Mandela and King

From the very beginning, both Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. emerged into paths of leadership. King's father, the baptist minister, and his mother, the schoolteacher, passed on to their son the qualities of a natural public speaker capable of expressing ideas fluidly. It is no surprise that he went on to become a minister himself-however briefly. Mandela was born into royalty and later transferred into the hands of a tribal government official who groomed the young boy for leadership. During their campaigns, the two leaders faced similar challenges against differing foes. While King fought to bring about legislation through nonviolent resistance and dramatic example, Mandela and his followers squared off against an oppressive and brutal government. "It was only when all else had failed, when all channels of peaceful protest had been barred to us, that the decision was made to embark on violent forms of political struggle." This quote from Nelson Mandela embodies the practical approach towards segregation by Martin Luther King Jr. but also suggests traces of Malcolm X's ideology. "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend." Here King's steadfast belief in his approach shines as well as his less radical nature than Mandela. This may be why King maintained a peaceful approach while Mandela was forced to exert more force on his end. At the core of either movement, both men did understand that their struggle would be difficult and would force them to tread carefully through example and public support. While there is heavier air of strategy to Jr's campaign, Nelson's path seems more desperate. Ultimately, King and Mandela displayed incredible perseverance and composure in their mutual quest for social justice. The contexts in which they attained and maintained leadership are interestingly similar but all the same distinctive in their individual methods and consequences. They leave behind a legacy too great to sum up in one blog post.