Review: The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. by Peniel Joseph
“By the time each met his death, there was practically no difference between them.” -James Baldwin
I grew up with a picture of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. hanging on my wall. Malcolm is on the left looking straight at you and King is on the right looking at Malcolm. Growing up I don’t think I ever questioned why King was looking at Malcolm rather than looking straight ahead too, but now I understand after reading Peniel Joseph’s forthcoming book The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. (Release date: March 31, 2020).
Joseph’s book shreds the myths that we have about Martin and Malcolm, specifically that we have viewed them as the complete opposite of the other: the Sword vs. the Shield, Magneto vs. Professor X (Malcolm vs. Martin respectively). Yes, King advocated for nonviolence and X advocated for self-defense, but that is not the whole story. Joseph effectively shows that both leaders evolved to a place where they were more alike at the time of their respective deaths. Malcolm evolves from his more militant black separatist position to one that was more focused on human rights issues while still being a strong advocate for black dignity. King, who was known as the “apostle of nonviolence”, became more radical after Malcolm’s assassination especially as it relates to economic justice issues.
Ultimately, this is a good book for those who think they know these two leaders but are actually unaware of the trajectories their short lives both took. King is more than his “I Have A Dream” speech and Malcolm is more than his “by any means necessary” self-defense mantra. Joseph’s book informs the reader about the sides of these two men that society rarely emphasize.
Thanks to NetGalley, Basic Books, and Peniel Joseph for the free ARC copy in exchange for a honest review.
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