Compare Martin Luther King's and Malcolm X's approaches to civil rights, and learn to link contrasting ideas confidently in an argument — B2/C1 level.
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By the 1950s, Black Americans in the southern United States still lived under segregation laws separating them from white citizens in schools, buses and restaurants. In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama, sparking a year-long boycott that launched Martin Luther King Jr. into the national spotlight.
King believed lasting change could only be achieved through nonviolent resistance. Inspired partly by Gandhi, he organised peaceful marches, sit-ins and boycotts, arguing that suffering endured without retaliation would eventually shame the nation into reform. His famous "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered in 1963, called for a future in which people would be judged by their character, not their skin colour.
Malcolm X took a very different view. Having grown up amid poverty and racism, he grew frustrated with the slow pace of change and argued that Black Americans should defend themselves "by any means necessary" rather than wait patiently for equality. Whereas King appealed to white America's conscience, Malcolm X focused on Black pride, self-reliance and economic independence, insisting that real power would never simply be given away.
Although their strategies diverged sharply, both men were assassinated within a few years of each other, and both are now honoured as central figures of the civil rights era. Their contrasting approaches still shape debates today, including within the Black Lives Matter movement, which draws on King's tradition of peaceful protest while echoing Malcolm X's insistence on urgency and self-determination.
1 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a in 1955.
2 Martin Luther King believed change should come through .
3 King's "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered in .
4 Malcolm X argued that Black Americans should defend themselves .
5 Malcolm X focused especially on Black pride and .
6 According to the text, both leaders were within a few years of each other.
Choose the linking word that fits each sentence best. These words help you structure a strong argument in writing.
1 King preferred peaceful protest. , Malcolm X believed self-defence was sometimes necessary.
2 King focused on winning over white America, Malcolm X focused on Black self-reliance.
3 Some see King's methods as more effective. , others argue that Malcolm X's urgency was necessary too.
4 Both men wanted equality; , their strategies for reaching it were very different.
5 King organised marches and boycotts. , he also gave powerful speeches that inspired millions.
6 King is often remembered more fondly today, Malcolm X's ideas also had a lasting influence.
7 Malcolm X's approach was more radical. , King's approach relied on moral persuasion.
8 Both leaders are honoured today their very different strategies.
Choose the word that best completes each sentence about the civil rights movement.
1 Laws that kept Black and white Americans apart were called .
2 Refusing to buy from certain businesses to protest unfair treatment is called a .
3 Treating people unfairly because of their race is called .
4 A protest in which people sit in a place and refuse to leave is called a .
5 The state of having the same rights and opportunities as everyone else is .
6 A person who campaigns for social or political change is an .
7 Protesting without using violence is described as protest.
8 A fundamental legal or moral entitlement, such as freedom of speech, is called a .
Write a comment (6–8 sentences) comparing Martin Luther King's and Malcolm X's approaches to civil rights. Say which approach you find more convincing and why. Use at least four linking words from Exercise B (e.g. however, whereas, on the other hand, furthermore, although, in contrast).
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