Martin and Malcolm and America: A Dream or a Nightmare?

Dr James Cone's MARTIN AND MALCOLM AND AMERICA: A DREAM OR A NIGHTMARE is one of the best books I've encountered. Cone discusses the rhetorical strategies of Martin Luther King, Jr, and Malcolm X as they applied to their particular audiences: King to the South and Malcolm X to the North. Cone argues that Martin King's strategy of non-violent protest, while effective in the extremely segregated and anti-integrationist South, was not effective in the North (particularly in cities like Chicago and Detroit) because the discourse and policy of "integration" was already superficially accepted by Northeners. The "liberal" North found King's rhetoric to be more or less agreeable even as the structures of discrimination continued to subject black people to a brutal double-standard. Thus Malcolm X's policy of Black Nationalism (separatist rather than integrationist) that allowed for violence epitomized by the slogan "by any means necessary" was more successful in the North because it more effectively confronted personal and systematic racism. Long story short: two different rhetors with different rhetorics because of different situations, different audiences, with different immediate goals. Interestingly, near the close of both men's lives--Malcolm X killed in 1965 and Martin King in 1968--Malcolm began to sound a little more like Martin; and Martin began to speak even more forcefully, not unlike Malcolm had been known to do previously. I had the great luxury of hearing Dr Cone present a lecture based on the book back in 1992. Twelve years later, my assesment of the book remains constant: Outstanding.

This book is one of the best books I've read concerning MLK Jr. and Malcolm X in a comparative manner. From beginning to end it is written in a fashion that keeps you intrigued. I won't provide a summary because that has already been done but the detail of these mens lives is remarkable. I definitely feel that you can not go wrong with purchasing this book because you will not be disappointed.

James Cone's "Martin & Malcolm & America" is a fascinating contrast of the lives, experiences, and thoughts of two icons. It is written in a style that recalls good investigative journalism as it maps out the tumultuous times in which the two lived. The philosophies of Malcolm and Martin, often portrayed as polar opposites in the media, are grounded in certain similarities. Both based their viewpoints on their religious traditions, believed that God was on the side of the poor and oppressed, and both held a passionate belief in the dignity of black lives. Both philosophies were formed in spite of the fact that they lived in a age when the institutions that ruled America either neglected the dignity of blacks, or ignored civil rights issues altogether.The lives of Malcolm and Martin were quite different, however. Martin was raised in a upper middle class family in Atlanta, the descendant of slaves whose father and grandfather both became prominant preachers. He life afforded him a great education -- at Morehouse, Crozer Theological Seminary, and Boston University. His family was close knit. Malcolm, by contrast, saw his father murdered by white supremicists and his mother abused by the social service agencies, which eventually institutionalized her. Malcolm ended up in the foster care system and eventually went to prison for petty crime. There, he came to value the importance of education, and read voraciously. Introduced by his brother to the Nation of Islam, he had a powerful conversion experience in prison. After his release, he became second in command to Elijah Mohammed, the religion's leader. Both Martin and Malcolm spent their time working to improve the quality of black lives. Martin took on institutional power through civil rights legislation, and Malcolm worked in the urban ghettos, attempting to galvanize blacks to reject Christianity and move towards strengthening their lives through non-integration. Although Martin and Malcolm differed in their visions, they were more alike than not."Martin & Malcolm & America" is a great read. Highly recommended.

Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were the 2 most prominent African-American leaders of the 20th Century. In this book Dr. Cone explores how each leader rose to prominence. He also show why they did not win total acceptance from African-Americans. He compares and contrast their ideas and shows their strong and weak points.

Cone presents an indepth review of how Martin King and Malcolm X complimented and connected in their efforts to address problems of race and class in America. Used as a text in undergraduate courses on "social problems", this work offer students new insight into the lives and visions of these two American leaders and their attempts to confront the problems of our time. Well written and easily understood, Cone's work is a useful and challenging tool for better understanding the issues of race and class in America.