preview

African American Heroes Essay

Better Essays

Heroes A hero is defined as a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities (Hero, n.p.). Through the passage of time in history, the perceptions and characteristics of what makes a hero have changed. While some characteristics have remained constant, others have evolved and developed as society has changed. One thing that is certain is that most people have their own individual descriptions and ideas that define a hero. Heroes have high standards to meet. Thousands of people do heroic deeds every day, does doing one heroic deed make one a hero? The values of a hero have evolved over time. The Renaissance Era introduced many of the common characteristics seen in heroes today, such as strength, intelligence, and …show more content…

Superman was gifted, a trait suggested by the Victorian Era. Superman’s values were to stand for truth, justice, and the American way, which are similar values to what was established in the Renaissance Era and the twentieth century. Superman was one of the original American superheroes and is an icon for Americans. Inspirational heroes have influenced their followers with great teachings and commonly have inspired their followers to make a difference. Martin Luther King Jr. was an inspiration for many people of the world seeking equal rights and equality. He was an African-American minister from the south, where many African-Americans were treated poorly. He led many protests and gave many speeches about equality and civil rights. On a December day in 1955, an African-American woman, Rosa Parks, was asked to give up her seat to a white man on a city bus. Her seat was at the beginning of the section for African-Americans and the White section was full. She had a long day at work, so she refused to give up her seat on the bus. As punishment she was fined ten dollars and charged with a four dollar court fee (Martin, n.p.). Following Rosa Parks’ bus incident, Martin Luther King Jr. led a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama. He gave a speech that energized the civil rights effort in Alabama. Along with other civil rights activists, he made a

Get Access