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How Did Martin Luther King Influence Society

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How Did Martin Luther King Influence Society
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a very influential man in American society. His leadership in the civil rights movement helped change the racially separated world that once lived in America. An Indian leader, Mohandas Gandhi, influenced his philosophy of nonviolence. King never used violence in his fight for equality, even when violence was used upon him. This got him and all the black Americans the rights, freedoms and equality they deserved. In present day America he is one of the greatest icons.
On January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia to Michael King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. He graduated from a segregated high school at the age of 15 and later went to Morehouse College. There
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The men part of this conference, including King, harnessed the moral authority, organized the power of black churches and kept up the nonviolent protests when continuing with the civil rights reform. In 1960 one movement the Southern Christian Leadership Conference supported was known as the “sit-in.” Lunch counters in city stores were racially segregated, but students would sit and refuse to get up as a form of protest. These students were physically and verbally harassed, but determined to make a statement. This movement quickly spread to other cities and by August 1960 the “sit ins” successfully ended segregation at some city lunch counters. In 1963 downtown Birmingham, Alabama, King organized a demonstration where entire families attended. This demonstration ended with city police turning dogs and fire hoses at the participants, but nationwide it drew attention. King and many of his supporters were jailed and King was criticized for putting children in such danger. King’s response to this criticism was, “"Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community, which has constantly refused to negotiate, is forced to confront the

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