{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/107444"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/107444","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"What's Missing: Dichotomization and Misconceptions of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X","abstract":"Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are two of the most famous African-American activists in American history. The purpose of this study is to analyze the similarities and differences between how King and X approached and conceptualized questions of violence, politics, and religion, while challenging the simple dichotomization of their thought and work as they pertained to these themes. Pointing out flaws in how they have been commonly remembered in American history, this qualitative study thematically analyzes King's and X's autobiographies and a selection of their speeches, placing them in a conversation with one another. This research thereby unravels some prevailing misconceptions about King and X, such as the idea that King defended an exclusively non-violent approach to social change and that he aimed, merely, at the inclusion of Black Americans into US society, while X was his direct opposite. This research is important because the flawed narratives commonly repeated about King and X, I contend, has created an artificial and simplified division in Black politics, weakening its analytical and political power. A recognition of how King and X have more in common can strengthen Black politics by centering the diverse traditions of Black radical thought and organizing that, nonetheless, all aligned in their struggle for Black people's freedom and equality.","abstract_html":"Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are two of the most famous African-American activists in American history. The purpose of this study is to analyze the similarities and differences between how King and X approached and conceptualized questions of violence, politics, and religion, while challenging the simple dichotomization of their thought and work as they pertained to these themes. Pointing out flaws in how they have been commonly remembered in American history, this qualitative study thematically analyzes King's and X's autobiographies and a selection of their speeches, placing them in a conversation with one another. This research thereby unravels some prevailing misconceptions about King and X, such as the idea that King defended an exclusively non-violent approach to social change and that he aimed, merely, at the inclusion of Black Americans into US society, while X was his direct opposite. This research is important because the flawed narratives commonly repeated about King and X, I contend, has created an artificial and simplified division in Black politics, weakening its analytical and political power. A recognition of how King and X have more in common can strengthen Black politics by centering the diverse traditions of Black radical thought and organizing that, nonetheless, all aligned in their struggle for Black people's freedom and equality.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Johnson, Eric Darnell"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Arts","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Political Science","degree_department":"Political Science","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Poets, Desirée"],"committee_members":["Gill, Bikrum Singh","Faulkner, Brandy S."],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-01-06","date_published":"2022-01-06","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:18:44Z","subjects":["African-American Research"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:33727"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:33727","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/107444","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Poets, Desirée"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Gill, Bikrum Singh","Faulkner, Brandy S."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Political Science"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Johnson, Eric Darnell"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2022-01-07T09:00:29Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-01-07T09:00:29Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2022-01-06"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Political Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["African-American Research"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:33727"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/107444"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are two of the most famous African-American activists in American history. The purpose of this study is to analyze the similarities and differences between how King and X approached and conceptualized questions of violence, politics, and religion, while challenging the simple dichotomization of their thought and work as they pertained to these themes. Pointing out flaws in how they have been commonly remembered in American history, this qualitative study thematically analyzes King's and X's autobiographies and a selection of their speeches, placing them in a conversation with one another. This research thereby unravels some prevailing misconceptions about King and X, such as the idea that King defended an exclusively non-violent approach to social change and that he aimed, merely, at the inclusion of Black Americans into US society, while X was his direct opposite. This research is important because the flawed narratives commonly repeated about King and X, I contend, has created an artificial and simplified division in Black politics, weakening its analytical and political power. A recognition of how King and X have more in common can strengthen Black politics by centering the diverse traditions of Black radical thought and organizing that, nonetheless, all aligned in their struggle for Black people's freedom and equality."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["This thesis explores the similarities and differences amongst two of the influential African American figures in American history. King and X are most notable for their differences and this thesis explores the ramifications of that. It sets out to paint a picture of the implications of King and X being compared. How do these similarities and differences affect block politics today? These research findings conclude that there are far more connections between King and X that common notations assume."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Arts"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["What's Missing: Dichotomization and Misconceptions of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Poets, Desirée"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Gill, Bikrum Singh","Faulkner, Brandy S."],"dc:contributor.department":["Political Science"],"dc:creator":["Johnson, Eric Darnell"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2022-01-07T09:00:29Z"],"dc:date.available":["2022-01-07T09:00:29Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2022-01-06"],"dc:description.abstract":["Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are two of the most famous African-American activists in American history. 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This research is important because the flawed narratives commonly repeated about King and X, I contend, has created an artificial and simplified division in Black politics, weakening its analytical and political power. A recognition of how King and X have more in common can strengthen Black politics by centering the diverse traditions of Black radical thought and organizing that, nonetheless, all aligned in their struggle for Black people's freedom and equality."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["This thesis explores the similarities and differences amongst two of the influential African American figures in American history. King and X are most notable for their differences and this thesis explores the ramifications of that. It sets out to paint a picture of the implications of King and X being compared. How do these similarities and differences affect block politics today? 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