Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr

In:

Submitted By stewart411
Words 1808
Pages 8
Sykes 1
Eddie Sykes Jr.
Political Science 1510
Teacher name
April 20, 2015

Sykes 2 Martin Luther King Jr. lost his life trying to better the lives of African-American people. He was one of the greatest American Civil Rights leaders of the 1960s.
Second child of Martin Luther King Sr. (1899-1984), a pastor, and Alberta Williams King (1904-1974), a former schoolteacher, Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929. Along with his older sister, the future Christine King Farris (born 1927), and younger brother, Alfred Daniel Williams King (1930-1969), he grew up in the city’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood, then home to some of the most prominent and prosperous African Americans in the country. (History.com)
A gifted student, King attended segregated public schools and at the age of 15 was admitted to Morehouse College, the alma mater of both his father and maternal grandfather, where he studied medicine and law. Although he had not intended to follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the ministry, he changed his mind under the mentorship of Morehouse’s president, Dr. Benjamin Mays, an influential theologian and outspoken advocate for racial equality. After graduating in 1948, King entered Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree, won a prestigious fellowship and was elected president of his predominantly white senior class. (History.com)
Sykes 3
King then enrolled in a graduate program at Boston University, completing his coursework in 1953 and earning a doctorate in systematic theology two years later. While in Boston he met Coretta Scott (1927-2006), a young singer from Alabama who was studying at the New England Conservatory of Music. The couple wed in 1953 and settled in Montgomery, Alabama, where King became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. They had four children:

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr

...Martin Luther King Jr. UNIV 103 – 1407- AGWFE Andy Imm AIU Certification of Authorship: I certify that I am the author of this paper and that any assistance I received in its presentation is fully acknowledged and disclosed in the paper. I have also cited any sources from which I used data, ideas words either quoted directly or paraphrased. I also certify that this paper was prepared by me especially for this course. Student Signature: Lushonda Attaway This author selected this individual because this author has always admired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his courage and his hard dedication to make a change, as well as for his passion to follow his dream. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of America famous civil rights activists. On January 15, 1929 Rev .Michael Luther and his wife Alberta Williams king gave birth to their second born child whom they name Michael Luther king Jr. In 1933 Rev. Michael lost his father so to honor him he changed his and his names from Michael to Martin. King’s father became pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist church in 1931 which was only a block away from where king was born. Kings parents both believed in nonviolent and racial discrimination. While attending Booker T Washington high school Martin Luther King Jr. was able to skip two grades to enter Morehouse College by the age of fifteen. Mr. King study medicine while attending Morehouse College but his religion and philosophy was more appealing to him...

Words: 699 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr

...In the essay “Letter from Birmingham jail”, written by Martin Luther King Jr., was written to eight clergy men, doing a non-violent protest ,encourage those against segregation, trying to convince that he is right and change needed to occur. Throughout the letter Martin Luther King Jr. appeal to reason, emotion, and character. When he starts his letter he says, “MY DEAR FELLOW CLERGYMEN” (72). He starts his letter right away, appealing to character. With this being said, he sounds like he wants to do a nonviolent protest against them, but he wants his voice to be heard, but not violently. He used clever words to start off the letter. He doesn’t separate blacks from whites, showing that they both are the same, no discrimination, and no segregation. He wanted everyone to be treated equally. He was against the fact that everyone was racist in Birmingham. Another quote to support his character is when he said “I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. We have some eighty-five affiliated organizations across the South, and one of them is the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights.” In this quote he is describing the role he plays in the religious community. With this being said, it shows that he is equal with the eight clergymen and can share of sort of relationship with them. His desire is to stop injustice, showing credibility with the white...

Words: 498 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr

...hate, Negroes deserve the same treatment as Whites. ** I agree with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s thesis statement and his supporting ideas. Summary: In his speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers a powerful message on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. I have a dream is a speech in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. cultivates the powerful force of peace in people to act out in love towards racism. He is trying to reach the good in people and believes that love will be more effective than hate. TS: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. effectively conveys his message of equality and non-violence by making an emotional appeal to Americans. EM: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s speech brought change to America, Americans were unified, and caused people to view others differently. I. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s speech brought change to America. A. People were moved by his emotions. B. It inspired equality in Americans. C. America yielded to peace. II. Americans were unified. B. Racism was reduced. C. Peace prevailed over violence. III. Caused people to view others differently. A. People changed their perspective. B. Race became less significant C. Humanity was changed by love. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Speech I have a dream I have a dream speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is recognized as one of the greatest speeches ever presented. Over 50 years ago, in August of 1963, Dr. King captivated America with his significant I have a dream speech powerfully...

Words: 938 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr.

...Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a solid force in the fight against racism and segregation in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was a man with profound speaking skills that led to his influence of the minority peoples of the United States. King was a sincere man who was against using violence to rise above the roadblocks thrown in the way of Black people all across the country. Background Michael Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929 to the Reverend Michael Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King. The Louisiana State University (1996-2011) website Michael was the first born son and second child for the couple. Michael Luther King, Jr. had an older sister named Christine King Farris and a younger brother the late Reverend Alfred Daniel Williams King. When Michael was young King, Sr. started calling himself and his oldest son Martin. On June 19, 1953 King, Sr. performed the marriage ceremony for King, Jr. and Coretta Scott. Together they had four children, Yolanda Denise born in 1955, Martin Luther III in 1957, Dexter Scott in 1961, and Bernice Albertine born in 1963 (Louisiana State University, 1996-2011). King’s father and grandfather were both members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Atlanta, Georgia. His father’s own fight for equality in voting rights and teacher salaries helped to shape King into a political icon of the future (Carson, 2000). Education King attended two...

Words: 923 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr

...Professor D. P. Dash | Assignment Title | #2 Group AssignmentMartin Luther King Jr. - I Have A Dream | Due Date | Week 8 | Date Received | | DECLARATION | To be completed if this is an individual assignment: I declare that this assignment is my individual work. I have not worked collaboratively nor have I copied from any other student’s work or from any other source except where due acknowledgment is made explicitly in the text, nor has any part been written for me by another person. | Student ID | Student Name | Student Signature | Student 1 | | | | To be completed if this is a group assignment: We declare that this is a group assignment and that no part of this submission has been copied from any other student's work or from any other source except where due acknowledgment is made explicitly in the text, nor has any part been written for us by another person. | Student ID | Student Name | Student Signature | Student 1 | 4240138 | Danushka Nirmal De Silva | | Student 2 | 4235150 | Ngu Ing Sung | | Student 3 | 4237293 | Dashilla Ladaey | | Student 4 | 4237323 | Ahmad Akmal Afiq | | Student 5 | 100070566 | Lasse Svenning Jensen | | MARKER’S COMME Total Mark | | Marker’s Signature | | Date | | EXTENSION CERTIFICATE | This assignment has been given an extension by Unit Convenor | | Extended due date: | | Date Received | | Martin Luther King Jr. – I Have a Dream An analysis of a historically important leadership...

Words: 2522 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr.

...Written by Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 16, 1963 “Letter From Birmingham Jail” was written to eight clergymen responding to their previous letter. Born in 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. grew up to become one of the most influential civil rights leaders in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He was a preacher who along side with teaching God’s word, was also a leader in civil rights. He founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and later led numerous protests against segregation. In 1963, King had led a march in Birmingham, Alabama and got improper treatment and was thrown in jail. While residing in jail, Martin Luther King, Jr. received a letter written by eight clergymen criticizing King’s actions. King responded to the letter with honesty, knowledge, and also a sense of power he had. Martin Luther King, Jr. used ethos, logos, and pathos to show where claims of the clergymen were faulty and to give a sense of understanding to what it is like on the black side of segregation. Ethos is ethical appeal or appeals based on the writer’s authority and credibility. Martin Luther King, Jr. uses ethos to portray that just because he is a colored man, does not mean he is not important. He uses it to show the clergymen that he did belong in Birmingham. He is credible in the sense that he has honor “serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference” where he leads groups of people for Movement of Human Rights. King cares about the people, he states “injustice anywhere...

Words: 882 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr.

...“His Vision: Our Responsibility” “The Ultimate Measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."  -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Junior first started out as a pastor preaching about love, acceptance, and the reduction of hatred towards others. Dr. King’s vision was to stop all the hate and separation between African Americans and Caucasian brothers and sisters underneath God. “We must learn to live together like brothers or we will perish together as fools.” Dr. King stated in one of his many speeches to emphasize that if we all don’t come together we will fail. He wanted a life in which race would never be an issue within society. It’s sad in fact to say that even though nothing is perfect nor complete with civil rights Dr. King’s efforts do not go unnoticed. Today we are able to sit in classrooms with peers that do not always look exactly how we do. Dr. King changed life for Americans in a positive way. He showed the world that one man with enough dedication could triumph while facing extreme adversity. Dr. King always spoke with a message; his powerful words touched and moved hundreds of Americans black and white. He spent his whole life devoted to the betterment and wellness of minorities as well as the freedom of humanity as a whole. All his blood, sweat, and tears shows that one man can over come any obstacle with the right mind set and support of others. In order for...

Words: 501 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King, Jr.

...FALL 15 FALL 15 Martin Luther King, Jr.: Charismatic Leadership in a Mass Struggle Dr. Mark Allen Organizational Behavior/Leadership (MBA-552) Harkaran Singh Hara & Aras Azarbay Martin Luther King, Jr.: Charismatic Leadership in a Mass Struggle Dr. Mark Allen Organizational Behavior/Leadership (MBA-552) Harkaran Singh Hara & Aras Azarbay 08 Fall 08 Fall Abstract The paper examines the myths associated with the life and leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. during the African-American Civil Rights movements of 1950s and 1960s and scrutinizes King’s depiction by the mass media as the sole significant leader of the struggle. It also examines the charismatic label associated with King’s name, his exceptional oratory skills and also his weaknesses as leader. The paper further discusses the contributions of King towards the civil rights struggle and also suggests us not to forget the contributions of leaders to the movement and the social factors which led to King’s rise. It also suggests some lessons we can learn from King’s life and relates his beliefs and methods to various scholarly works. Finally, it reflects upon the role of charismatic leadership and how it relates with transformational leadership styles in today’s business environment. About the Author This article which was originally published in the Journal of American History, 1987 is written by Dr. Clayborne Carson, who is a professor of American History at the...

Words: 2011 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr

...Martin Luther King Jr. an American Leader Jessica McElrath Santa Clara University School of Law, University of California, Berkeley ABSTRACT: There are a select few individuals who are able to still be recognized as "great" or "brilliant" because they and their accomplishments have forever changed society and the world. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of those individuals. Martin was raised in Atlanta Georgia, growing up in a world of segregation gave him the ambition to live by a heroic credo of nonviolence. People in his community looked up to his ability to be an outstanding leader, he was asked to be in charge of an organization named MIA (Montgomery Improvement Association). The success from MIA and King’s intelligence later lead him to arrange protest for jobs and freedom. Being the great leader that he was, he became very successful in achieving all of his major goals for his nation. Martin Luther King attended Morehouse College in Atlanta Georgia. While studying at Morehouse he did some reading on a well-known leader named Gandhi, who king admired for being the first person to use the love ethic as a tool to effect social change. He spent years in South Africa working to end discrimination against Indians. Gandhi believed that passive resistance could challenge violence and win (Mc,Elrath, 2008). Nonviolent resistance is the practice of achieving goals through symbolic protests, civil disobedience, economic or political noncooperation, or other methods,...

Words: 1658 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr.

...University of La Verne Point Mugu, California Martin Luther King Jr. A paper prepared for Leadership in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree Bachelors of Arts in Organizational Management February 11, 2011 Instructor: Mr. Stadler Chapter One Introduction The leader I have chosen to analyze is Martin Luther King Jr. He is someone I find as a fascinating leader and changed the lives of million worldwide. He was known as the moral leader of the United States and was born January 15 1929 at Atlanta, Georgia. Jacqueline L. Harris coauthor of marching to freedom provides a detailed concise biography and introduction to our moral leader Martin Luther King Jr. His father was the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church. As a member of a black middle-income family, young Martin never felt the pinch of poverty. But his family could not protect him from the cruelties of racism. As Martin grew up, he kept his mother's words in mind: "You are as good as anyone." King earned degrees from Morehouse College in Atlanta and Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. He then went to Boston University, where he earned a doctorate. In Boston he met Coretta Scott. They married in 1953 and settled in Montgomery, Alabama, where King had been appointed pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Not long after King arrived in Montgomery, he was asked to lead a black boycott of the city buses. The black people of Montgomery had decided that they would not...

Words: 4186 - Pages: 17

Free Essay

Martin Luther King Jr.

...“The quest for peace and Justice” by Martin Luther King Jr. was written after he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In the article he talks about how far mankind has come today in science and technology, yet lacking morally and spiritually. He discusses three problems of spiritual and moral lag. They are racial injustice, poverty, and war. When talking about racial injustice, King says that is one of the major struggles of their time. Negros passion to be free was growing in the US as part of civil rights movement, but was part of world development. He also stated they will use nonviolence in their struggle even when it means suffering for his peoples. The second problem he talks about is poverty. Almost two thirds of the world are undernourished, and have no housing or bed to sleep in at night. “Rich must not ignore the poor because both are tied in a single garment of destiny. The agony of poor diminishes rich, and the salvation of the poor enlarges the rich.” The third problem King talks about is war. King talks about the risk of a nuclear war, even though most put the thought out of mind, it doesn’t alter the risk of such a war. He goes on to suggest that we all think about nonviolence between nations who are the ones who make war and threaten the survival of all of mankind. “We will not build a peaceful world by following a negative path.” He says we must sacrifice for love and peace. King knows that the struggle is not over and that there will still be those who will...

Words: 316 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr

...Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born January 15, 1929, in Atlanta Georgia. King, both a Baptist minister and civil-rights leader, had a huge impact on the Racial relations in the United States, starting in the mid 1950’s. With many efforts, King led the SCLC. Threw his activism, he played a major part in ending segregation of African-American citizens in the United States. Not only did her help end segregation he also created the civil rights act of 1964 and the voting rights act of 1965. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, along with receiving many other honors. King was assassinated in April of 1968, and is remembered as one of the most lauded African-American leaders in history. During the early years Martin...

Words: 1332 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr Influence

...Everyone knows the name Martin Luther King Jr. We even have a holiday for him. What everyone might not know is, there is more to him than speeches and nonviolent activism. There was FBI surveillance, discrediting, and being considered the “most dangerous” African American leader. He did a mass amount of traveling to spread the message he was conveying. He never let any interference stop him from what he wanted to do he always found away to pick himself up and prove what he came to prove to everyone. Not everyone takes a look behind the scenes so here is the actions of Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. might have been well known for his nonviolent protests and speeches but what, not even he knew was that the FBI had been...

Words: 984 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

...Project Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspired myself along with many other nationalities all over the world in so many ways. He was a very courageous and intelligent man who fought so hard for the blacks or African-Americans like myself to have equal rights like the whites or Caucasian people. Just as other civil rights leaders such as Rosa Parks, Dr. King felt that it just wasn’t fair that the black people was segregated from the white people. Black people couldn’t use the same water fountains, bathrooms, eat at the same diner with the white people, etc. He felt like we all was equal as one and should be entitled to the same rights. Because of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hard earned work, his ambition, and motivation this is why I decided to select him to do my essay on. Dr. King faced many obstacles he had to overcome to achieve success throughout his long journey. He was violently attacked along with his property. The police repetively arrested him over 20 times for protesting. The Ku Klux Klan tortured Dr. King and his family. They bombed his home, set his home on fire, and made terroristic threatening phone calls to him. He was even stabbed. The federal government was irritated by his actions. Because of this, Dr. King was subjected to several unwarranted investigations by the FBI and undue harassment by their head J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover felt that Dr. King was a liar and was the leading cause of all of...

Words: 671 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr Influence

...Martin Luther King Jr. was born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta Georgia. He passed away April 4, 1968 in Memphis Tennessee. He increased the nonviolent movement that led to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and 1965 Voting Rights Act. King achieved the civil rights, social reform, religion, theology, as well as literature. He grew up under the influence of the church, along with the family tradition of independence. He was titled Michael Luther King Jr., but after the decease of his paternal grandfather, king’s father reciprocated their first name to Martin to credit the grandfather’s emphasis that he had originally accustomed that name to his son in the days when child birth certificates were uncommon for blacks. His parents believed in nonviolence...

Words: 575 - Pages: 3