Okay, so I made this connection the other day, and I know there are plenty of better articles on this out there, or I would write one.
X-men came out around the time of the civil rights movement. Professor Xavier works toward peaceful coexistence. Magneto works toward uprising and mutant supremacy. So Professor Xavier is a stand-in for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., where as Magneto would represent Malcolm X.
I believe this was intentional on the part of the creators. Of course, everyone who is different or feels outcast can relate to the X-men. It’s like Spider-man. Once he puts on the mask, he can be anyone. Anyway, just a thought.