Malcom X is a name that most Americans know off the top of their head as a leader during the civil rights movement; however, his views were more radical than most other activists at the time. He preached for black supremacy and the separation of black and whites. He wanted the black community to take action, but instead of peaceful protests, he called for all-out war. In his speech, "A Message to the Grassroots," he said that any black that was not ready to fight for their freedom was just as bad as a "house-negro", who during the time of slavery were believed to be just as evil as the white man. This speech is a reflection of Malcom X's views, and compared to activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. or James L. Farmer, his views seem radical. Martin Luther King preached for a non-violent campaign for equality, and James L. Farmer led the fight for fair education. Both Martin Luther King Jr. and James L. Farmer oppose Malcom X's views, and according to history, their non-violent ideals were embraced more easily than the violent nature of Malcom X's ideology. Malcom X, although a well-educated and competent leader, could not rally enough support for the black community revolutionary war against the whites of America during the civil rights movement due to violent and radical nature of his stances and the growing support for non-violent civil rights such as Martin Luther King Jr. and James L. Farmer.

The teachings of Malcom X were violent and radical in nature. He called all members of the black community to take action against the whites of America. He preached a calling to arms in order to achieve equality for African-Americans in America, and he believed that if someone was not ready to fight for freedom, they did not deserve it. His speech, "A Message to the Grassroots", was a powerful speech that offered a different course of action that could be taken to obtain freedom. Unfortunately, Malcom X's call to arms required countless lives to be lost in what would have been an all-out race war. All of Malcom X's views on taking action are summed up in this speech, and all of his views contradict all the goals MLK and other peaceful activists were working towards. For example, in this speech Malcom X states, "Look at the American Revolution in 1776. That revolution was for what? For land. Why did they want land? Independence. How was it carried out? Bloodshed. Number one, it was based on land, the basis of independence. And the only way they could get it was bloodshed" (Malcom X). He compares the black revolution to that of the American Revolution, so he believes that nothing will change until a war is started. Consequently, these views completely contradict Martin Luther King's goal towards peaceful change towards equality for those of color and posed a threat to the non-violent movement King and others were trying to establish.

Unity amongst all people was Martin Luther King's forefront argument in the battle for racial equality, and many other black activists over history have based their beliefs on this concept. For example, James L. Farmer, the leader of the famous Freedom Ride, organized events that demanded equality in a peaceful and respectful way. Farmer also preached the idea of educational equality. He believed that education was the best way to breach the gap of inequality. One of his famous quotes being, "Inner city education must change. Our responsibility is not merely to provide access to knowledge; we must produce educated people" (James L. Farmer). Educated people within the black community allows for a bright and positive future for African-Americans as well as for America. Education breaks down the fears and hatred of the unknown that is usually caused by ignorance, and when well educated people look to resolve an issue, typically violence would only be used as a last resort. Equality, Farmer believed, applied to every aspect of life, and education should be at the forefront of the transition towards equality for people of color.

The peaceful solutions and events created and organized by other civil rights activists coincided with Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision for America. In "I Have a Dream" MLK said, 

"I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice". (Martin Luther King Jr.) In this part of his speech, MLK used examples of the racist past of America while projecting hope for the future; he hoped for a future where people were judged for their character rather than the stereotypes brought about from what they look like. His hopeful views of what America could become are the cornerstone of racial equality. MLK was known for his imagery, and by giving examples of the racist past of America, in some areas more than others, and combining them with his hopes for the future on what those places could accomplish. 

Malcom X rooted his movement in fear. His tactics of winning freedom for his people closely related the tactics of keeping slaves in line. He would rather the whites of America fear the black community and subdue to their demands through bloodshed and fear of power. He wanted America to know that the black community was not to be taken lightly, and they would fight to take what should be theirs. However, there is a problem with these ideas. A race war in America would have only restarted the ongoing cycle of racism. The anger, fear, and ignorance towards both races would have only escalated and destroyed America as a whole. Countries cannot prosper during civil wars, and a race war would have only further divided the country. Furthermore, MLK knew the dangers of violence and how it is a cycle that will not stop. He knew that the only way to bring about change was to change the way people think. For example, if the whites of America thought of the black community as uneducated savages, what better way to prove them wrong than for the black community to conduct themselves in a respectful intelligent way while still shedding light on the horrible conditions the black community lived under? On the other hand, an all-out rebellion would only prove those racial stereotypes to be correct in the eyes of America at the time, and a rebellion would only allow the opposition of civil rights to have a case to keep segregation. 

Race still plays a huge role in today's society. Racial differences bring out the worst in human kind. Humans fear what they don't understand and that fear turns to hate. In today's society, people can use the teachings of Malcom X and call for a race war, but realistically what would that solve? Why would people want to hurt others solely based on their race, isn't that the definition of racism? Martin Luther King Jr. understood that racism worked both way, meaning racism can be practiced by people other than whites, so he taught acceptance and tolerance of all people in order to demonstrate that peace among races was possible all it takes is understanding and compassion.  Malcom X's teachings would only perpetuate the reoccurring problems of race and cause more division between people, yet peaceful movements, such as those of MLK and James L. Farmer, bring injustices into the eyes of the public with a positive attitude for change, which over the course of history, with issues involving race, have been the more supported of the two movements.

