There’s a question I’ve found myself asking lately — one I’ve probably been circling for years without realizing it:
Am I more like Martin Luther King, Jr. … or Malcolm X?
The older I get, the more I see pieces of both men in my thoughts, my reactions, and even in how I write. They’re two sides of a legacy that shaped not just a generation, but the conscience of anyone who ever wrestled with truth and dignity at the same time.
But if I’m being honest — I lean a little closer to Malcolm.
The Mirror Between Two Men
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. believed that the path to freedom was paved with love. He reached people’s hearts through faith, discipline, and patience. He understood that hate can’t drive out hate, and he lived that truth until his last breath.
Malcolm X believed that freedom came from self-knowledge and self-respect. He refused to bow to a system that thrived on distortion. He valued education, independence, and the right to speak truth, even when that truth made others uncomfortable.
Both men fought for the same destination, but they took different roads. And when I look at my life, my thoughts, my writing — I see myself walking somewhere between them. I understand Martin’s patience, but I feel Malcolm’s urgency.
The Fire That Shapes the Faith
Like Malcolm, I believe in calling things what they are. I don’t sugarcoat injustice, I don’t dance around truth, and I don’t water down conviction for the sake of being liked.
When I speak or write, I want it to be clear, direct, and honest — not hostile, but real.
That’s where Malcolm shows up in me the most: in my refusal to pretend, my need to understand deeply, and my instinct to protect dignity even when it costs me comfort.
But the King in me — he’s always in the room too. He reminds me that truth without love can harden into cruelty, that a voice raised in anger can drown out a heart raised in compassion.
Martin keeps my Malcolm centered. He reminds me to reach before I resist, to teach while I challenge, and to hold on to empathy even when it feels undeserved.
That’s what makes me a hybrid of both: I move with Malcolm’s precision but carry Martin’s humanity.
The Answer That Isn’t One
So, am I Martin or Malcolm?
Maybe the truth is… I’m both — but a little more Malcolm in my bones.
From Malcolm, I take the courage to speak plainly and the discipline to learn relentlessly.
From Martin, I take the grace to listen, the faith to forgive, and the belief that transformation starts with love.
Malcolm sharpened my mind.
Martin softened my heart.
And somewhere between the two, I found my balance.
The world doesn’t need another Martin or another Malcolm. What it needs are people who can live between them — who can take the fire from one and the faith from the other, and use both to light the way forward.
“If Martin was the dream and Malcolm was the awakening, maybe I’m the man who stayed awake — trying to live with both their lessons burning quietly inside me.”
That’s who I am.
And that’s enough.
(Published in honor of February 21, the anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination — a day to remember his courage, conviction, and the continuing call to balance truth with love.)
For those who know me, do you agree? If not, where do you see me? Where do you see yourself? Leave a comment in the section below, and remember, race is not a factor in your determination. And be sure to sign up at the bottom to receive email notification of future posts from Kenny’s Camera, Cooking & Crazy Confessions at ZootsBlogSpot!
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Nisha
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