Martin Luther King Jr.: The American Civil Rights Movement

Martin Luther King remains one of the most controversial historical figures of the 20th century. Historians and modern politicians alike, challenge his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and the legitimacy of his leadership. While King is traditionally presented as a leader of the movement, Ella Baker, an African American Civil Rights activists, questions this convention and claims “the [Civil Rights] movement made Martin.” Furthermore, often portrayed as the decisive factor of social change, King’s leadership and significance in the Civil Rights Movement is largely overemphasized and his exaggerated historical importance, detracts from the myriad of social factors and local movements that propelled social change. Although Martin

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American priest, activist, and important leader in the African-American Civil Rights movement. His main hope was to secure progress on civil rights in the United States, and he has become a human rights icon. King was a Baptist minister and activist. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, serving as its first president. King 's efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. There, he raised public knowledge of the Civil Rights movement and made himself as one of the greatest speakers in U.S. history.

Not long after WWII, in 1947 the Cold War began due to political and economic tension between the Eastern and Western bloc. During this time many people feared Communism and began questioning where the postwar society was heading. Luckily, the postwar economic boom occurred and the nation began to prosper again. American family income, marriage, and pregnancies increased drastically. However, ethnic and racial problems still occurred in the workforce and society. Martin Luther King Jr., along with many other leaders, took a stand against the substantial amount of cruelty and restrictions placed upon the African American race. As the U.S. approached the 1960’s the Vietnam War surfaced, on top of the recent post-WWII domestic problems, the U.S.

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.

The Civil Rights movement was a push to expand the rights of African Americans in the United States. It is widely known that Martin Luther King Jr. was the figurehead of this movement he got his start in the Montgomery bus boycotts as he organized and spoke on behalf of the African American community in Montgomery and worked closely with Rosa Parks and other civil rights activists. Although this is where the movement’s most prominent leader got his start, it should not be considered the starting point because there was political unrest and victories for the movement prior to Martin Luther King Jr. For example, an early victory and a more likely start of the movement was the Supreme Court case, in which the 1896

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American civil rights leader in the 1950s and 1960s. A civil rights leader tries to make sure that everyone is treated fairly and equally under the laws of the country. Without Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we wouldn’t have civil rights right now. His speeches still inspire people to this day.

Dr. Martin Luther King was a well known civil rights activist in the civil rights movement. He was a well known preacher in the mid 1900’s. Luther disliked the way white folk treated African Americans. His speeches were well known and fueled people to peacefully protest. Some people took protesting way too far. Some extremists would riot and harm other people. Many people were wounded or even killed in some protests. Martin Luther was very peaceful and even wrote and gave a speech on loving your enemies. He was preaching this in a church sermon on 17th of November 1957 and in his speech he preached about loving your neighbor and loving your enemies. This goes along with the famous quote “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”. Luther

The man and the movement is the story of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the famous and the great leaders in American history. Similarly to his father, Martin Luther King Jr. followed the same educational path, he was a very bright student in school and won his first prize of $ 1,200, graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta 1948. Martin Luther licenced to preach and becoming assistant to his father as a pastor in the Baptist church, Atlanta in 1947. Afterward, he ordained to the Baptist ministry in Montgomery, Alabama. Martin Luther King Jr met Coretta Scott, in Boston University, where he received his PHD in 1955. She would be his partner in both marriage and his campaign of civil rights for the African Americans. Dr. King was influenced

First of all, I have to say that this video is powerful. It conveys the segregation that Memphis witnessed very dramatically and masterfully and it displays the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. very emotionally...very powerfull...

There have been many benefactors to the Civil Rights Movement, from Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Ruby Bridges and many more. I mention these names just to recap on the some of the racial inequality that people of color have faced in the past, and even to the present day. The time line goes on and on, for instance Brown v. Board of Education, Oliver Brown wanted his daughter Linda to attend a good “white” school near their home and not be subjected to an all colored school across town. He and several other families took the Kansas School Board to court and judgement was in their favor. In 1954, the Supreme Court decided that segregated schools were unconstitutional (Lawson 52). Every win was a struggle to gain for the movement,

Martin Luther King Jr. He fought against a policy practiced for centuries, segregation, and did so peacefully. He single-handedly led the march that ultimately led to the end of segregation with his “I Have a Dream” speech. He continued to fight for what he felt was just, even after violent actions were taken towards him and his family. He was even assassinated after giving justice for those deprived of it all their lives. Overall, he showed courage by standing up for what is right, even though the injustice he fought against was an age old practice. He portrayed all of the characteristics that I deem necessary to live a courageous life. He was perserverant, just, and

Can you imagine a place where people took problems into their own hands? Where people stood up for what they believed in and fought for their rights? People who did not let anything get in their way, no matter how tough times got? This place was American during the 1960s. Change in American was about to come and the people in American were going to make sure it happened. The 1960s was a time of determination, self-expression, and excitement.

Martin Luther King was born on january the 9th 1929. King was brought up in the midst of traditional southern black ministers and King’s childhood was surrounded by the strong racial prejudice of the south. He went to university and gained a doctorate of theology and later grew up to become the leader of the African-American civil rights movement which lasted from 1954-1968. We judge King's significance in many ways such as, the legacy he has left behind, the powerful image he was and is portrayed as and the fact that he was a major figurehead for the movement and the people that followed him. Many people say Martin Luther King was one of the most influential figures during the civil rights movement although some historians have a different opinion. I will argue King was extremely significant in many areas of the civil rights movement such as his confident public appeal and his non violent approach which helped gain him success. Yet in some areas his significance has been exaggerated, such as being a cause for the initial separation of the black community as well as the fight for equality not being over.

Martin Luther King Jr. received numerous death threats, and on one occasion his house was bombed. King had two choices; he could back down, or he could be courageous and continue fighting for civil rights. Obviously, King chose the latter.

During the 1960s the United States of America would experience the new civil rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr was one of the many leaders of the civil rights movement, he would lead protests and would speak to the public. In 1955 in a speech King would speak about Rosa Parks and her arrest in Montgomery for refusing to get up from her bus seat. Rosa parks was a citizen of Montgomery. She was well respected in the community and was a good Christian citizen. She was a well known civil rights activist. When the civil rights movement began to grow in the 1950s and 60s she became known for her refusal to give up her seat for a white man. She would be arrested, and Martin Luther King Jr would support her actions. Like King Rosa Parks would become a public figure and provide a face for the movement.