Genius: MLK/X

The two leaders meet briefly in DC while supporting the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Martin wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Malcolm forms two new organizations. Both men are under scrutiny and surveillance.

Malcolm’s fate is sealed after he criticizes the NOI. Martin’s political views lead to his ultimate sacrifice for the Movement. The two leaders are assassinated, but their legacies continue to inspire.

Pressures and expectations take a toll on Coretta and Betty. They each question their resolve and decisions as they navigate the rigors of a public persona and private life.

Two monumental 1963 events—the March on Washington and the Kennedy assassination—have lasting effects on both men. Martin becomes the moral leader of the Movement, while Malcolm is suspended from the NOI.

Martin and Coretta begin their family as the Montgomery Bus Boycott propels MLK into national headlines as the leader of the Movement. Malcolm proposes to Betty Saunders as he ascends to become the National Representative of NOI.

As the president of SCLC, Martin struggles to find a balance between active and passive resistance, relying on his faith for guidance. Malcolm is absorbed in his work, which creates strife for Betty and challenges his relationship with Elijah Muhammad.

Young Martin is influenced by his family and the racial circumstances of the Jim Crow-era South. He developed community and leadership skills while attending and ultimately graduating from Boston University. Young Malcolm is taught racial pride, economic self-sufficiency and ultimately loss. As a young man, he succumbs to a life of vice and corruption. While incarcerated, he’s introduced to the Nation of Islam, eventually leaving prison with a new passion and purpose.

Martin and Malcolm each work to shape their identities and become the change they wish to see in the world. Martin takes a pastor position in Montgomery and marries Coretta Scott. Malcolm purges his past and devotes himself to the NOI, becoming the leader of the Harlem Temple.