--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Martin Luther King has taken away from…" description: "\"Martin Luther King has taken away from the Negro his Gov-given right to defend himself.\" — Malcolm X" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac6/malcolm-x-213_given_martin-luther-king-has-taken-away-from-t_1642160.jpg" --- # Martin Luther King has taken away from the Negro his… ![“Martin Luther King has taken away from the Negro his Gov-given right to defend himself.” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac6/malcolm-x-213_given_martin-luther-king-has-taken-away-from-t_1642160.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac6/malcolm-x-213_given_martin-luther-king-has-taken-away-from-t_1642160.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac6/malcolm-x-213_given_martin-luther-king-has-taken-away-from-t_1642160.jpg) > “Martin Luther King has taken away from the Negro his Gov-given right to defend himself.” [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. X argues that Black Americans have been stripped of their legal right to self‑defense, urging empowerment and resistance. **In simple terms:** Black people lack legal self‑defense rights. Key Takeaway Advocate for self‑determination. Themes civil rights self‑defense empowerment Mood determined urgent Type political activist When to use this quote - community organizing - legal advocacy - self‑defense training - political protest - education campaigns Key Concepts racial justice legal rights activism Questions to Reflect On - How can communities protect themselves within the law? - What non‑violent alternatives exist? A Different Perspective Legal reforms may be slow and face strong opposition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Away Negro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away-negro-576543/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [King Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king-taken-576541/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luther/) [Luther King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luther-king/) [Negro Gov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negro-gov-576542/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Taken Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken-away/) ## Related quotes > [The goal of Dr. Martin Luther King is to give Negroes a chance to sit in a segregated restaurant beside the same white man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-goal-of-dr-martin-luther-king-is-to-give-negroes-a-chance-to-sit/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The goal of Martin Luther King is to get the Negroes to forgive the people the people who have brutalized them for four hundred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-goal-of-martin-luther-king-is-to-get-the-negroes-to-forgive-the/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [What Martin Luther King is doing is disarming the black people of America of their God-given right and of their natural right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/what-martin-luther-king-is-doing-is-disarming-the-black-people-of/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ That's where Dr. \[Martin Luther\] King is mixed up. His goals should be the solution of the problem of the black man in America. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/that-s-where-dr-martin-luther-king-is-mixed-up-his-goals-should-be/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I'll say nothing against him. At one time the whites in the United States called him a racialist, and extremist, and a Communist. Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-ll-say-nothing-against-him-at-one-time-the-whites-in-the-united/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The White man pays Reverend Martin Luther King so that Martin Luther King can keep the Negro defenseless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/the-white-man-pays-reverend-martin-luther-king-so-that-martin-luther/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Now the goal of Dr. Martin Luther King is to give Negroes a chance to sit in a segregated restaurant beside the same white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/now-the-goal-of-dr-martin-luther-king-is-to-give-negroes-a-chance-to/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ Nonviolence is his, is his method. Well, my objective is the same as \[Martin Luther\] King's. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/nonviolence-is-his-is-his-method-well-my-objective-is-the-same-as/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Martin Luther King has made the Negro in America unnatural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/martin-luther-king-has-made-the-negro-in-america-unnatural/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [10 years ago the black man knew what his condition was. And today, because of the world revolution that's taking place all over this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/10-years-ago-the-black-man-knew-what-his-condition-was-and-today/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ Nonviolence with Dr. \[Martin Luther \]King is only a method. That's not his objective. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/nonviolence-with-dr-martin-luther-king-is-only-a-method-that-s-not/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The only politician anybody ever believed was Kennedy, anyway. Kennedy, Martin Luther King - civil rights always turns out in bloody war. Where's his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-macgowan/the-only-politician-anybody-ever-believed-was-kennedy-anyway-kennedy/) [Shane MacGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-macgowan/) > [Most students graduate from high school knowing nine words about the civil rights movement: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and "I Have a Dream."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-aydin/most-students-graduate-from-high-school-knowing-nine-words-about-the/) [Andrew Aydin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-aydin/) > [I don't think anything happens without the press, one way or the other. I think it's all done for it. You saw it start,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-think-anything-happens-without-the-press-one-way-or-the-other/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [What is accurately portrayed is the rich humanity not just of Martin Luther King but of the movement, which was a multiracial movement. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/what-is-accurately-portrayed-is-the-rich-humanity-not-just-of-martin/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) ## More by Malcolm X > [If Christianity had asserted itself in Germany, six million Jews would have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-christianity-had-asserted-itself-in-germany-six-million-jews-would/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Be nonviolent only with those who are nonviolent to you. And when you can bring me a nonviolent racist, bring me a nonviolent segregationist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-nonviolent-only-with-those-who-are-nonviolent-to-you-and-when-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You can't legislate good will - that comes through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-can-t-legislate-good-will-that-comes-through-education/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We Muslims believe that the white race, which is guilty of having oppressed and exploited and enslaved our people here in America, should and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-muslims-believe-that-the-white-race-which-is-guilty-of-having/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I mean a real police state just to get a token recognition of a law. It take, it took, I think, 15,000 troops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-mean-a-real-police-state-just-to-get-a-token-recognition-of-a-law/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Like Samson, I am ready to pull down the white man's temple, knowing full well that I will be destroyed by the falling rubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/like-samson-i-am-ready-to-pull-down-the-white-man-s-temple-knowing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Any negro who occupies a position that was given to him by the white man, if you analyze his function, his function never enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-negro-who-occupies-a-position-that-was-given-to-him-by-the-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Stumbling is not falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/stumbling-is-not-falling/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [God is going to punish the white man for his misdeeds toward black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/god-is-going-to-punish-the-white-man-for-his-misdeeds-toward-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Much of what I say might sound like it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/much-of-what-i-say-might-sound-like-it-s-stirring-up-trouble-but-it-s/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-believe-in-the-brotherhood-of-all-men-but-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) [Explore all 891 Malcolm X quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More Given quotes > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. 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And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/susan-b-anthony-must-be-turning-in-her-grave-if-she-knew-that/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [If life were like a competitive race, some people would be given a flying start and others would line up with weights tied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/if-life-were-like-a-competitive-race-some-people-would-be-given-a/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Music is one of the ways by which you can know everything which is going on in the world. You can feel... through music...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/music-is-one-of-the-ways-by-which-you-can-know-everything-which-is/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [Today, at Harvard, any student with the currently fashionable color of skin is given rights denied to students of the currently unfashionable color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capp/today-at-harvard-any-student-with-the-currently-fashionable-color-of/) [Al Capp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capp/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [It was given out that the animals there practised cannibalism, tortured one another with red-hot horseshoes, and had their females in common. 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