Malcolm X vs. MLK Jr.: Debating Non-Violence (more thanks to PBS):
After watching the video clip of the interview in which Malcolm X criticizes the tactics used by Martin Luther King, Jr., and the interview in which King responds to Malcolm X's charges, we will divide you into two groups, one representing each man's side. You will debate the following question:Was King's tactic of non-violent resistance the best way for African Americans to fight for their civil rights?
Each team should find out more about the views of the man it was assigned, including quotations from him that would be relevant to this debate. Remember to consider both the moral level of this debate (Is it right to use violence, even in response to violence?) and the practical (Is violence likely to be an effective way for African Americans to overcome discrimination?)
We will then engage in an actual debate, with one team representing each side.
Finally, we will discuss this question: If you were a civil rights worker in the 1960s, would you have supported or rejected non-violence, and would your position have been based mostly on moral reasons or practical ones?
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