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Martin Luther King, Jr., was born in1929, was one of the famous American
leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. He received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Dr. King was born in the city of Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. King became a minister of a
Baptist church in the city of Montgomery, Alabama. Montgomery was one of the places
of racism in the South. He was entered at Morehouse College. In 1948, after he
graduated from there, he wanted to become a minister like his father. In 1953, he met
and married Coretta Scott while he was finishing his graduation work at Boston
Graduate School. In 1955, he graduated from Boston school and got his Ph.D.
Dr. King was selected to become a leader of the Montgomery Improvement
Association (MIA). Later, Dr. King became one of the greatest leaders of the Civil
Rights Movement in the 1960s. “King proved to be a thoughtful and charismatic leader
whose powerful speeches and advocacy for nonviolent methods of protest carried him to
the forefront of the national civil rights movement.”1
Dr. King advanced others to boycott the segregated buses as well after the
protests started by the Rosa Parks’ issue. As the book “The Marking of Martin Luther
King and the Civil Rights Movement” mentions about this point:
Not least, it was E. D. Nixon who early recognized the charismatic
qualities of a recently arrived young African American preacher…In June
1757, Nixon resigned as Treasurer of the MIA, informing Dr. King:
“since I have only been treasurer in name and not in reality, it will not be
hard to find someone to do what I have been doing, even a school-boy”. 2
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Dr. King realized that he needed to do something about racism in 1955 after Rosa
Parks was arrested because she did not give up her seat on the bus for a white person. At
the time of the Rosa Parks incident, Martin Luther King Jr. was already a figurehead in
the Civil Rights Movement. He fought vigorously to rid our nation of discriminatory and
unfair segregation laws. In the book titled “Ring out Freedom” it mentions:
In the rhetoric of Martin Luther King, Jr., many meaning and functions
are related to the presence and centrality of race. First and foremost,
King’s entire struggle, obviously, is in one sense about race… But if this
fact is more thoroughly analyzed, a further set of problems becomes
relevant.3
Recently, the civil rights movement has started to expand beyond local and
national events. Even beyond local and national figures and organizations. As the book
“The Making of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement” mentions:
Building upon work already done in uncovering local movements
elsewhere, this paper focuses on the rich and vibrant history of black
protest in Arkansas… This paper traces the development of the
organization, its changing strategies and agendas, and locates its local
campaigns in the context of the New Deal and the Second World War.4
Martin Luther King was instrumental in forming many civil rights based
organizations. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference greatly contributed to
allowing him to expand his civil rights activities. Martin Luther King’s efforts were
known nationwide. He focused on helping people develop leadership skills. In 1960 Dr.
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King decided to move his family to Atlanta, Georgia. There he became co-pastor of
Ebenezer Baptist Church, which happened to be his father’s old church.
In 1962, Dr. King was arrested for guiding a demonstration march in Albany.
Even while in Birmingham jail, Dr. King never lost focus. Even though he was beaten,
threatened and called racial slurs, he did not sway from his path or dreams. He showed
his determination when being hit with sticks and first being called a “Niger”. He was
hurt by the name Niger but he would not give up. The book named “Martin Luther King
Jr. and the Sermonic Power of Public Discourse” illustrates this point:
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is one of the
great documents in this expanding tradition of human equality… King
may have regarded the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” as an appeal to
Pharaoh, but the black Moses also believed that God hardened Pharaoh’s
heart so that in the end God’s work and his signs might be made
manifest.5
Dr. King was a very powerful speaker as well. He knew how to lead nonviolent
protests, and how to get people involved. He contributed for the equal rights between
races that we have today. Dr. King showed his great leadership skills by demonstrating
non-violent acts. His weapon is all of the speeches he gave and all the letters that he
wrote. He made a famous speech, which is known as the "I have a Dream" speech. This
speech is as well known and inspiring today, as it was when Dr. King gave it. This
famous speech still inspires millions of people even today. The “Martin Luther King,
Jr., and the Sermonic Power of Public Discourse” wrote about “I Have a Dream” and
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argued:
We have already seen Dr. King translates abstract moral concept into
images of specific person and types of actions… He notes that “I have a
dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racist…the
University of Alabama were brought to the surface of memory by King’s
language. 6
In an effort to promote nonviolence for civil rights, Dr. King, along with many
other ministers, formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. In the 1960’s
young African-American college students were inspired to nonviolently protest
discrimination in the colleges by sitting at tables designated as “white” only. Television
stations across the nation broadcasted numerous protests where police used dogs and fire
hoses to disperse protesters. This prompted then President Kennedy to intervene. As
soon as after Congress abolished the segregation laws, which marched in a new error of
freedom for African-Americans.
Sadly, in 1968 Martin Luther King Jr. gave his final speech in Memphis,
Tennessee, before being gunned down by escaped convict, James Earl Ray. Dr. King’s
“I’ve been to the mountain top” speech rang through the ears of thousands. He died on 4
April 1968. The speech was for impress African-American men who suffered
discrimination. As the “Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Sermonic Power of Public
Discourse” mentions:
“Much of the greatness of king’s final speech on the stormy night of April
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3, 1968, lay in what he had to overcome. The strike of the sanitation
workers, improbable from the beginning, had become a heavy burden to
sustain”…. They were striking both for their jobs and for their identities.
But after two months of crisis in Memphis, with no paychecks, the going
was very tough indeed.7
Today, in 19 of January, his birthday, we have the national holiday to celebrate
his contribution called Martin Luther King Day.
Reflection
As the long history distance of the world, there were many countries stood up
and achieved for the independence of their countries. There were billions of people died
for those revolutions around the world. Even though they knew that they would die, they
still wanted to stand up to gain the freedom of their nations. With every country or
anyone, freedom of their nation and themselves is very important. My country, Vietnam,
for example, is one of these countries. We had to stood up and protect our nation from
invading of Japan, France, and the U.S. during the World War II.
After I learn about the U.S history and government, I really like the Civil Rights
Movement of the 1960s. There were many great activists in America to achieve their
freedom and their equal right in the U.S society. The Civil Rights Movement of the
1960s is one of the greatest movements of the United State history. There were many
different violent and nonviolent protests in the U.S. society. They stand up for their
freedom and equality in the same society. Some of groups included the revolution of
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African Americans, Mexican Americans, native Indian Americans, and Asian
Americans. Even though these events occurred at different times with different groups of
people, but they all had the same goals, the goals to gain the freedom, equality, rights,
and respect as other groups have.
As we know the definition of “Civil Rights: the public policies and legal
protections concerning equal status and treatment in American society to advance the
goals of equal opportunity, fair and open political participation, and equal treatment
under the law without regard to race, gender, disability status, and other demographic
characteristics.” As one of the Declaration of Independence mentions, “All men are
created equal”8
, did they mean all the races be equal? Before the Civil Rights Movement
of the 1960s, the answer is no. One of the strongest evidences is the existed of Slavery in
the U.S society. They are African Americans. They have to worked whole day from sun-
up to sundown. They were force under a cruel conditions with limited food, housing,
medical care, and clothing. Also, they had no opportunity to improve their education,
creativity, and others. They were beaten and whipped. They could not live with their
family because they were sold at auction. Finally, they had to stand up for their rights to
be equal as other Americans.
In my own opinion, I think Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the most
effective leaders of the Civil Right Movement in the 1960s. I really like what he
contributed for his people and the Civil Rights Movements of the 1960s.
And Dr. King realized that he needed to do something to stop the racial
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oppression in the U.S. To be successful, they had to stand up together, which is the most
powerful force of a revolution. However, having a good leader to guide them to freedom
is very important. The leader has to have great leadership skills and know how to lead
his or her people in the direction to success. Dr. King is one of the greatest American
leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Dr. King is one of well known,
inspiring man, to all cultures around the world. Dr. King was and still is the most heroes
of African Americans. I strongly agree with his views and beliefs, which helped his
people through the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to receive the rights and
liberties that was their birthrights.
Dr. King proved his leadership skills by standing up for the rights of all African-
Americans. He faced his fears through nonviolent action. His stand for equal rights
consumed him for most of his life. With Dr. King nothing could stop him from obtaining
freedom for his people. He wanted to show that he and his people were not frightened of
the white community. So he decided to face these obstacles and head on without looking
back. He showed his determination and dedication to attain his goals and the goals of his
people. With his help, Blacks became inspired and unafraid of white people and get their
desegregation.
One other thing, I have realized through my research that Dr. King was a man of
determination, intelligence, and integrity. I chose these three words for the following
reasons. Determination – Dr. King never ceased in his journey to destroy discrimination.
He stayed strong and determined through the beatings, imprisonment, and threats upon
his life. Intelligence – Dr. King could have chosen a path of violence to get his point
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across, but instead he chose a path of nonviolence. Education and leadership became his
weapons. Integrity – Basically, Dr. King practiced what he preached. He never asked of
someone what he was not willing to do himself. He never strayed from his path towards
freedom.
In addition, the leadership that King shows that he is not to be afraid of anything.
Many white people tried to kill Dr. King by bombing his house. Dr. King still continued
what he was doing. He had never given up his dream. By using his thoughtful and
charismatic leadership skills, he wrote powerful speeches and advocated nonviolent
method of protest. Dr. King proved that he could advance with his people, African
Americans, to the horizon of freedom. Dr. King took action against segregation for his
life until his death. As the result, Dr. King’s gave black and poor people hope and a
sense of dignity. His philosophy of nonviolent direct action, and his plans for rational
and non-destructive social change, galvanized the conscience of this nation and
reordered its priorities.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s approach to civil rights and desegregation through his
letters, speeches and nonviolent demonstrations has encouraged millions. His
inspirational, “I have a Dream” speech still rings in the ears of millions today. With
words, not violence, Dr. King was able to change to the nations views towards the
treatment of African-Americans and bring about changes in the laws through peaceful
means. With his weapons of words, Dr. King was able to desegregate the southern
states and bring about peaceful reform of then then existing segregation laws.
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Also, Dr. King became a symbol of protest in the struggle for racial justice. Dr.
King was well known in my country from civil rights to criticism of the Vietnam War
as well. This is one of the other reasons why I like to write about Dr. King. With Dr.
King the Vietnam War is unmeaning and unmoral war, which spent a lot of money and
loss of American soldiers.
Dr. King’s wisdom, actions, commitment, words, and dream for a new way of
life are intertwined with the American experience. Dr. King expressed his view that
African Americans, as well as other disadvantaged Americans, should be compensated
for historical wrongs. The name Martin Luther King, Jr. has become the legacy name of
the Americans’ history. Since his death, people have debated his likely position on
variously modern political issues.
Citations
1. Living Democracy: Texas Edition. Second ed. Upper Saddle River: Longman, 2009.
207. Print.
2. The Making of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. First Ed. New
York: New York University Press, 1996. 45. Print.
3. Sunnemark, Fredrik. Ring out Freedom: the voice of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the
Making of the Civil Rights Movement. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2004.
123. Print.
4. 4.The Making of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. First Ed. New
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York: New York University Press, 1996. 29. Print.
5. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Sermonic Power of Public Discourse. Press ed.
Tuscaloosa: the University of Alabama Press, 1993. 34. Print
6. 6 Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Sermonic Power of Public Discourse. Tuscaloosa:
University of Alabama Press, 1993. 115-16. Print.
7. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Sermonic Power of Public Discourse. Press ed.
Tuscaloosa: the University of Alabama Press, 1993. 149. Print.
8. Living Democracy: Texas Edition. Second ed. Upper Saddle River: Longman, 2009.
188. Print.
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