Activity Introduction
Have you ever watched X-Men, whether it was the cartoons or the infamous films? If you have, then you
have probably noticed a vivid difference between Magneto and Professor Charles Xavier. Magneto is
best characterized as the outspoken, hard-hitting mutant whose aim is to gain equal rights for all
mutants “by any means necessary.” Professor X, on the other hand, can be characterized as the
passionate, “non-violent” leader whose aim is to gain rights and protections for mutants, but through
more cooperative measures with humans. At first, this description of two of the most iconic superheroes
might seem completely irrelevant to the African American history. Yet, you may find that these two
characters are much like two prominent leaders in black history: Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. No, that doesn’t mean that both men had supernatural powers that astounded the people (wouldn’t
that have been AWESOME?!); but they both had something that set them a part from those in their time
period. They had a profound ability to influence other African Americans to take action against the racial
hostilities of their day. As you learn more about these two individuals, consider how their experiences
may be relevant to your own life.
Activity Objective
So, what’s the point of this particular exercise? Simply put, you will gain a significant amount of
experience in learning how to analyze the similarities and differences between Malcolm X and Martin
Luther King, Jr. In this activity, you will explore how they compared and contrasted in their approaches
to gain equal rights for all African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and ‘70s by
creating your own version of a comic book that features both Malcolm X and Dr. King.
Step 1
The first step in completing this activity is to first learn about some important definitions related to the
skills described in the objective. Think about what it means to analyze something? You can do the simple
thing and look up this definition, but then again, the dictionary has a way of making some meanings
even more confusing. (We all hate that!) But it is a great starting point. Take a minute to find some
definitions of this term, and try to write the definition in words that you would remember. Once you
have done that, you will want to know what it means to compare and contrast two or more things. This
can also be done by looking in the dictionary, but remember to create definitions that will help you
recall these words quickly.
Step 2
Now that you have a general understanding of the skills that you will develop in this activity, it’s time to
dive into the deep well of the content material. (No, that doesn’t mean go and watch the X-men films,
although they are fantastic!) Before engaging in this small task, take a piece of paper and draw a Venn
Diagram like the one below. (A Venn diagram is often used for you fantastic visual learners to help
organize your thoughts around comparing and contrasting two or more things.)
In the center of the diagram, where the circles intersect, you will write down the things that made
Malcolm X and Dr. King similar. On the opposite sides of the center, you will take notes on how both
men were different. Once you have made this diagram, take a look at this video that shows some of the
few clips of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. (Here’s the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4PqLKWuwyU.) As you watch the clip, record some notes on your
Venn diagram.
Step 3
After watching the clip, it becomes more apparent just how much Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. reflected both Magneto and Professor Xavier in the X-men films. And with that said, now you will get
into the fun part of making these two remarkable African American figures into your own version of
“superhero characters” in your comic book strip. To do this, gather one sheet of blank white paper and
fold it in half. Fold the half in another half so that the paper has four separate sections. Next, you will
want to think about a short but sweet storyline that will include Malcolm X and Dr. King, Jr. Be creative,
but remember to keep your focus on the goals that both men had during the Civil Rights Movement (i.e.
to gain equal rights and protection for African Americans), yet their differences in how they went about
securing these rights (i.e. non-violent vs. self-defense, etc.). Don’t worry about being a great artist. If you
want, find some really great photos online like at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page.
Have fun!
Step 4
Now that you have created your own version of a Malcolm X/Dr. King comic strip, answer the following
questions: Which person do you find yourself relating to mostly? Perhaps you identify with Malcolm X
because he was a straight-shooter (or maybe because you love Magneto). Or maybe you relate more to
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his approach to working side-by-side with those that Malcolm X
considered to be an enemy to the black community. Whatever your thoughts, always remember that
your position may be different than another person’s. But each opinion is valid.