).
Malcolm’s vision for society was reverence for people regardless of their race. He also believed that the way black people could be saved was not integration but separation from white society. He thus upheld racial pride. Just like other races elsewhere had done, he called upon the black society to patronize their own kind if, when, and where possible. He advocated separation and opposed forced segregation by the supposedly superior whites and affluent blacks in society. In its place, Malcolm proposed voluntary separation by two equals (Cone, 173). For King, society needed harmony between the American Dream and the Christian Church. Nevertheless, he criticized Christianity and the dream, prompting him to fight for an end to racism and incorporation of