Preview

How Did Mlk Impact Society

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
743 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Did Mlk Impact Society
“Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star. For it isn’t by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.” This quote was made by a man named Martin Luther King Jr. to a group of junior high students in Philadelphia in 1967. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) knew the importance of not only talking the talk, but walking the walk. And what a remarkable walk that was. MLK was the leader of the civil rights movement that began in the mid-1950s. He made countless positive impacts on society including improving rights for African-Americans, delivering ground-breaking speeches, and demonstrating the fact that violence is not always the answer. MLK was born on January 15, …show more content…
On December 1, 1955, a woman named Rosa Parks refused to give her seat in the front of the bus to a white man. This woman was arrested and dropped a spark that lit the fire of the eventual revolution that, through time and effort, became the raging bonfire that finally melted the chains of discrimination. The man that made sure this fire was taken care of was MLK. He was made the leader of this bus boycott, where all the African-Americans would refuse to ride the bus. They refused to ride the bus for over a year, until finally Alabama decided to lift the segregation law on public transportation. This was MLK’s first example of refraining from using violence to make a change because many times, change caused by violence is not maintained …show more content…
on August 23, 1963. This is the site where MLK delivered his timeless “I Have a Dream” speech. This speech would be forever known as one of the most ground breaking speeches in the history of America. This non-violent protest poured gasoline onto the fire of the revolution. It burned so bright, even cities that weren’t experiencing racial turmoil were questioning the laws that allowed this type of segregation to take place. This all lead to the government finally succumbing to the ever growing fire by passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forcing society to outlaw any type of racism. A man similar to MLK with maybe even more impact is Mahatma Gandhi. Apart from not being a Christian, he removed Britain’s rule on northern India. One of the things Britain did to oppress India was that they would not recognize Hindu marriages. Gandhi called for people to stop working for the government, refuse to buy anything from the crown, but to never cause any violence. After many years of this, Gandhi had so much influence that Britain bestowed India with their much deserved independence. Things could’ve ended up very differently if Gandhi had not stepped

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    In 1963, Martin Luther king, Jr. led the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This march later became known as “the greatest demonstration in freedom in the history of our nation” (Sohail, 2005, p. 17). On this day King also delivered his famous “I have a Dream” (Sohail, 2005, p. 17) speech. The results of this march and speech were a great increase in public awareness of the Civil Rights Movement and with helping pass the Civil rights Act in 1965 (Sohail,…

    • 450 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Martin Luther King is famously known for masterminding the end of racial tension and the discrimination of blacks in America. Some historians have argued that it was his peaceful and nonviolent stance that brought about short term significance in gaining massive support for the civil rights movement. Other historians have argued that he had immense short term significance in motivating many white supporters to participate in his peaceful protests because unlike other civil rights leader he targeted both white and black supporters through the use of Christianity as a tool for racial unity.…

    • 189 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    August 28 of 1963, 200,000 people join the March on Washington where MLK gives his “I have a dream” speech.…

    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Martin Luther King Jr was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. In high school, Martin Luther King Jr was an excellent public speaker and very smart. During high school, he skipped two grades; ninth and twelveth. At the age of fifteen, he began his college education at Morehouse. Martin Luther King Jr continued his education and became a pastor. Martin Luther King Jr became very active in the civil rights movement, which led to his assassination on April 4, 1968. Truly, Martin Luther King Jr changed this world.…

    • 294 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Michael Luther King Jr, known as Dr.Martin Luther King Jr, was a genius spokesperson and played a huge role in the civil rights movement of the United States. MLK Jr. made revolutionary changes to the world in the Mid-1950’s until he was assassinated in 1968. For example; he spoke out for what he believed in and for what he thought should happen involving the segregation of African Americans all around the world. In that time period most black men and women were not allowed to speak their mind without becoming a target for violence by whites. They were targeted by police and would often be arrested.…

    • 935 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In America, during the early 1950s, times were dramatically changing for the better due to the brave actions taken by Rosa Parks and the many African Americans who took part in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Parks is known as an activist during the African-American Civil Rights Movement who promoted the idea of racial equality and an end to segregation. Martin Luther King Jr. led his first nonviolent protest known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott where he advocated equal rights for all races. Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. are both remembered not for doing what is prohibited, but for failing to do what was required of them in a segregated society such as refusing to give up a seat on a public bus and abstaining from taking action when it was felt necessary.…

    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” Martin Luther King, a civil rights activist, was an inspirational leader who believes everyone should be equal. King has inspired many world leaders to this day because of his speeches such as his “I have a dream” speech. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights activist, impacted African Americans’ civil rights and left a legacy that will never be forgotten. To begin, Martin Luther King Jr. impacted African American civil rights around the world.…

    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A lot of people seem to forget that Rosa Parks was already sitting in the African American section of the bus which went with the law. But, because a Caucasian man had nowhere to sit and Parks was in the first row of the section, they asked her to move. Knowing she was in the right and with the law, Parks declined and refused to move. This lead to Parks arrest and started the Montgomery Bus boycott. This specific boycott had people of all color walking to and from wherever they needed to go.…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    MLK came from a middle class background and was very well educated. People respected him for this reason. He attracted support from middle-class, northern, black people. MLK was a Baptist Minister who became world famous leader of the civil rights movement. King’s first important civil rights campaign was Montgomery Bus Boycott. His Christian faith, and his admiration of the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent protests, meant he was a firm supporter of non-violent direct action. He was an inspiring speaker and convinced many people to play a part in demonstration boycotts and sit-ins, despite the fact that they were likely to be arrested, imprisoned or attacked. MLK gained popularity in the north and protests spread through the south. During the civil rights movement Malcolm X was more expressive and fluent in explain the condition that black people in America dealt with and for the reason had masses of support in the south and north. The two individuals came from to very different households and backgrounds. MX brought many of the inequalities and discrimination that black people suffered to the general public’s attention. MX coherently associates with his own race as he endured all of the difficulties that the lower black person suffered. Young blacks unintentionally found themselves participating in crime due to the complete lack of options and opportunities. Like other black people, MX was also…

    • 1931 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    It’s amazing how social conflicts can impact a life so hugely and shape the motives and perspectives of an important leader such as Martin Luther King Jr. A persons character is formed through the challenges they face in their lives, and all the struggles MLK faced in his have helped him to become the great leader he is known for today. Things like racial segregation and the Vietnam War caused him to want to fight for a different society and show how change can help better our future.…

    • 419 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Some may say that the KKK had very little to no effect on MLK and his decisions. Gandhi had a large impact on King and his tactics of nonviolence. It seemed that King would never resort to using violence to achieve his goals. When King’s house was firebombed by KKK members in an attempt to scare him off in a response to the Montgomery bus boycott. King’s family was in the house at the time of the attack, but luckily there were no serious injuries. The Black community at the time amassed a large angry mob and some were armed and ready to seek out revenge, however King spoke to crowd and called for a nonviolent response and for the ones with weapons to get rid of them. In both Selma and Birmingham where kings campaigns encountered great violence from the whites and KKK king still resorted to nonviolence…

    • 544 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    August 28, 1963, over two hundred thousand whites and blacks from all across America came together to Washington D.C. to move forward in the civil rights movement. This march was put together by religious and civil rights groups. John F. Kennedy was the president at the time, he knew they were planning on the march, but showed very little interest on the matter. Many people gave speeches on this day both black and white, but Martin Luther King Jr. gave his perhaps most famous speech ever, the “I Have a Dream!”…

    • 1344 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Martin Luther King was an inspiration to many of us. He was inspiring by his quotes, speeches, and sayings. Martin Luther King has a very inspiring quote, for kids, that says,”Intelligence plus character-that is the true goal of education.” (goodread.com) He is basically saying that without school, kids and people would be dumb and not intelligent. Martin Luther King was very inspiring.…

    • 535 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    I know of no single case in which it has failed.” This quote has illustrated how successful Gandhi’s application of non-violence was in creating change and success. In addition, Gandhi’s use of non-violence was so influential that 20 years after Indian independence and his assassination, civil rights activist, Martin Luther King followed in his footsteps by using Gandhi’s method of non-violence to achieve civil rights for African Americans. Martin Luther King once said, “Christ furnished the spirit and the motivation, while Gandhi furnished the…

    • 1541 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The day of August 28, 1963 At the Lincoln Memorial 200,000 people gathered after the March on Washington. This is where Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his speech “I Have a Dream” to America. He spoke about the injustices of segregation and discrimination of African Americans that was taking place in our nation. In his first statement he said, “I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.” In this statement he has said what he was there to do. He is speaking out for freedom. This speech is one among few to demonstrate the freedom our nation was built upon. We are a nation of democracy and our nation was built on the fact that we have the right to “alter and institute new government”(Congress). Dr. Martin Luther King’s speeches and demonstrations would provoke a change in the minds and hearts of the American people. He stood up and inspired a nation into action with his words. With his speech he masterfully uses Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in his rhetoric to provide proof to all Americans that racism and segregation is not the intended foundation of America.…

    • 785 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays