“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word” (King, “Acceptance Speech”). Martin Luther King Jr. refused to believe that nothing could be done to achieve justice for all people. He refused to believe that changing the perception of race in America was too great a challenge to face. He refused to believe that the color of one’s skin determined his or her superiority in society. He refused to believe the power of hatred was a force too great to overcome. He refused to believe that there was no hope for a nation broken by racism. …show more content…
He kept going no matter what challenges he faced. The journey of the civil rights movement was not an easy one for King, despite the immense progress he made. He was always faced with challenges and setbacks of his own. He was arrested, his home was bombed, he constantly received death threats, but his leadership and refusal to give up gave others the motivation to persevere, no matter what the circumstances were (Kranz 86). King overcame obstacles that many could never imagine having to experience, but undeterred by this, he still had a dream. For he once said “I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream” (King, “I Have a Dream). Unfortunately on April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. met an obstacle he was unable to overcome, it was on this day that King was assassinated (“Martin Luther King Jr.,” History.com). Martin Luther King Jr.’s death devastated millions across the country. Many feared that without him, all progress made within the movement would be lost. But strangely enough, just the opposite happened. Even after his death, the leadership that King demonstrated throughout his life encouraged others to be leaders and take charge of their own future. People realized more than ever that if they wanted to see a change in the nation, they needed to take a stand in their beliefs and work to make a difference. Martin Luther King Jr.’s determination to end segregation and bring about equality for all people inspired others to pursue their dreams. His belief that peace and love could change the world inspired others to love rather than hate. His message to the nation that God created all men and women as equals inspired people across the nation to let go of their prejudiced beliefs that they had once been bound to. His life was a testimony that spoke to the hearts of millions. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life
Martin Luther King jr. was one of the most influential persons of the 20th Century. He is the father of the modern civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is recognized around the world as a symbol of freedom as well as peace. King practiced everything that he preached, he did not preach or speak values that he himself did not follow. He established himself as a pastor that was not afraid of hard work, guiding the middle-class congregation to public service. For example, Peake, Thomas R. author of "Martin Luther King, Jr.” states, “He encouraged his parishioners to help the needy and to be active in organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)”. I think that kings motivation
African American people have come a long way from the illiterate slaves, who were once picking cotton in fields, to powerful political leaders. A prime example would be President Barack Obama, the first African American president of the United States of America. But first we must ask ourselves, how did this occur? Who lead African Americans to better living standards? Civil rights leaders, such as Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and Rosa Parks, just to name a few. However, among these great names in history, there is one that stands out, and that man is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King gave hope to those in need with his awe inspiring sermons he performed at the church his grandfather founded. He changed foes to
In 1963 Birmingham, Alabama became a main focus for the civil rights movement. As a city, Birmingham had made its mark on the civil rights movement for years. The activities of Bull Conner and the bombed church which killed four school girls are only a few contributing occurrences that made Birmingham known to many Americans. The KKK thrived in the city and Martin Luther King described it as America’s worst city for racism. Everything was segregated, from businesses and churches to libraries. Blacks faced constant discrimination and the threat of violence. Civil Rights groups were inactive other than the SCLC, but many African Americans did not like like the leader and demonstrations were poorly attended. Martin Luther King was
I’m sure everyone has heard about civil discourse and petitioning at least once in their lives. These topics go way back in time and still are present today. The Declaration of Independence gives us our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness but sometimes they are restricted. When things get to the point where we have to fight to receive the rights as should be promised it can make a great impact.
When talking about leadership, I would think of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his influences on the American civil rights movement. His famous speech – “I have a dream” is one of the most compelling in all times. The speech was powerful because it was simple and brought out a clear and focused theme. The audiences’ emotion was agitated instantly by his speech. And the reaction and impact were enormous. Of course, leadership is not only about powerful speeches, but involves the leaders’ characteristics and their abilities to influence others.
While the civil rights movement started before 1865 many things have changed for the better of African Americans. Some people do not see the changes as a good thing because they did not agree with African Americans being free, they thought that African Americans deserved to be slaves along with many other things. The Civil Rights movement has changed African Americans lives in many different ways over the years since 1865. There were many events that occured to help change the African Americans lives three of these events are; the ending of the civil war, Brown vs. Board of Education, and Martin Luther King Jr. civil rights movement. With all of these events came changes to African Americans lives. Where they started to where they are now is
An individual named Martin Luther King Jr. has left a mark on the nation because of his hopes, dreams and his message that became a legacy. In 1960s Dr. King led the civil rights movement, his lifetime his work represented the fight for equality and nondiscrimination. The civil rights movement was created to help African Americans reach their full potential in life by gaining equality. His message still has significance today because it demonstrates the importance of individual action and teaches us that anybody can truly make a difference.
King’s plan of action to liberate the suffering and free his community of the savagery of segregation. He traveled from state to state spreading his word and fighting for the people’s right to live equally. He was so dedicated towards the civil rights movement that his personal life and agenda were affected. Dr. King’s selfless service to what he believed in as a mission that had to be accomplished regardless of his survival, led him to ensure that no one would deviate from his goals; his successors would have to continue the fight. He toured the country in support of those struggling, reminding them to continue fighting, refraining from violence which would not support the cause, but rather damage it. King’s dedication and strong belief in ideology slowly convinced people from different races to gradually follow him. He was not just a leader who would sit and watch his assistants and fellow comrades do the job. “I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly" (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, n.d.). He maintained a level head with his followers and those in prison; he lived, suffered, cherished, shared joy, sadness and tears, provided emotional comments for funerals and
Martin Luther King Jr was a very great leader. He was one of the most affective people in the civil rights movement. He has been helping people since when he was a little boy. He would also help people with his smartness. Lastly, one of his best qualities was being a good speech man. Martin Luther King Jr was one of the best leaders of all time.
What instills courage, selflessness, and humility in a person? Certain events and people in the beginning of a person’s life shape their character for the rest of their existence. MLK, otherwise known as Martin Luther King, Jr., was presented with a dilemma, fight for his freedom or stay hushed. He chose to fight for his rights. The revolutionary man thought of a way to fight for his freedom without breaking the unfair rules forced upon him and his followers. This ingenius idea of protesting without violence, was only the first of many that would change the world forever. MLK was a great influence on the whole world, here are some events that shaped him into the revolutionary man that fought for freedom for all.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activist and Baptist minister. He played a key role in in the civil rights movement. Martin Luther king Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, Atlanta GA. He married Coretta Scott King in 1953 and had four children. His two boys, Martin Luther King Jr. III and Dexter Scott King. His two girls, Yolanda King and Bernice King. Martin’s famous speech was, “I Have a Dream”. Sadly Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated fighting for civil rights on April 4, 1968, Memphis TN. Martins grandfather became a pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta from 1914 to 1931. Martin's father served as a pastor until his death in 1960. Martin luther King Jr. acted as a co-pastor. Martin attended segregated public schools in
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s work and life were influenced by the fact that many African Americans in the South suffered from violence and from being treated as second class citizens. One September morning, four little African American girls were killed by a bomb explosion while in their Sunday school class (King 136). King said, “Some demonstrators suffered violence, and that a few paid the extreme penalty of death (King 34). Reverend Jernigan, Mrs. Brown, and Mrs. Terrell went to a restaurant. While waiting
A civil rights leader by the name of Reverend (PBS, 2016) Martin Luther King Jr. changed the world he occupied and changed the future course of the United States of America by advocating for desegregation. Martin Luther King Junior was on a mission to end the segregation of the African American community. Segregation was the post result of slavery throughout the United States of America which enslaved Africans. He challenged the status quo of the time. Protesting peacefully and advocating for social change is what he proposed. The United States and the south in particular had feelings of prejudice, racism and hatred towards people of color that resulted in the Jim Crow Laws (PBS, 2016). Martin Luther King Jr. gave the “I have a dream” speech and explained how he saw the world through the eyes of an African American in 1963 that still echoes through the modern era. He was trying to persuade us to believe that a change of oppression towards blacks is achievable through nonviolence. A gunshot will challenge the peaceful speech for many followers. (Kagan, 1996)This rhetorical analysis will be covering the Kairos of Martin Luther King’s speech. Thesis: Despite Martin Luther King Jr.’s risk to life and arrests, he was willing to state “I have a Dream”, for all to hear because his main purpose was to create a peaceful unity between black and white Americans. The south would continue to subjective African Americans in the United States by enacting the “separate but equal” status
In reference to black history month, there has been few greater examples of peaceful protest positively impacting society, than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement. Dr. King’s quote, “the moral arc of history is long, but it bends towards justice” speaks volumes especially when displayed with his actions of civil disobedience. Throughout the arc of history one could conclude that civil disobedience has and will continue to positively affect society.
Martin luther king is most famous for leading the civil rights movement and his most recognized speech is the “i have a dream” speech. He was also a baptist minister. His speeches were very powerful because they were about the prejudice society the people lived in and how he has a vision of every man,woman, and child being treated the same instead of being segregated by skin color.