Premium Essay

How Did Martin King Contribute To The Civil Rights Movement

Submitted By
Words 961
Pages 4
On January 15, 1929, Martin King Sr. and Alberta Williams King gave birth to one Martin King Jr. After some time, the elder of the two Martin’s chose to change both him and his son’s names to honor the great German reformer after a trip to Berlin. Martin Luther King Jr. grew up to be an incredible humanitarian and one of the greatest civil right’s activist and leader the movement ever saw. King is praised for leading his campaign with a non-violent approach based on his self-proclaimed belief in the Christian faith. King was born, raised, and spent a large part of his life in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up in a steady and grounded household led by his parents who introduced him to the Christian faith and to God. After King had graduated high school, he attended Morehouse University and received his bachelor’s degree in Sociology. From Morehouse University he went and received his doctorate in systemic theology from Boston College. It is through his education at Boston College that his dissertation titled, “A Comparison of the Conceptions of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman,” arose. In this he took two great philosophers and theologians and …show more content…
On March 29th, 1968 King traveled to Memphis, Tennessee in order to represent and support a group of African-American who were on strike in the city of Memphis. Immediately after arriving in Memphis, he started hearing threats and rumors of somebody attempting to take his life. King, on arriving in Memphis, said, “…I got to Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out…Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will.” On April 4th, King was shot on the balcony of his motel room. He was rushed to the hospital where he died during

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

How Did Martin Luther King Contribute To The Civil Rights Movement

...Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activists, preacher, and author that primarily spoke on civil rights. Originally born Michael Luther King Jr., January 15th, Atlanta Georgia, a young African American who grew up in one of the most prosperous primarily black neighbourhoods. Dr.King has even been credited as the leader of the “civil rights movement”. Martin Luther, has always been seen as intelligent, starting college at the mere age of 15 years old. Eventually growing up to be a preacher, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Some coin the inspiration to his strong involvement in the civil rights movement, to when he was just six years old. At six, Dr.King had a white playmate whose mother said could no longer be in...

Words: 285 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Metaphysical Club Analysis

...Julia Starr Renner 1 November 2015 Miriam Dominguez Defining the basis of human rights for American society, The Declaration of Independence stated “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Throughout the duration of gaining independence, Americans struggled against the suffocating reign of Great Britain. Colonists saw themselves as equals to those in England and did not believe that their rights should be neglected. Similar to the British-Americans during the Revolutionary War, the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement sought equal rights and freedom. Prominent civil rights leaders brought new ideas to the world, dreaming up ways to eliminate an archaic mentality. Ultimately, without the reinforcement of...

Words: 1218 - Pages: 5

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

Ethics Essay

...Gates was known for being an aggressive person that went after his ideas and did think twice about what his peers opinions were of him. Bill Gates found himself in the middle of a lawsuit and parted from the company in 2008 [ (Oxford World Encyclopedia, 2012) ]. Bill Gates began working on programming at the age of 13 and was able to show people that his innovations and business style were successful and profitable. Many people would assume that someone as successful as Bill Gates would be a straight A student that worked and studies hard. On the contrary Bill Gates and his partner spent most of their time in computer labs and studied just enough to get passing grades. It wasn’t long before both of them dropped out of college and formed Microsoft. Bill Gates and his partner met with IBM and he was so young that people at the meeting thought that he was an office assistant not the co-owner of Microsoft that was writing complex computer problems. Bill Gates and his ideas opened the door for computer systems and change how personal computers would operate. They were made more user friendly and accessible to everyone. The personal computer would soon be in everyone’s home and Microsoft Office would soon be in every business’ office [ (bio.True Story, 2013) ]. Bill Gates’ personal situation would stop many people from succeeding as he did. His parents did not want him to leave college, he was young and did not have a lot of money, but he had the drive and knowledge to be successful...

Words: 1380 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Janie Mae Overton Civil Rights Movement

...Civil Rights are defined by Merriam-Webster as the rights that every person should have regardless of his or her sex, race or religion. The fifties planted the seeds for the cultural conflict that traversed the nation in the sixties, a time when civil rights in inequality, an unfair situation in which some people have more rights or better opportunities than other people, created division and discord. Injustices such as the denial of full citizenship rights, equal opportunity in education, jobs, access to transportation and public facilities experienced by African Americans led to The Civil Rights Movement in the United States and a time of social unrest. The Civil Rights Movement was about the campaign of African Americans who had visions of equality and sought social change. Janie Mae Overton was an African American woman who, along with many others, was actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. Her involvement included participation in non-violent demonstrations, sit-ins and marches against inequality and social injustice which was the African American experience....

Words: 1935 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

African Americans

...After the Civil War and the reorganizing of the Southern states, Black Americans inaugurated a crusade and difficult journey for sanctioned racial equality. Members of the Radical G.O.P. assisted Blacks by bringing forth legislations such as the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendment; however, White anti-Black supremacists in the Southern States ignored these laws and made certain that Blacks remained fearful, and away from the voting booths. Several strategies employed by the Whites hindered and kept Black Americans from acting upon their newfound Civil Rights laws. Some of these tactics included: poll taxes, testing Blacks for their ability to read, and write and that also familiar, public lynching’s were employed by the Black Codes. Even though the Civil War ended, racial disapproval, and destruction in the Southern States continued (Bowles, 2011). The Compromise of 1877 ruined the chances of Blacks to depart from a life of farmers and inferior citizenship. Along with many injustices Black Americans faced following the Civil War, only strengthen their efforts, and never once consider giving up the fight for equality. After Black Americans battled in the war between the North and South, the social and racial environment was very crucial in America, and insisted upon immediate attention. Blacks were thought of as contraband of war before they were authorized to contribute to the war effort; however, Black soldiers attained the legal right to take part...

Words: 2645 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

How Did The Black Panthers Impact The Civil Rights Movement

...The Black Panthers and their Impact on the Civil Rights Movement The Civil rights movement was a time in history when African Americans fought to gain equality in society. In 1966, the Black Panther Party was formed under Huey Newton as one way to do this by patrolling streets to protect African-Americans from police brutality. The group would branch out, creating aide programs for children and families. (Garrett Duncan) As time went by and the Party grew, however, they became more militant. The group and its members were involved in several gun battles with police and became viewed as a terrorist group. During the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Panther Party’s influenced public view mainly through the violent actions that they took, but they were able to benefit society for the better through the many aid programs they would come to enact. The source of the Black Panther’s violence mainly stemmed from the fact they felt a passive and peaceful approach to equality would take too long. (C N Trueman). In the early 1960s, 65 African Americans had been killed by police in Los Angeles alone, leading to the Panther’s ideologies (Brandon Harris). The Panther’s responses to actions like these, however, did not gain much sympathy. The group was becoming more and more of a symbol of hatred that was feared unlike the respect...

Words: 923 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Troubled Past

...HIS:204 American History 1865-Present Instructor Bruce Carruthers January 13th, 2014 The Troubled Past of U.S. African Americans As we move into the new century, our reliance on the past has never been more apparent to how we should proceed in the future. Our past experiences, in some respects, are still problems in the present. Throughout history, African Americans have struggled with equality. One question that still remains is: How can we (Americans) move forward while incorporating past experiences to overcome this ever pressing issue that has plagued the U.S. for so long? The answers might very well be a combination of understanding our past, while educating and changing the mentality of our nation. In this paper, I will focus on the racial discrimination and segregation the African American population suffered from, and fought to abolish throughout our history to the present day. I will cover events dating back to 1865, such as the “Black Codes”, and the “Colfax Massacre”, leading into events such as the Chicago Race Riots, to more current events that dated around the mid to late 1900’s such as the “Harlem Renaissance”, “The Freedom Flyers”, otherwise known as the Tuskegee Airmen of the 1940’s, and the “Civil Rights Act”. The chain of events that took place that helped shape the society that we live in today, was not always pleasant. Throughout the years from 1865 to 1895, African-Americans that lived in this period went through arguably the most...

Words: 2504 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Leadership Paper

...Paper By Antwion Demps I have chosen the ultimate leader to cover on my leader ship paper Dr. Martin Luther King JR. Dr. King was an American Baptist minister, activist, humanitarian, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs. Dr. King also had the quintessential leadership traits of undeterred focus and commitment. His goal was the next substantial effort undertaken after President Abraham Lincoln’s two momentous achievements – the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 and ensuring the passage of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1865 – toward making the phrase “all men are created equal,” as declared by Thomas Jefferson in the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1776 true, not just in words, but in fact. No matter what Dr. King had to endure personally, including prison, overt hatred, ominous threats, and ultimately, untimely death by assassination on April 4, 1968 at the hands of James Earl Ray at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, or what he and the civil rights movement collectively endured, including the deadly bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, the deadly and strong backlash of the resurgent Ku Klux Klan, and overt local and state-sanctioned law enforcement brutality, Dr. King never wavered in focus or commitment to making racial equality a reality. He didn’t see problems...

Words: 3459 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

A Racial Awakening

...Mississippi parallels a young African American woman named Anne’s personal growth with the development of the Civil Rights movement. Anne chose to become the change she wanted to see in the world by taking a leadership role in the controversial Civil Rights movement. Anne, who starts out the novel with the name Essie Mae, grows up in a poor, southern family that is still having trouble adjusting to their new rights. Moody tells her story via an autobiographical perspective, which allows the reader to better relate to certain events in her life. As Anne grows older, she becomes more aware of civil rights issues and segregation. Family is a reoccurring theme in the autobiography as a cause for Anne’s struggle to integrate African Americans into society. Anne’s growing racial consciousness along with the family experiences she encounters represents the progression of the Civil Rights movement. After Anne graduates college, she decides that becoming a Civil Rights activist is her dream. At one point she even states “It no longer seemed important to prove anything. I had found something outside myself that gave meaning to my life” (Moody 288). Her desire to see African Americans overcome segregation outweighs her family’s desire to see her utilize her degree for financial success. Anne prefers to be hungry and poor if it means she can contribute to the Civil Rights movement. This exemplifies her extraordinary leadership which is contrasted to her family as well as many other African...

Words: 1607 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Jorg Spenkuch Black Licorice

...However, this is not the least to say their "exclusion" has ended. Even in the workforce, African Americans received racial bias when competing for jobs against their white counterparts. Research has shown that "black job seekers were offered significantly less compensation than whites by potential new employers. Second, blacks were much more likely to accept these lower offers than their white counterparts"(Fryer). Research Jorg Spenkuch came to the conclusion that "racial discrimination must account for at least a third of the factors that contribute to black workers receiving lower wages than whites"(Fryer). Now Spenkuch isn't stating that this racial bias exists within every workplace nor is he validating that the emotional states of the employer plays a role in this bias. He is simply raising the awareness that numbers play a vital role. Spenkuch presents us with a scenario "In our model, employers are purely profit-seeking. The employer says, ‘I don’t care why blacks are less productive on average; I know that they are, because of the lower SAT scores and other data that are...

Words: 1430 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Martin Luther King Jr Letter From Birmingham Jail

...that America has come to known Mr. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was one of the illustrious leaders for the civil rights movements back in the 50’s and 60s. He has done things in his life that many would say was courageous. Mr. King wrote a letter stressing the issues the black community were facing in Alabama. The letter as we all know is called “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. The seven page letter give or take was a thought out and well-structured letter. The concern he stressed for the coloreds and no actions taken to resolve the issues ate away at Mr. King. All the hard work that he put into having freedom for the underdogs...

Words: 1798 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Qualities of a Strong Leader: Resourcefulness as the Basis Leadership Strength

...Qualities of a Strong Leader: Resourcefulness as the Basis Leadership Strength Strong leaders are consistently present in flourishing nations. Japan, for example, is one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world despite a lack of many natural assets. Africa, on the other hand, is the world’s poorest and most underdeveloped continent in the world despite overwhelming amounts of minerals, rich soil, forests, and several other natural resources. Struggling nations in the world, such as many African nations, are often plagued with a great deal of political turmoil and frequently lack the kind of leadership that exists in thriving states like Japan. A nation’s downfall or rise to power is due to a ruling body’s decision-making rather than resource availability, domestic lifestyles, or even luck. World leaders, as result, are under constant scrutiny from average citizens to pundits. Critics evaluating a leader’s strength do not think that strong leaders are people who simply have a lot of state power; an autocrat is not necessarily “strong.” Effective, strong leaders are considered “strong” because of their resourcefulness.   Turmoil is inevitable, and a leader must be prepared for the worst. If French and American colonial leaders were unprepared to respond to the oppression they felt respectively from the French and British monarchies, neither the United States nor the French Republic, two very powerful states, would have ever been formed. Similarly, the decline of...

Words: 3639 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

History of America

...THE UNITED STATES Introduction The current America we know today is not comparable to the America which existed after the civil war. Great things such as urbanization, equal rights for citizens and the two major wars have made us understand the current United States. Since the time United States ended slavery, a lot of great things have happened. Some of the major ones being the period of reconstruction, Civil Rights Movement, the great depression and the World wars I and II. The aim of this paper is to compare the views of America a Narrative History 9th edition by George Brown Tindall and those of America Compared 2nd edition by Carl J. Guarneri. According to the two authors the history of United States since 1965 somehow differs. According to (Tindall, George Brown, and David, 196), the period of reconstruction, lasting from 1865 to 1876 was a period when the nation tried to restructure itself and incorporate the southern states which became part of the union. The freed men from the South had found themselves with no system to control them in their lives. So they had to look for a way to incorporate them in a still society that was biased against them. The reconstruction dealt with the transformation of southern states. During this period, a little social or political agreement was available on issues such as who was supposed to vote and how the southern states were going to rebuild themselves after the destruction of their centers and losing slave labor. The...

Words: 2069 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Assess the View That Religion Was Once Mainly a Conservative Influence but Today Is More a Force for Social Change (30 Marks)

...Assess the view that religion was once mainly a conservative influence but today is more a force for social change (30 marks) In the past religions role as a conservative force was portrayed by the monarchy, ruling the divine rights in medieval Europe, and the Egyptian pharaohs were considered as almost God-like figures and so no one questioned their authority. Feminists and Marxists both agree that religion is a conditioning device that oppresses people, diluting the demand for social change to protect the interests of the men and the ruling class. This is partially supported by the Functionalist approach, Durkheim expressed the belief that religion provides social cement, reinforcing traditional beliefs chosen by religious moral code; such as the 10 commandments for Christianity, for the good of society. However there are numerous examples of ways where religion has acted as a force of change, such as the war in Palestine, the wars in former Yugoslavia and in a positive way, the actions of religious leaders, such as Ghandi and Martin Luther King. In today’s society religion has acted as both a conservative force and a force of social change, as shown by ‘Islamic Fundamentalists’ in Iran and Afghanistan, and Christian fundamentalism reintroducing the teachings of creationism in the US. Religion is also seen to be a conservative force because it functions to preserve things as they are, it stabilises society and maintains status quo. Most religions have conservative moral...

Words: 987 - Pages: 4