By looking at Martin Luther King Jr's "The World House" and Stokely Carmichael's "Black Power" speech, we can see that the two powerful leaders were very opposite in their viewpoints on civil rights but had some similarities in their approach.  This is important because the qualities that they both possess highlight the type of person who could be most influential in changing American society in the 1960's. While Martin Luther King Jr believed in integrating races in society to end segregation, Carmichael was focused on destroying white supremacy.  Despite their polar opposite viewpoints on this pressing issue during the time, both of these powerful leaders used their way with words and remarkable public speaking to win over followers of all races in order to see an end to racism in the United States.  Although King's solution is more relatable to the majority of the population, it is important to take a look at Carmichael's solution in order to get a full understanding of the different perspectives of the people during this time period.

Stokely Carmichael was a great leader in the United States in the 1960's and had a huge impact on the civil rights movement during this time period.  On October 29, 1966, Carmichael delivered his famous speech entitled "Black Power" to a group of students at the University of California, Berkeley.  The purpose of this speech was to get all African American people in the nation to unite.  He believed that the blacks of America deserved more respect than they were being treated with and that the black community had to step up and gain power.  Carmichael is focused on making a change because "the institutions that function in this country are clearly racist, and that they're built upon racism" (Carmichael 248).  People listened to him, they believed what he said, and they followed him.  His main point attracted minority people since they also believed that everybody had an important role in America.  They all believed that every voice should be heard.  Being a leader of such a movement during this time period was very risky because he was going against the societal norms in a country that was still racist and ran by white men.  However, Carmichael did not care because he was a strong believer that a change had to be made and he was willing to do anything to make it happen.

"Black people must be seen in positions of power" in order for changes to actually be made (Carmichael 253).  Carmichael believed that the first step to get a black person in a position of power was to create committees and political groups that were focused on ending segregation and address the unequal treatment of African Americans in the United States.  One of Carmichael's points that was so attractive to the population was that a change needed to be made now.  There was so reason to wait until tomorrow, "the youth should fight to be leaders today" (Carmichael 253).  Carmichael was able to be the leader of the group that had a more aggressive approach.  The group that believed that blacks should unite in order to end white supremacy.  Stokely Carmichael's solution to ending segregation was looked at negatively by some groups since it was more focused on black power instead of racial equality.

On the other hand, Martin Luther King Jr was another leader of the civil rights movement during this time period.  He, like Carmichael, wanted to put an end to segregation and have equal rights for all people.  However, King's solution to this problem is very different than Stokely Carmichael's.  In Martin Luther King Jr's writing, "The World House", he discusses that we all have to learn how to get along because we all live under the world house and nothing can change that.  Of the many things that need to be done to live in this house, King's primary focus is on ending segregation and racism.  King believed that all people of all races have a "birthright of freedom" and his movement's purpose is to gain that freedom that America had taken away from them (King 286).  King proposed integrating all races with a goal that we would all be seen as equals.  This is where King and Carmichael differ and is the reason why people view them as opposites.  Although both of these powerful leaders during this time period had many followers and valid arguments, Martin Luther King Jr is the person we are taught the most about.  This is because his solution to ending segregation is beneficial for all people of all backgrounds.  With his vision, no race will be looked at as more powerful and no race will have to give up any privileges.  King's "The World House", published in 1967, was used to provide readers with his views for the future and show what it would take to end racism, nationally and globally, in order for all to live in the world house.

When comparing what Martin Luther King Jr had to say in "The World House" and what Stokely Carmichael said in his speech, "Black Power", it is very easy to see their differences and see them as complete opposites.  However, these two men that were both so important to the civil rights movement and its outcomes were not that different when looking at the qualities each of them possessed.  For example, King and Carmichael are amazing leaders and have the ability to gather people will similar beliefs in order to create a movement.  Stokely Carmichael was a very educated man who was well read and had public speaking skills that forced people to listen.  All of these words used to describe Carmichael can be used to describe King as well.  Despite their different viewpoints on civil rights, these two men have many similarities.  These similarities are the reason why they had such an influence in changing our nation's history during this time period.

Even within their opposing views on how segregation should be ended, King and Carmichael had some points that they would both agree on.  This is clear when putting "Black Power" and "The World House" side by side.  In Stokely Carmichael's speech, he said that "we need to be leaders today" (Carmichael 253).  He puts a sense of urgency on acting now because there is no reason to put off freedom.  Then, in King's concluding chapter, he writes about this same need for change.  His sense of urgency mirrors Carmichael's words when he says, "we are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today there is such a thing as being too late" (King 298).  Both of these leaders gained so many followers with that same urgency because they saw a problem and decided to actually do something about it.  Racism is the problem and now is the time to put an end to it.

In addition, Stokely Carmichael and Martin Luther King Jr had similar approaches in revolting and starting a movement.  Both men decided to use their words, written and spoken, to gain followers that supported their revolution.  Both leaders put an emphasis on making a change through nonviolence.  This was a strategic move because it forced more people to listen.  The actions of the people involved in the revolution served to show that this would be done peacefully.  Being the Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, it is safe to say that Carmichael would agree with King's claim that "we must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means" because war and violence lead to more conflict (King 294).  King and Carmichael are similar in style because they both hope to end segregation through nonviolent revolutions, avoiding war in order to move forward as a nation.

It is also important to acknowledge the difference between a speech and a chapter in a book.  Stokely Carmichael's "Black Power" is a speech that was delivered at UC Berkley in 1966.  The majority of his audience was privileged Caucasians.  This is important because audience changes the way a speech is delivered.  Speaking to people who have not experienced racism changes Carmichaels approach.  Instead of gathering people together, he has to convince his audience to see his side of the issue and then make them adopt it as their own.  Also, there are advantages when giving a speech compared to writing.  A speech gives people to ability to see passion, emotion, and which ideas are the most important.  This gave Carmichael's revolution a face that people could identify as their leader and spokesperson.  On the other hand, a written argument leaves room for interpretation.  When Martin Luther King Jr published "The World House" in 1967, it allowed people all across the nation to read about his vision for the future.  However, there are also advantages and disadvantages of a written text compared to a speech.  It helped King's argument because it allowed him to take his time developing his thoughts and he could arrange his ideas how he wanted to get his point across.  At the same time, King's "The World House" could have been more effective if it were delivered as a speech.  There would be less room for people to develop their own interpretation of his solution to segregation if people were able see and hear the arguments he was most passionate about.  In this case, the difference between Carmichael's speech and King's closing chapter made all the difference.

It is clear that Stokely Carmichael and Martin Luther King Jr were different based on their solutions to ending racism and segregation in the United States.  What people fail to realize is that it is just as important to look at their similarities in order to get an understanding for their roles within the time period.  Both of these men had qualities that made them effective leaders during the civil rights movement.  By looking at "Black Power" and "The World House" side by side, we can see that there was a sense of urgency to end segregation in the 1960's and it had to be done through nonviolent revolutions.  The work that Carmichael and King did during the civil rights movement to end segregation changed the history of the United States, making them the most influential people during this time period.

