Question

what made malcolm x very different in the african american equality movement when he first started?

a. he focused on black power, black owned business, and using any means necessary to achieve his goals.
b. he knew that blacks would ever be equal so why fight the issue.
c. he was a bigger voice than martin luther king jr.
d. he wanted blacks to give into jim crow laws and learn to live with them in order to make change.

Explanation:

Analyze the core question

The question asks what made Malcolm X very different in the African American equality movement when he first started. We need to evaluate his early philosophy, methods, and goals compared to other civil rights leaders of the era.

Evaluate the options

• Option a: "He focused on black power, black owned business, and using any means necessary to achieve his goals." This aligns with Malcolm X's early advocacy for Black nationalism, self-reliance, economic independence, and self-defense ("by any means necessary"), which contrasted sharply with the nonviolent integrationist approach of mainstream leaders.
• Option b: "He knew that blacks would ever be equal so why fight the issue." This is incorrect; Malcolm X fought passionately for the rights and dignity of Black people throughout his life.
• Option c: "He was a bigger voice than Martin Luther King Jr." This is subjective and historically inaccurate regarding the mainstream movement's leadership hierarchy when he started.
• Option d: "He wanted blacks to give into Jim Crow laws and learn to live with them in order to make change." This is incorrect. Malcolm X strongly opposed Jim Crow Laws and segregation, advocating for complete liberation and self-determination rather than submission.

Synthesize the final conclusion

Option (a) accurately captures Malcolm X's distinctive early philosophy of Black empowerment, economic self-sufficiency, and militant self-defense, which set him apart from the nonviolent, integration-focused mainstream civil rights movement.

Answer:

• a. He focused on black power, black owned business, and using any means necessary to achieve his goals. (Correct answer)
• b. He knew that blacks would ever be equal so why fight the issue.
• c. He was a bigger voice than Martin Luther King Jr.
• d. He wanted blacks to give into Jim Crow laws and learn to live with them in order to make change.