Why did Malcolm X think it was important to expand the struggle from civil rights activism to human rights activism?

Although they only met once, Malcolm X was often asked his opinion of Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement. Initially scornful of King and his strategies, Malcolm later began to recognize the worth of — and even began tentative participation in — the movement.

Same Problem, Different Directions

Near the end of his life, Malcolm X publicly recognized that "Dr. King wants the same thing I want — freedom!" But for most of his ministry he did not identify with King and the civil rights movement. Although both Black Muslims and King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference had the same general goals of defeating white racism and empowering African Americans, Malcolm and King had different tended to speak at different venues (street corners vs. churches) and had different aims. Malcolm, who would publicly deny that he was even an American, worked for a Nation of Islam that sought to create a separate society for its members. Malcolm rejected integration with white America as a worthwhile aim (deriding it as "coffee with a cracker") and particularly opposed non-violence as a means of attaining it. "That's what you mean by non-violent," he said, "be defenseless." In Malcolm's mind, the African American could never surrender his right of self-defense against white violence.

Explanation:

Elevating it to a human rights struggle shows that it affects everyone. No matter where you live, or how much money you make, the one thing that we all have in common is that they faced oppression from the white man. Changing it also means that it's brought before the united nations and can be dealt with quickly, rather than under the jurisdiction of Uncle Sam. He states, "...Civil rights comes within the domestic affairs of this country...And as long as it's civil rights, this comes under the jurisdiction of Uncle Sam..." He explains that when it is labeled " civil rights ", it will be dealt with by the United states, however, if it is labeled " Human Rights ", it will be dealt with by the United Nations because they have a Human Rights committee. 

Explanation: