The Complexity of the Civil Rights Struggle

John Benavidez

Dr. Brian Thill

English 100

18 January 2016

The Complexity of the Civil Rights Struggle: Essay #2

James Baldwin’s “Stranger in the Village”, Malcom X’s “Message to the Grass Roots” and Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” were written to get black American’s to realize that there was a problem in the United States. According to Malcolm X “America’s problem is us.” (Page 312). Malcom X’s “Message to the Grass Roots” first points out the problem which is simply being black in America. X breaks it down claiming that Negro’s are nothing more than second-class citizens and ex-slaves. The problem of being black in America is only a problem due to a common oppressor that all blacks around the globe have, a common exploiter and a common discriminator, the white man. X believes that a revolution is the only way to get rights and independence for blacks in the United States. He knowingly uses the word revolution and explains what a true revolution is. A true revolution is over land and involves bloodshed. There has never been a revolution that hasn’t involved violence with the exception of the “Negro Revolution.” According to X there were two revolutions going on at the time which were the “Negro Revolution” and the “Black Revolution.” The Negro Revolution used nonviolent methods such as protests, marches and sit-ins in their attempt to seek equal rights. The Black Revolution according to X was a true revolution. Those involved in the Black Revolution were prepared to go to any measures necessary to get liberation from their white oppressors. Violence, incarceration and death were always a possibility for those involved in the black revolution and those involved knew this but believed in their cause so much that they were willing and prepared to face any consequences in their quest for freedom. Malcolm X also stated that the Negro Revolution was a circus act headed by actors and clowns which was ran by the white man. X claimed that the white man funded the Negro Revolution, gave Negro Revolution leaders scripts and rules to follow at their gatherings, organized rally’s to make the Black American community feel that progress was being made when it actually was not. X claimed that the Negro Revolution leaders were holding back the black people in the United States in those times. He believed that teaching peace got nothing done and only taught black people to “Suffer Peacefully.” (Page 316). “Leaders of the Negro Revolution control you, they contain you, they have kept you on the plantation.” (P. 317) That statement by X was a reference to his explanation of blacks in America being nothing more than ex-slaves. X explained that there were two types of Negro’s which were House Negro’s and Field Negro’s. House Negro’s were very few and Field Negro’s were the masses. Slave Masters used the House Negro’s to communicate with the Field Negro’s and keep them in check which in turn makes the Slave Masters life easier by delegating some of his dirty work to his House Negro. X pointed out that the Negro Revolution leaders were modern day House Negro’s who were used to control the Field Negro’s (the masses) but ultimately, they were all controlled by the white man whether they realized it or not. It was easier for white men to control a few respected Negro leaders with the ability to influence the masses than to try to control or persuade the masses on your own.

Martin Luther King’s beliefs were the polar opposite of Malcolm X’s. Martin Luther King believed that nonviolence was the only way in which they could attain their equality. He believed that violence would only hold black Americans back rather than keeping them moving forward as he intended. According to his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” blacks “Must be willing to accept blows without retaliating, must be willing to go to jail.” (p.297) What he meant when he said that was that they want you to behave violently and irrationally so that they have reason to continue oppressing you and to not grant you equal rights. King’s letter was written in response to some of his fellow Clergymen that questioned the timing of King’s participation in Birmingham Alabama and if King should have even been there in the first place. King addressed their concerns and filled them in on his activity in Birmingham Alabama. King was asked to participate if necessary by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights which was one of 85 affiliated organizations in the South that king was involved in. King lived up to his promise and assisted in Birmingham as he said he would if it was found to be necessary. King explained that the timing was thought out the best that it possibly could be. He went on to say that there was no such thing as a “right time.”  King believed had a kind of, “If not now, when?” mentality. King believed that waiting got nothing done and that if they kept waiting the odds were that nothing would be done. King’s rallies were held in peace but ended violently often times by police or violence initiated by local white citizens. King taught to not fight back even in those extreme situations. King believed that “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue.” (Page 297). King was saying that if executed successfully, their protests would draw enough attention on issues that were failing to be acknowledged previously, due to the publicity that they received and pressure from the public on a particular issue that needed to be addressed and created a sense of urgency for some sort of action to be taken. King went on to explain that his involvement in Birmingham was necessary although he wasn’t a resident of Birmingham because injustice to one is indirect injustice to all which he cannot watch from afar happen without taking action. King also speaks of his disappointment in Churches which don’t get involved with equal rights because they claim that those types of issues are “social issues” that the church should have no involvement in. King made it clear that there are some people and groups that won’t do the right thing and speak up to help people suffering injustices so he will be there for support anywhere, anytime so long as it has been deemed justifiable and the correct course of action to be taken.