exactly. i think people completely forget the mlk progression. he had to back out on lbj and criticize the policies of people who had supported his main mission. and he did that. and he was incredibly radical at the end. he genuinely wanted a class struggle in the united states. its one thing to talk about race in the US, but no one talks about class. of course mlk is now presented as this peaceful moderate civil rights activist whereas he was a radical.
On this I would disagree. Malcolm X was a gifted orator and charismatic figure but MLK IMO is one of the greatest orators of all time and very likley the greatest American orator. Also the fact that he could movitate such a large non-violent movement that spanned the racial divide showed how charismatic a leader he was. It takes a charismatic leader to make peole fight for something but it takes an unbelievably charismatic leader to do so in a non-violent manner that involves putting your life at great risk.
As an orator, I think Malcolm X was just as gifted as MLK. If you listen to some of Malcolm X's speeches, the guy is totally dynamic. The leadership thing is the chasm that separates the two. MLK got masses of people to follow him and put themselves at risk. His leadership, not his oratory, is what makes him one of the major figures in all of American history.
