Divide the class into two groups. Distribute “Nonviolence: The Only Road to Freedom” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to one group, and distribute “Message to the Grassroots” by Malcolm X to the other group. (Note that lengths of readings differ and you may want to select excerpts or have different students read different sections based on your available time). Students should individually read their assigned source, and then discuss the following questions in a small group of students who read the same source:

• What is the main idea of the source?
• What is the author’s idea of an ideal society?
• What does the author believe is the best way to achieve civil rights for Black Americans? Why?
• What evidence does the author provide to support his ideas?
• To what extent is the argument compelling to you?
• Does this document support or challenge what you already knew about the author?

Then, put students into a mixed group, so that each group has representatives who read Dr. Martin Luther King and also representatives who read Malcolm X. Students should share out from their earlier group to review both sources. Then, each group should discuss the following questions:

• In what ways are the ideas of Dr. King and Malcolm X similar?
• How are their ideas different?
• What does each leader think about the other’s approach?
• With which leader do you most agree? Why?