Research Paper: Martin Luther King, Jr.

brought together the country to fight for one cause. It was December 1st, 1955 and a NAACP Secretary named Rosa Parks was asked to give up her seat to a white passenger on the bus, she refused to and got arrested for it. Dr. King was the spokesman and leader for the bus boycott that was a boycott of the buses in Montgomery after the Rosa Parks incident. As a result the busses were unsegregated which upset Southerners so much that they bombed Dr. King’s home, luckily he wasn’t there and nobody got hurt (History.com). Dr. King moved to Atlanta with his family in 1960 and was still the president of SCLC (History.com). In 1960 Martin Luther King Jr began planning the March on Washington. The march on Washington was a big key point in the fight for equal rights. At the March in 1963 Dr. King gave a speech, which became very famous very quick, it was his “I Have a Dream” speech. Dr. King became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace prize in the year 1964. In 1965 there was a shooting in Selma where the SCLC and SNCC were having a voting registration (History.com). All of that goes to show that in the Civil Rights Era Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. brought the country together to fight for one cause.

One of the most known leaders of the Civil Rights Movement was Martin Luther King, Jr. His nonviolent methods of protesting racial injustice allowed for many people to join the cause due to the high moral approach that he utilized (Brinkley, p.745-749.) The Civil Rights Movement contributed to the major changes in American society. The reason that this is statement is validated is because the efforts of this turmoil during this period is realized today. They accomplished their goals, which were to end racial segregation and stand for equality for all American citizens. While Martin Luther King didn’t live to realize his accomplishments himself, he left behind a legacy that showed many that goals can be accomplished through nonviolent methods. The political changes are that laws were put into place to ensure the goals of Civil Rights activists are upheld. The social changes are that in most cases people are treated equally in regards to race.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an extraordinary historical figure of America. He took on the role as one of the leaders of the Civil Rights movement. By doing so, he has accomplished many goals, which have greatly impacted American society from the 1960s to this day. For example, some accomplishments he has achieved include the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and gaining voting rights for African Americans across the United States of America in 1965. In addition to this, he used nonviolent tactics, such as, peaceful protests, demonstrations, and boycotts to convince people that racial discrimination is morally and ethically incorrect, and should be put to an end.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 as Michael King, Jr. in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the middle child of Michael King, Sr. Michael King, Jr. changed his name and his sons name to Martin Luther King to honor in 1934 to Martin Luther. Martin Luther King, Jr. entered public school at age five. His older sister is Willie Christine and his younger brother was Alfred Daniel Williams King.

Martin Luther King Jr. knew of the constant racism and cruelty in Birmingham, Alabama and decided to lead a march in 1963. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy, treasurer of the SCLC, led a group of fifty marchers toward city hall in Birmingham (Boerst, 12). Martin Luther King Jr. and the protestors wanted to stand up

Martin Luther King Jr. is an astonishing leader and social activist that inspired many people in this world. Although slavery ended in the United States during the late 19th century, racism continued to coerce African Americans. African Americans were obligated to utilize separate schools and public utilities from the greater ones set aside for whites. By the 20th century, they were also discriminated in housing and employment and abused from some whites. African Americans were not permitted to vote in the United States during the 20th century either. King fought for equal rights and was murdered in 1968 by a man named James Earl Ray. Martin was a great leader and an important voice of the American civil rights movement. He never gave up trying

Martin Luther King was a man of many accomplishments. He was a dedicated and determine individual. Do you think that if Martin Luther King didn't do what he did we would still be in separation. He made a major change in every African Americans life. So that's why we celebrate Black History Month and MLK day.

King talked about equality, peace, and his hopes and visions for the future ahead. He stated that the nation will not rest until African Americans are granted their well-deserved rights. King also mentioned his four children and the hopes he has for them. With the help of this march the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed the following year. This act ended racial segregation in public places, employment, education, etc. Next, the Selma March that took place in 1965 was also very influential to American history. The main focus of this march was to give voting rights to African Americans. Hundreds of African Americans came together and marched behind King from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. This historic three-day march raised awareness for the colored people who unable to vote. After this the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed. This act allowed African Americans to pursue their right to vote under the fifteenth amendment.

The SCLC would bail out protestors and send them back out to protest again. King himself spent many days in Jail. In those days he wrote letters from Birmingham Jail for the local news asking, why did you break the law? During his days

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. aspired for a community based future where compassion was the goal not chaos. He desired to have a world were the oppressed were out of oppression, and everyone strived for unity. I do not believe this has happened. I believe there are people that make helping others a priority, but the majority of people are self-motivated. Most people are more concerned with improving themselves than helping others out because we live in a selfish world. People tend to do things that they directly benefit from. As addressed in the article, we live in a materialistic society. The consequence of a material society is people spend all of their time working to achieve the next thing in life instead of being content with where

King spoke at a meeting that had more than a 1,000 that attended. The meeting was about the freedom riders that got beaten up. Racism was very big then, and it is going back that way again. King just wanted African Americans to be treated equal to whites. A lot of people felt different. All the protesting that was done, was peaceful. He was the one that pushed everybody else to do what needed to be done to be succeed. He was behind the March on Washington which created the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in 1964,

“Seen in perspective, the summer of 1963 was historic because it witnessed the first offensive in history launched by the Negros along a broad front.” (King Jr. pg. 219) Within this march King gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech. He stood “in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial…” where 200,000 people stood waiting to hear him speak. (Martin Luther King Jr. Biography) In his speech he said, “It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.” (I Have A Dream) He says this to persuade African Americans to take action and get their rights that they are owed. His speech resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act enforced desegregation and prohibited discrimination in public settings. His speech also led to him being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. But sadly in 1965 violence broke out between white segregationists and peaceful demonstrators in Selma, Alabama. The Voting Rights Act was passed in August of that same

The American Civil Rights movement was most prominent in the 1960’s. Many stepped up to lead during this time but few possessed the magnitude of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King lived a life dedicated to the advancement of the negro people through nonviolent means. He believed that all men were created equal and should be treated as such. Dr. King put his all into what he believed and stayed true to his nonviolent tactics until his dying day. Although he would face continued opposition, I believe that Dr. King would be able to spread his message of nonviolence and equality in the 21st century.

Martin Luther King Jr. went on to lead many marches, boycotts, and sit-ins. One in particular including the Montgomery bus boycott. This consisted of a lady by the name of Rosa Parks, an African

Martin Luther King’s March on Washington in 1963 would lead to his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, he called for equality for all people. After years of being beat down, outcaste and even murdered, civil rights activist continued to make head way within the White House. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended racial segregation in the workplace, schools, and public facilities such as restaurants and hotels. In January 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr., James Bevel, and other civil rights leaders organized several demonstrations to address the voting discrimination that minorities faced. The march to Selma, Alabama led to violent riots with police, the violence endured on “Bloody Sunday” would make history within the movement. These marches received national media coverage and drew national attention to the issue of voting rights. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 would put an end to unfair voting requirements that had made it difficult for African Americans to vote, such as literacy tests and other methods of racial scrutiny (Rosen 121). The Voting Rights Act also gave the federal government power to monitor changes in the states voting requirements to assure that they met standards required by the law. Both acts were signed into laws by President Lyndon B. Johnson. After decades of fighting oppression and pure unfair treatment, minorities still face harsh realities of the present day. Present day movements such as “Black Lives Matter” demonstrate the modern Civil Rights Movement as they are much needed after the recent brutality of minorities. The social changes made throughout the decades have made the race issue more tolerable in society today, but there still are many underlying factors that cause racial tension within