Hands down I would have to say Mohandas Gandhi. You could say MLK but did MLK not look up to Gandhi and did MLK not follow the path of Gandhi?

Gandhi followed the right path in the Indian independence movement, that path was non-violence. Gandhi was a great political leader. He used non violence to help aid the corrupted minds of the British with there racist thoughts toward Indians.

Gandhi lead many different marches, rallies, and told many speeches to his followers. One of the more important marches would be the Salt March. Gandhi and many of his followers marched all the way from Ahmedabad to Dandi which was around 250 miles just to make his own salt in protest to the new salt taxes.

Gandhi was the main leader in the Quit India movement caused great entropy in India. There was a plethora of arrests going into the hundreds of thousands. Gandhi stayed strong behind non violence and was thrown into jail for 2 years. After Gandhi was released ( due to health issues ), and after Quit India had run its course, he called off the struggle as the British had made it clear that a transfer of power was approaching finalization.

Gandhi was a great man who burned his life into the ground for the people of India and he rose as a phoenix out of the ashes to a free India. W/O Gandhi's help India would not have been freed from Britain's control which is why I believe Gandhi was and in spirit still is the greatest civil rights leader.

gandhi was the greatest civil rights advocate of our time,all people interested in civil rights would do well to follow his wisdom!

Do you have any idea who Malcolm X really was? He may have been one of the most influential African Americans of all time but he was a preacher of violence and racist acts. Hell he was a criminal! He was sentenced to jail for a decade where he decided to follow the path of Shiite Muslims. Why was he funny?

Then that is not a debate. Do you know what the name for a debate like this is under? A popularity CONTEST. We are not writing analytical papers this is not a prompt it is asking your opinion on the matter. which you did not state who you think IS so stay on topic or get out. Make you own debate, the question was stated perfectly fine.

I have to agree with you. Every time I see the words greatest civil rights leader my mind wants me to have a quick reaction and say Malcolm X or MLK. I do not know much about X but I do know that MLK followed in the foot steps and teachings of Gandhi. MLK did not live to see equal African Americans, Gandhi accomplished his life work during his life. That is deserving of merit.