Which leader is associated with the Nation of Islam and black empowerment?

• A. Martin Luther King Jr.
• B. Rosa Parks
• C. Malcolm X
• D. Thurgood Marshall

Answer: (C)

This question tests knowledge of leaders connected to the Nation of Islam and the idea of Black empowerment. Malcolm X rose as a prominent leader within the Nation of Islam in the mid-20th century, advocating Black empowerment, self-determination, and pride in Black identity. He emphasized building economic strength and community institutions, and he spoke about Black dignity and rights in a way that differed from the nonviolent integration approach associated with other Civil Rights leaders.

Martin Luther King Jr. is known for nonviolent protest and achieving integration into American society, Rosa Parks became a symbol of civil disobedience in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and Thurgood Marshall was a pioneering lawyer who won Brown v. Board of Education and later served on the Supreme Court. None of these figures are linked with the Nation of Islam in the same way Malcolm X is.