The African-American Civil Rights Movement 
Within the context of the period 1865-1968, how significant was the role played by Martin Luther King in improving the position of African Americans? INTRODUCTION
“When the definitive history of the American civil rights movement is eventually written, one of the central themes will be that Martin Luther King, Jr. ranks among the greatest political strategists of all time.’’ This is the viewpoint of James A.Colaiaco and he argues that Martin Luther King played the most significant role in the struggle for civil rights and was ‘the most important leader’ of the civil rights movement. This is the argument shared by Great Man historians regarding of one of the greatest debates amongst historians in the 21st century. Great Man historians … the success of the Civil Rights movement as a result top down change and acknowledge Martin Luther King as the figurehead of the movement who drove most significant change. Whereas Social historians, regard history with a ‘bottom up’ perspective, arguing that the local people and less celebrated figures at the bottom forced change up and look at it in terms of a bigger picture. For decades after the civil rights movement in America, Martin Luther King has been regarded as one of the most celebrated and most memorable figures of the movement and his birthday is even marked with a national holiday and it has only been in more recent years that social historians have challenged the significance and credibility of the role he had in improving the position of African Americans. Social historians reach the conclusion that other factors played a much more significant role. Nevertheless, it seems clear that, the Great Man theory of this debate seems to be more truthful and . Great man historians writing about the civil rights movement conclude that Martin Luther King was unique in his abilities and the success of the Civil Rights Movement was mainly the result of Martin Luther King’s The viewpoint of James Colaiaco mentioned above is
“When the definitive history of the American civil rights movement is eventually written, one of the central themes will be that Martin Luther King, Jr. ranks among the greatest political strategists of all time.’’ This is the viewpoint of James A.Colaiaco and he argues that Martin Luther King played the most significant role in the struggle for civil rights and was ‘the most important leader’ of the civil rights movement. This is the argument shared by Great Man historians regarding of one of the greatest debates amongst historians in the 21st century. Great Man historians … the success of the Civil Rights movement as a result top down change and acknowledge Martin Luther King as the figurehead of the movement who drove most significant change. Whereas Social historians, regard history with a ‘bottom up’ perspective, arguing that the local people and less celebrated figures at the bottom forced change up and look at it in terms of a bigger picture. For decades after the civil rights movement in America, Martin Luther King has been regarded as one of the most celebrated and most memorable figures of the movement and his birthday is even marked with a national holiday and it has only been in more recent years that social historians have challenged the significance and credibility of the role he had in improving the position of African Americans. Social historians reach the conclusion that other factors played a much more significant role. Nevertheless, it seems clear that, the Great Man theory of this debate seems to be more truthful and . Great man historians writing about the civil rights movement conclude that Martin Luther King was unique in his abilities and the success of the Civil Rights Movement was mainly the result of Martin Luther King’s The viewpoint of James Colaiaco mentioned above is