...Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929-1968 Cynthia Clayton PSY/300 February 24, 2014 Geraldine Juchniewicz Martin Luther King, Jr. “Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. King, both a Baptist minister and civil-rights activist, had a seismic impact on race relations in the United States, beginning in the mid-1950s.”Martin Luther King (2014). Among many efforts, King headed the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. According to Martin Luther King Jr (2014), “Through his activism, he played a pivotal role in ending the legal segregation of African-American citizens in the South and other areas of the nation, as well as the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.” According to Martin Luther King, Jr (2014), “King was the youngest to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, among several other honors. King was assassinated in April 1968, and continues to be remembered as one of the most lauded African-American leaders in history, often referenced by his 1963 speech,” "I Have a Dream." In his young days Martin family grew up in a poor farming community, they grew up in a secured and loving environment where faith was an important part of their daily lives. His father tried to protect his children from racism but failed. Martin tried to follow in his father’s footsteps but often rebelled during his adolescence years, Martin questioned his faith and in his...
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...creed... that all men are created equal." (Martin Luther King) The other, a man who spoke of a violent revolution, which would bring about radical change for the black race. "Anything you can think of that you want to change right now, the only way you can do it is with a ballot or a bullet. And if you're not ready to get involved with either one of those, you are satisfied with the status quo. That means we'll have to change you." (Malcolm X) While Martin Luther King promoted non-violence, civil rights, and the end to racial segregation, a man of the name of Malcolm X dreamed of a separate nation. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the conscience of his generation. A Southerner, a black man, he gazed upon the great wall of segregation and saw that the power of love could bring it down. From the pain and exhaustion of his fight to free all people from the bondage of separation and injustice, he wrung his eloquent statement of what America could be. (Ansboro, pg.1) An American clergyman and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, he was one of the principle leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement and a prominent advocate of nonviolent protest. King's challenges to segregation and racial discrimination in the 1950's and 1960's, helped convince many white Americans to support the cause of civil rights in the United States. After his assassination in 1968, King became the symbol of protest in the struggle for racial justice. ("King, Martin Luther, Jr.," pg. 1) In 1964, Malcolm X founded an...
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...slaves. They were also treated with disrespect. but in the 50’s and 60’s they fought hard for their rights.this included many people including some presidents and people who were for it and against it. and without this the world today would be very different. In the 50’s and 60’s people like martin luther king jr, malcolm x, john f. kennedy, the kkk, and many more.when martin luther king protested he used nonviolence. martin luther king jr thought that without violence you could win because you would learn to love your opponent.malcolm x fought for the same things martin luther king did but malcolm x wanted to use violence.malcolm x believed that if you wanted freedom violence was the way to get it.“The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a white supremacist organization that was founded in 1866.” the kkk destroys black people's houses and maybe even kills them.the kkk was very against the civil rights movements. the kkk is still around but in complete secret and nobody even knows who or where they are.the group has also been called the White Brotherhood, Heroes of America ,and Invisible Empire....
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...Andrea Adams @02717441 HIST 0100 Prof. Tolbert April 21, 2017 The Life, Work, and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist from the 1950 to 1968 with a strong religious background. A strong advocator for all minorities, King did all in his power to end barriers of community, poverty, racism and militarism. The principle he focused more on, however, was racism. King defined racism as prejudice, apartheid, ethnic conflict, anti-Semitism, sexism, colonialism, homophobia, ageism, or discrimination against disabled groups and stereotypes (Haskins). Later turning his efforts to poverty, King believed that the United States should have equal rights for all men, women and children. Martin Luther King Jr. had a strong philosophy of non-violent protests, called civil disobedience, to which he gained supporters, changing the jurisdictions of racism and poverty to create the American Dream for all. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, to Michael King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. Born as Michael King Jr., King lived in Atlanta, Georgia (How Did Martin). However, in honor of minister and civil-rights activist Martin Luther Baptist, his parents gave him the name Martin. In 1931, King’s father became the lead pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, a very successful minister as his father and grandfather had been. A very intelligent man, King skipped ninth and eleventh grades, graduating from Booker T. Washington...
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...Martin Luther King Jr. Assassination | History class Fall semester Nov. 22/ 2011 | Susan Kennedy | The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968 was a tragic blow, not only for the civil rights movement but also for the rights movement of all lower class citizens in America. Dr. King represented one of the few voices in 1968 able to form any type of consensus among increase-polarized groups in society. His death inaugurated a period of some of the worst race riots in American history. However, his death did not signal a end to the Civil Rights Movement. The movement had been splitting into factions for several years before he was assassinated. Dr. King’s death did accelerate the polarization of American society. The Black power became the leading force behind the transforming Civil Right Movement. However, to a far greater degree, King’s death signaled an alienation among white supporters of the movement who saw in King their opportunity to participate in the movement, while opposed to the movement hardened their stance in the face of the emerging drive for black self-determination. Robbed of the man who galvanized their community, outraged African Americans took to the streets to protest. Furor erupted among blacks in many cities as angry African Americans refused to heed the President\’s call for calm. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a vital figure of the modern era. His lectures and dialogues stirred the concern and sparked...
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...Courage and Moral Leadership 5/16/14 Dr. Alvin Lee Strayer University Analyze the qualities that mirror courage and moral leadership in the leader, and document those qualities (moral traits) as discussed by Daft (2010) (Chapter 6: Courage and Moral Leadership). Martin Luther King, Jr. was the mirror image of a moral and courageous leader. Dr. King upheld his morality principles as well as set examples for his followers. Dr. King had special virtues in which he lived and they was love, courage, hope amongst others. " Love, courage, hope, non conformity, and impatience were embodied in the sit-ins, boycotts, and marches, in which King himself was often a participant" (Rice 2004). Dr. King wanted his followers to be just and kind and to not use oppression as a crutch. Despite being spit on, sprayed with a hose and verbally assaulted he was able to manage frustration and anger and continue his peaceful rally. Dr. King was not one to hold his tongue especially about issues concerning his people. In one instance researchers say " King lamented Negroes' lack of "initiative," lambasted blacks for spending above their means, and expressed no patience with blacks who had "used their oppression as an excuse for mediocrity" (Rice 2004). King was well disciplined and courageous in his efforts. He spoke courage through to his followers to keep them encourage and give them strength. He believed “courage does not entail indifference to danger any more than it...
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...the rhetoric and we still use his ideas today. Aristotle's work is believed to be the first known contribution to persuasion. Robert F. Kennedy’s Speech Following the Death of Martin Luther King Jr. was altogether very persuasive, his use of ethos logos and pathos was superb. RFK and Mlk were both firm believers that nonviolence was the most effective form of civil disobedience. Robert F. Kennedy’s Speech Following the Death of Martin Luther King Jr. was altogether very persuasive, his use of ethos logos and pathos was superb. Mr. Kennedy’s use of Ethos in his speech helped build his trustworthiness to the audience. RFK told a personal story about his brother being shot, it was the first time that he...
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...Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice is a threat to justice everywhere” (BrainyQuote). Martin Luther King Jr., born to Alberta and Martin King on January 15, 1929, lead the way for a more diverse america. King played a prominent role to civil rights by forming marches and delivering speeches during the 1960’s. During the Civil Rights Movement King was named president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). On August 28, 1963, King lead the March on Washington and carried out his I Have a Dream Speech, also in 1964 King became the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Lastly, on April 4, 1968 King was assassinated by James Earl Ray while delivering a speech in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. King’s interest in equal rights created America’s diverse society. To begin, King led the March on Washington in order to help guarantee jobs and freedom for the colored. Playing an immense role in deciding the future of Civil Rights, “ ...The event (March on Washington) is widely regarded as a watershed moment in the history of the American Civil Rights movement and a factor in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964” (“Martin Luther King Jr.”). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 guaranteed that no one is to be discriminated against based on their skin color, sex, or ethnic background, meaning segregation was...
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...A Great Speaker Teresa Spracklin Argosy University A Great Speaker I have chosen to write about Martin Luther King Jr. He was a true fighter, seeking equality for all mankind. In his speech titled, “I Have a Dream!” given on Aug 28, 1963, he states, This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day ('I have a dream', New African, 2004, par. 7). He wrote a very powerful speech, but this passage is one of my favorites. I like how he talks about how one day we all can share this great nation as one. He talked about how one day his children will be equals, and how no one will be set apart. His ideas and his dream was shared in a time that was really struggling. I wish I could have seen and heard his speech. I have watched it on television, but I bet it was more powerful in person. If I understand the question “Which is the in-group…,” then I would have to say that at the time, the “in-group” would have been the “whites.” At the time of Martin Luther King Jr’s speech, whites were feeling that they were above the blacks. Whites felt that the blacks were inferior, uneducated, non-deserving of respect, and they did not belong...
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...fight against haters, these people are called activists. Most of the people on earth blend in with the society and watch activists do work for them on TV or the newspaper. one reason so many people are bystanders is because activists face many haters. This can make them feel like it's them against the world. There are people who fight for peace or equality just like Malala, yitzhak rabin, and martin luther king jr. Malala is just one teenage girl with the extraordinary power of speech fighting against a group of religious men called the Taliban who fight with a very different power-- called violence. Malala was born in Pakistan, a place where being born as a woman is like a curse. “I felt like we were kept in prison.” (malala) Women were not allowed to go to school because of the Taliban, and in some places...
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...Martin Luther King Jr., on the other hand completely anti-violence. He does not believe in fighting fire with fire. In Blacks Should Strive To Be Part of the American Dream, King states “I believe, more than even before, in the power of nonviolence resistance. It has a moral aspect tied to it. It makes it possible for the individual to secure moral ends through moral means.” Here Martin explains why he strongly supports nonviolence as a tactic against the injustices. In another speech Martin says that: “May be our mission to save the soul of America... we can’t save the soul of this nation getting our ammunition and going out shooting physical weapons. We must know that we have something much more powerful just take up the ammunition of love.” This quote further supports Martin’s anti-violence mindset and his desire to spread love instead of...
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...Ever since the Reconstruction era after the Civil War there has been the issue of race and equality and rights. A movement occurred and two men gained power and influence the African American community. Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X two men having experienced different things in their lives held different beliefs and morals and influenced people based upon those things. Martin Luther King Jr., came from a Baptist home with a fairly easy childhood, he was educated when he was younger and attended Morehouse College, an all black college, where he had several role models that shaped his beliefs. Malcolm X, on the other hand, experienced a hard childhood and used drugs and committed other crimes in his early adult years. While in prison he found a father figure in Elijah Muhammad and joined the Nation of Islam. There are many differences between Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X in the way they acted and influenced the African American community. This paper will look to describe their differing views and analyze their actions and their lives. In most cases a person’s childhood has a lasting affect on the rest of a person’s life. In comparing Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X this seems to be the case. Martin Luther King Jr., was born January 19, 1929 and was raised by a strong supportive family. He had a somewhat privileged life and “never experienced the feeling of not having the basic necessities of life.”[1] His father “was a community leader in Atlanta...
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...New York Senator, Robert F. Kennedy, gave a speech to a group of mostly African American’s about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. as he landed in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 4th 1968, the same night the prominent leader, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed by a white man named James Earl Ray. Robert F. Kennedy was the first to inform the death of Dr. King to the crowd which gave him the opportunity to speak of the peace and the unity their leader followed hoping to settle the potential rioters and riots and tension that have been occurring throughout America as the devastating news spread. His message is compelling because he makes great use of connecting with his audience. O’Connor claims that Kennedy’s speech was immediately effective because there were no riots in Indianapolis compared to other Black cities in the nation and I feel like this is a valid point made. Although Kennedy’s speech was short, it was within an appropriate amount of time, given the fact that he didn’t have a lot of time to prepare the speech since he had also just recently heard the news about the death of Martin Luther King. He appeals to his audience with the use of...
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...Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - A Leadership Icon Annise Hawkins Strayer University PAD 515 Dr. Lisa Saye July 30, 2011 What comes to mind when you hear the terms courage, leadership courage, moral leadership and servant leadership? Do you think of an influential person (s) you know? Or do you think in terms of qualities that leaders need to possess in order to be effective? In order to answer those questions, one must understand the definitions of those terms. Courage is “the ability to step forward through fear. Courage doesn’t mean the absence of doubt or fear, but the ability to act in spite of them” (DAFT 2011, p. 181). Leadership courage requires a leader to “reach deep within themselves to find the strength and courage to resist temptations or to stand up for moral principles when others may ridicule them or when they may suffer financially or emotionally for their actions” (DAFT 2011, p. 180. Moral courage is about “distinguishing right from wrong and doing right, seeking the just, the honest, the good, and the right conduct in achieving goals and fulfilling purpose” (DAFT 2011, p. 172). Finally, servant leadership is when “leaders give up control and make a choice to serve employees” (DAFT 2011, p. 175). When I think of these terms, I immediately think of a prominent leader who possessed all these qualities, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He was truly a leader in his time. According to Webster’s Dictionary, a leader is “one...
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...Letter from Birmingham Jail, the letter which Martin Luther King Jr. wrote to his fellow members of clergy while he was imprisoned in 1963, is founded on the idea of nonviolent resistance. His campaign to end injustice was not aggressive, but rather it was defensive of the treatment of the African-American people during that time. The only violence that took place was the offensive cruelty of the “white moderate.” Martin Luther King Jr. and his supporters were nonviolent in their protests, similar to the nonviolent approach Mahatma Gandhi took when there was oppression in India in 1930. In March of 1930, Mahatma Gandhi led the Indian people on a satyagraha. This word has connotations of a “force contained in truth and love,” and it essentially means a nonviolent resistance (Erickson 23). The Salt March, in which Gandhi and his followers walked two hundred miles to the coast of India, ending in the town of Dandhi. They then waded into the ocean and collected the salt, and Gandhi encouraged the Indian people to make their own salt against government regulations (Erickson 29). This act was not violent, but it did resist the unfair laws of Great Britain forbidding the Indians to harvest and sell their own salt. Gandhi’s love for his homeland and his people led to his fighting for their rights. He recognized the truth in the fact that the Indian people should be able to rule their own land, and it was unfair for them to be under the administration of the British government. This...
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