I have selected the speech I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King, as it had a significant impact on the historical state and raised the concerns about the equality in the United States of America (Araujo 6; King par. 1). It could be said that the primary goal of the paper is to examine the effectiveness of the speech while evaluating the impact on the audience, occasion, speaker, and the lines of the speech. In the end, the conclusions are drawn to underline the primary findings of the assessment.
It remains apparent that Martin Luther King was a well-known political leader, who addressed the issues related to freedom and the necessity to unify the American nation to overcome the difficulties (Kirk 1). Despite the prohibition of slavery and the declaration of the Emancipation Proclamation, the disparity was still regarded as a problem, as the minorities were discriminated and a huge gap remained between the social classes. King highlights these issues by using the phrase “one hundred years later” (King par. 3).
It was critical to shed the light on the problem in the existing situation, and the speaker selected the best time and audience to ensure the delivery of his message to the masses.
In this case, the leader opts for the march for jobs and freedoms to deliver the speech, as the occasion supported the perception of the necessity of equality and freedoms in different social spheres (Flowers 363; Dyson 314). The audience was represented by the regular workers, who were the representatives of different ethnicities (Kuypers 109). It could be said that the listeners were encouraged to take part in the occasion, as the citizens had an opportunity to protect their rights and improve the working conditions by expressing their opinions about this matter. In this instance, a combination of these factors emphasizes that the leader selected suitable time for the presentation, as the audience shared the similar interests and desired to change the current condition in the country.
Despite the appropriateness of the event chosen for the speech delivery, the verbal language, linguistic structures, and the personal characteristics of the leader defined its effectiveness. King often used ‘we’ and ‘Negro’ to underline the connection with the audience and the existent distinction between the social classes (King par. 1).
Nonetheless, the line that stands out to me the most is “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”, as it summarizes the primary points of discussion and provokes the audience to change the world (King par. 30). It could be said that this phrase also received a high response in the public, as it used the correlation with God and highlighted the possibility to make the world a better place. The workers were screaming in happiness, as this speech gave them hope to pursue their dreams.
In the end, it could be said that the effectiveness of the speech by Martin Luther King cannot be underestimated, as it received great support in the audience while highlighting that the problem has to be resolved. A combination of different techniques and charisma of the leader helped deliver his emotions and ideas to the public. Meanwhile, it has to be mentioned that the speech contributed to the rise of the importance of the equality in the American society while being a principle driver for the establishment of the democratic state and changing the mindset of the Americans (Long 127).
Works Cited
Araujo, Ana. Shadows of the Slave Past: Memory, Heritage, and Slavery. New York: Routledge, 2014. Print.
Dyson, Michael. I May Not Get There with You: The True Martin Luther King Jr. New York: The Free Press, 2000. Print.
Flowers, Arhlene. Global Writing for Public Relations: Connecting in English with Stakeholders and Publics Worldwide. New York, Routledge, 2016. Print.
On April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote an open letter to his fellow clergymen, from the Birmingham prison:
We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct-action campaign that was “well timed” in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. (King par. 11)
This letter was written during the heat of the protest campaign against racial segregation in America. The US has a history of malice and maltreatment towards African-Americans. Before the foundation of the US as an independent state, millions of them were shipped from Africa to be used as slaves in the fields. They were forced to perform hard manual labor and other dirty and tedious tasks that their white masters found beneath them (Smith 5).
Even after the Declaration of Independence and the creation of the Constitution, slaves remained in captivity. It took a long and bloody civil war to change the status of slaves to free citizens. That was the situation in the year 1865. Almost a hundred years since then, true equality was still far from becoming obtainable. The African-Americans were often treated as second-class citizens, especially in the Southern states, which were bitter about the loss in the war, even many generations after. The segregation system was, in many ways, a surrogate replacement for slavery (“Racial Segregation” par. 2).
While King’s views were considered radical at the time, The Letter from the Birmingham Jail was a groundbreaking manifesto, because it gave insight on protests in general, showed King’s struggle for Black Rights, and gave insight into the peaceful protests. In this paper, these points are going to be explored in greater detail.
The Segregation
The fact that the word segregation was used in the second half of the 20th century is astonishing. Yet, for the US, this was a reality, which would have continued being a reality, had it not been for Martin Luther King Jr. and his supporters. The segregation was, in general, a form of social control, which the white elites have promoted in order to impose their will on the African-American population. It was a replacement for slavery, which had been abolished after the American Civil War of 1861-1865. Such an unjust divide had reduced the non-white populace to the status of second-class citizens and violated the 14th and 15th amendments of the Constitution. (“All Amendments to the United States Constitution” par. 18)
The segregation imposed numerous limits upon the African-American population. The most obvious and important one being the separation in education. The whites and the African-Americans had different schools, and although they paid taxes on the same basis as any other American citizen, their schools received very little to no funding from the state (“Racial Segregation” par. 3). The situation was so desperate that they had to address the church in order to receive any sort of funding. The quality of education in such harsh conditions had plummeted, and the difference in education meant the difference in labor – the high-end jobs being taken by the whites, while the African-Americans being given the low-end, menial tasks (“Racial Segregation” par. 4). Does that sound familiar?
The segregation did not stop at that. Virtually all aspects of public and social life were affected (“Racial Segregation” par. 4). The separation was enforced on all levels, from holding sermons in churches to places at diners to sitting places in buses, to entertainment. Even the cemeteries were promoting segregation, meaning that there was no end to it, even in death. Naturally, the conditions for African-American people were always worse. The attempts to protest these were persecuted by the police, who were also notorious for manhandling them, especially in the Southern states (Smith 5).
The situation was slowly becoming volatile, as the African-Americans did not find justice anywhere. These years are known for spreading of radical and even nationalistic ideas, in response to such maltreatment (“Racial Segregation” par. 8). With the African-American population in the USA exceeding twenty million at the time, there was a great potential for violence, which was starting to erupt in several cities and states. It was at that critical moment when a prominent star has appeared in the political arena. His name was Michael King, who later became known across the world as Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most prominent fighters for civil rights in America (“Racial Segregation” par. 6).
Birmingham, 1963
In 1963, the city of Birmingham was considered a fortress of segregation. The harshness of local governors and local policies towards the African-American people were appalling, even when compared to the rest of the USA of that time. It held the title of the “City of Segregation.” The situation was true, brutal. Despite the number of African-American citizens and white citizens in the city being approximately equal, the former were prevented from holding any kind of important or high-end jobs. They were not allowed to become bus drivers, retailers in the shops, and they were not allowed to hold businesses outside of their neighborhoods.
There was not a single African-American officer within the Birmingham Police Department. The only job that they could find was at a local mill, as maintenance workers or as house servants. Differences between wages were staggering – a white employee received two or three times as much as an African-American employee. Segregation was universally enforced, and any attempt to deviate from it was punished very harshly.
Martin Luther King Jr. came to this city, driven by his cause of fighting segregation anywhere. As he wrote in his famous letter towards the eight pastors of Birmingham city, he could not sit idly by while such injustices were being committed. He had organized a series of non-violent protests against the current regime, including marches, sit-ins, and boycotting. He was arrested, and put into Birmingham prison, on 12 April 1963.
His letter was written as a response to “A Call for Unity” – a statement made in the local newspaper by the eight white clergymen, who have criticized King’s protests and preached solving the issue through public courts (Carpenter et. al. par. 7). The significance of that letter is enormous, as it outlines the reasons for any civil rights protest, as well as a proper way of conducting it.
Justice too Long Delayed is Justice Denied
The eight pastors of the Alabama State, in their “Call for Unity” have admitted that social injustices are indeed present, and have urged patience in dealing with them. They called King out for being divisive, and called the protests to be a useless and pointless gesture. Instead, they urged the fight to be taken from the streets, and into the Courts (Carpenter et. al. par. 7).
King responds to these preachings of patience and peace with words that the negro population has waited for justice too long:
When you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodiness” – then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. (King par. 12)
However, this line must not be confused for a threat, as the author underlines a bit further in his letter. No, this line is not a threat, but a warning. Martin Luther King Jr., more than anyone else, could feel the underlying tensions, that grew and grew. His demand for justice and his peaceful protests were a temporary solution to a much bigger problem. The man knew that if he did not manage to make changes come true through peaceful action, the change would be brought through violent means. A government that denies peaceful protests is setting itself up for a violent one. Violence was something that King wanted to avoid at all costs (King par. 22).
Mass Protests as a Tool for Change
It has to be noted that Martin Luther King Jr., in his open letter, does not seem too happy about the idea of using mass riots as a means to an end (King par. 8). However, as he regretfully remarks, the negro population has been left with little choice on the matter: “It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative” (King par. 5).
The people rarely resort to mass public protests. It is a time-consuming and a potentially dangerous event. There is always a danger of a peaceful protest becoming a violent one due to provocations from within and without. The protesters were in danger of being maimed and beaten by the police. Unfortunately, all other legal means of trying to change the situation on segregation have already been tried.
It took more than 50 years since the infamous Plessy v. Ferguson Court decision, which had concluded that segregation does not violate the Constitution, just to overturn it. Seeking justice in courts took far too long. Negotiations with the political and economic representatives of the white population ended with vague promises, which were never fulfilled anyway. Justice long delayed is justice denied.
An Unjust Law is no Law at All
In this part of the letter, King addresses the moral side of the protests and justifies them, and all the people that were taking part in the struggle. Since his opponents in this letter are the eight pastors, he addresses the Bible and the Law of God, in order to fight them on their own turf (King par. 32). Martin Luther King was capable of doing so, due to his deep knowledge of theological concepts, as he himself was a priest, as were his father and grandfather.
He quotes St. Augustine, and says that “An unjust law is no law at all” (King par. 12). He proclaims that opposing the unjust law by breaking it is a responsibility of everyone who consider themselves good Christians, and true to the God’s teachings. He also draws parallels between himself and the Saints, Jesus, and the early Christians, who were, technically, breaching the peace and violating the Law of the Roman Empire, which they perceived as evil and corrupt.
This part also shows King’s personal bravery. Many of the moderate whites, who were not against his cause, or even supportive of it, preached patience out of fear for personal comforts, and out of fear of ending up on the wrong side of the law. They all had something to lose and were afraid. Many of the protestors that came out on the streets of Birmingham had nothing to lose except for their chains. King held a relatively high standing in the society due to being a pastor, but he chose to risk it all, in the name of a just cause. It gave him a higher moral stance, compared to those who chose to accuse him.
Conclusion
The Letter from the Birmingham Jail is a very important historical document. It shows the core motivations behind Martin Luther King’s actions, and the justifications of his deeds. Even though it was written over 50 years ago, the letter’s significance is still great, and many points brought up in it could still be applied to modern reality. The age of segregation in the USA may have ended, but there are still many issues and struggles across the world, which Martin Luther King Jr. would have sympathized with if he were alive.
Works Cited
“All Amendments to the United States Constitution”. Web.
King, Martin Luther Jr. “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”. Web.
Plessy v. Ferguson. 63 U.S. 537. Supreme Court of the United States. 1986. Supreme Court Collection. Legal Information Inst., Cornell U. Law School, n.d. Web.
Carpenter, Charles, Joseph Durick, Hilton Grafman, Paul Hardin, Nolan Harmon, George Murray, Edward Ramage, Earl Stallings. “Public Statement by Eight Alabama Clergymen”. Web.
“Racial Segregation”, Web.
Smith, Mark. How Race is Made: Slavery, Segregation, and the Senses, North Carolina, Chapel Hill: University of North Caroline press, 2008. Print.
Martin Luther King is a figure of world significance whose famous speech influenced millions of people and led to significant reforms in the U.S. Its historical significance is undisputed, but after more than 60 years it is time to identify what has been done to address the issues he outlined. This paper will argue that many things were achieved, but there are still objectives to meet.
Among the issues that have already been tackled is the problem of segregation has been thoroughly addressed as there are no more cafes, barbershops, or groceries exceptionally for one or the other race. King (1963) also wished that blacks and whites would be free to exercise their right for “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness” (para. 3). This wish has been granted as blacks are now equally free to pursue any profession or life path and feel no danger to their safety.
Georgia and Alabama, as King wanted, do not officially utter words of hatred towards black people fuelling segregation policy. America has entered the state of society where every minority’s rights find governmental support. Yet, there are still certain areas in which the U.S. and would have to progress. Among them are instances of racial hatred and distrust. In workplaces and mass culture, black people’s rights are occasionally oppressed (Williams, 2015). Black people on average have lower wages and lower positions in the corporate hierarchy which is a modern-day concern.
Conclusion
To the present day, the majority of Luther’s dreams were fulfilled, yet there is still a long path ahead for total equality. Labor equality should be among the priorities of modern states. One day, provided society and governments will contribute to it, what Luther wished for will be implemented in practice.
References
King, M. L. (1963). I have a dream. Web.
Williams, A. (2015). Modern-Day racism in the workplace: Symbolic diversity or real change? Organizational Psychology Bulletin, 1(1), 6-10.
The American history of assassinations in the 1960’s left an indelible mark in the minds of many people. These were defining moments which went into record as having been orchestrated by one gun murder after the other (The WHITE HOUSE, N.d.). This period witnessed the grisly and violent murder of two U.S presidents namely John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy who were both brothers, and also the assassination of an American Human Rights Activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In this paper, I seek to discuss in detail these three momentous events and how they were connected to each other politically, socially, and culturally.
The Assassinations
To begin with, the assassination of John F. Kennedy On 2nd November 1963 from an assassin’s bullet right in his motorcade which was moving through Dallas in Texas was a tragic occurrence in American history. He had not even completed three years in office when this event happened. Surprisingly, Kennedy was the youngest president ever elected by that time and also encountered his death at the youngest age (The WHITE HOUSE, N.d.). His descent was Irish, born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on 29th May 1917. He was a graduate of Harvard and served in the navy from 1940.
The gun man hit him on the head and throat when three shots were fired at his open topped car. John Connally, who was the Texas Governor by that time, also sustained serious injuries at the back although he was not the main target. Mr. Kennedy’s car was driven at high speed to parklands hospital and admitted while still alive but passed away barely after half an hour (BBC News, November 22 1963).
Shortly after the shooting, a policeman was shot dead and Lee Harvey Oswald was put under arrest having being suspected of murder and later charged with President Kennedy’s assassination (BBC News, November 22 1963). The suspect was not put to trial at all because he was shot dead in less than three days by a club owner identified as Jack Ruby. An inquiry into President Kennedy’s death was later commissioned through the warren Report which concluded that Kennedy had been killed “by shots fired by Mr. Oswald from the School Book Depository Building” (BBC News, November 22 1963). However, the Warren Investigation Report brought a lot of controversy and dispute leading to the emergence of a range of theories. For instance, some argued that “it was an elaborately staged suicide” (BBC News, November 22 1963). While others believed the driver was the actual murderer. There was so much sorrow in the nation following his death.
Interestingly, everyone was affected by this incident: both who supported his policies and those who opposed them. Kennedy was a young energetic man at forty three with able leadership ability and everyone knew this. His assassination left a big gap and made the nation “feel defenseless” (Rich, 2009). Socially, there was an emotional breakdown as the country felt weak and quite unable to move forward. The dilemma surrounding his death in the sense that the assassin could not be traced left an equally bad impression on the Government’s inability to apprehend similar culprits even in future.
Almost everything came to a halt in America for the first four days. The shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald worsened the situation. People wanted answers and reassurance while they got none. The four days brought a temporary political oneness; there was unity from the entire political divide. In fact, “John F. Kennedy transcended from being merely an American president to the more mythical position of King of Camelot” (Rich, 2009).
Even at this point, Americans didn’t want to believe the possibility of “a conspiracy to assassinate a president”. Politically, presidential assassinations were commonplace in Third World countries, not in the developed world like America. Therefore, the Warren Commission which stated that “Oswald acted alone” was taken as gospel truth (Rich, 2009).
Witnesses in President Kennedy’s assassination gave a completely different recount of his murder contrary to Warren Commission Report. For example, majority of the witnesses confirmed that “shots were fired from the Grassy Knoll not the Texas School Book Depository” (The John F. Kennedy Assassination Homepage, N.d.). This left a cloud of doubt on whether the Warren Report was flawed or there was conspiracy. Similar to Robert Kennedy’s assassination in 1968, a gunman was involved.
Robert Francis Kennedy who was born on 20th November 1925 and assassinated on 5th June 1968 was among the most influential American politicians of his time. He was a junior brother to John F Kennedy who was assassinated way back in 1963. While President John F Kennedy was still in office, Robert Kennedy was among his senior advisors.
On 5th June 1968 at around mid day, Senator Robert F. Kennedy “was making his way from the ballroom at the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, to give a press conference…” This was after he won the primary elections in California. As he was finding his way to the conference table, “a Palestinian Arab, Sirhan Sirhan, stepped forward and fired a 22 revolver at the Senator”. Five other people were seriously injured in the shoot out although Robert Kennedy suffered extreme gun shot wound. The assassin was immediately overwhelmed and arrested at the scene of the incidence “charged and convicted of first degree murder”. He was supposed to be executed, however, the Supreme Court of the United States turned down the death sentence on the basis of the country’s constitution. Sirham was then incarcerated at Corcoran State Prison in California. Under the Californian law, he was to be released in 1984 although this did not happen (The Crime. 1998). Robert F Kennedy’s assassination appeared to be political because it happened immediately after he won the California primaries. Moreover, the manner in which the United States of America Supreme Court diverted the death sentence due for Sirham left tangible doubts on its ruling. Similar to the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the cultural aspect of using gun shooting in assassinating top country executives was evident. Whether Sirham did this out of personal conviction or as “part of a conspiracy” was not immediately established. The weapon used, although generally known to be a gun, could not be fully described by the authorities. Some witnesses claimed that the “assassin had used a six-shot revolver; others said that more than six shots had been fired” (Clark, 2010). There were possibilities that multiple assassins and more than one gun were involved in the shooting. Just like the murder of John F. Kennedy, there were serious doubts coupled with lack of clarity on the report findings of the assassination.
Thomas Reddin, who was by that time the Chief Police officer in Los Angeles, reported several hours later about the pistol traces. Surprisingly the gun man had not been identified and was still at large. Socially, the United States historic assassination crimes were all marred by violence through violent shooting by gun men. This molded into people’s mind a society marred with violence and it created as a sense of insecurity. The outside world would judge the United States as “some sort of violent society” (Clark, 2010). Presumably, hatred prevailed and a mindset of war was like a solid cultural aspect deep within the American society. Several leaders drawn from both the clergy and government condemned this form of societal violence which was becoming deeply rooted and the order of the day. As a precaution to end this form of violence, there were calls from every quarter for the “establishment of a commission to investigate the causes of violence in society” (Clark, 2010). The commission would work hand in hand with both the president and the Congress. Religious, academic, and political leaders will form the commission.
To confirm that these were political assassinations, President Johnson gave a directive that all victorious candidates for national positions would be provided with silent service protection rather than for those who held the positions alone (Clark, 2010). The motive of Robert F. Kennedy shooting was also explained by the fact that he supported Israel in the six-day War of 1967 against Palestine. Sirham, the assassin, had claimed that he did for the sake of his country. There were serious abnormalities in the findings of Robert F. Kennedy murder. For example, the “results of the 1968 test firing of Sirhan’s gun were missing” (Bobby-kennedy.com. N.d.).
The question on how and why the results disappeared could not be answered. Worse still, the gun that was used for ballistics and comparison purposes was surprisingly discarded. A claim that more than 90 per cent of the witness testimony (audio taped) got destroyed was highly questionable. Only 301 interviews out of the 3470 carried out by LAPD got preserved. There are still persistent beliefs that Robert Kennedy’s death may have been a conspiracy and that more than one person may have been involved (Lubieniecki, N.d.). The same year in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. encountered his death after leading a protest match by sanitation workers.
He was born on 15th January 1929. His original name was Michael Luther King, Jr. but his name was later changed to Martin. His father was a long time serving pastor at a church in Atlanta. He “acted as a co-pastor” to his father. Martin Luther received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948 from Morehouse College (The Nobel Foundation, 2010).
On 4th April 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was “fatally shot while standing on the balcony outside his second-story room at the Motel Lorraine in Memphis, Tennessee” (Black History, N.d.). He was a civil rights leader and an activist by this time. He was in Memphis to rally behind sanitation workers who had gone on strike demanding better working conditions. As he was headed to dinner, he was hit by a bullet right into the jaw which led to serious spinal cord damage. He was immediately rushed to the Memphis Hospital but was declared dead upon his arrival. Martin Luther King Jr. was thirty nine years at the time of his assassination. But who was the assassin and why did he choose to gun down this Human Rights Activist?
Some months before he was assassinated, Martin Luther King was very vocal on the subject of economic imbalance in America. He organized a peaceful demonstration involving several races entitled “Poor People’s March” in Washington. He did this to sensitize the government and world over about the ills of inequality in terms of economic power whereby some were too rich while others extremely poor. In March 1968, he traveled to Memphis with an aim of supporting sanitation workers of African-American decent who were treated poorly. The strike unfortunately became violent and led to the demise of a teenager of African-American descent. This was tragic and quite unexpected. However, Martin Luther did not relent and he promised to plan and lead another protest the following (The Nobel Foundation, 2010).
As he vowed earlier, Martin Luther King returned to Memphis in early April gave a very touching sermon defining his purpose for the less fortunate in the society and the hope of a promised land. In his speech, he talked of God’s will in his mission and that he longed for a better humanity. These were moving words which were viewed as a delicate way of inciting the sanitation workers. Some days after his sermon, Martin Luther King Jr. was tragically shot dead by a sniper. The news about his death was met with a rude shock in cities across United States and riots ensued thereafter. The government tried to contain the violent riots by deploying the National Guard Troops in Memphis and Washington. James Earl Ray was chief suspect murder of Martin Luther King Jr. He had earlier escaped from prison in 1967 where he was jailed for holdup.
The FBI launched a massive manhunt for James Ray in May 1968 but he had escaped to Canada using a fake passport. He was however arrested on 8th June the same year by Scotland Yard Investigators in London. He was prosecuted in a Memphis Court in March 1969 and pleaded guilty of assassinating the King. Conversely, after some few days Ray claimed that he was innocent and was hugely supported by Martin King’s family. They claimed that the assassination was a plot of the United States government. The King experienced a lot of turbulence by the FBI before he eventually died. The U.S military intelligence also kept close vigil of the king after he openly refuted the Vietnam War of 1967 (Black History. N.d). Also, his call for significant economic changes in 1968 may have been a recipe for his eventual death having created enmity with opponents to his ideas. The aforementioned three assassinations created a historical phenomenon of political conspiracy to their deaths. Although investigations were launched soon after their murders, a lot was left to be desired on the outcome of the reports and so a culture of mistrust and suspicion between the political class and ordinary American citizens was planted.
Conclusion
Like the previous assassinations, the government of the day gave conflicting, sometimes unclear report findings. Social injustice seemed to penetrate deeper and the worst affected were the tall standing leaders who were out to push for reforms, whether political, social or economical.
The culture of a possible government hand in all these murders is clearly evident. In all the three murders discussed above, commissions of inquiry that were ever set up to carry out investigations had their reports either flawed, missing, contradicting or full of other abnormalities.
Bibliography
BBC News. 1963. Kennedy shot dead in Dallas. Web.
Black History. N.d. Martin Luther King: The Assassination. 2010. Web.
Bobby-kennedy.com. N.d. Is Everyone Alright? The Assassination. 2010. Web.
Clark A. Kevin. 2010. Robert F. Kennedy Assassination. Web.
Lubieniecki A. Karen. N.d. Teaching American History. 2010. Web.
Rich Candace. 2009. Kennedy Assassination. Web.
The Crime. 1998. The RFK Assassination. Web.
The John F. Kennedy Assassination Homepage. N.d. The Assassination: An Overview. 2010. Web.
The Nobel Foundation. 2010. Martin Luther King Jr. Biography. Web.
Martin Luther King Jr., commonly referred to by the initials MLK was an American activist and Baptist minister mostly known for his efforts to end racism in the United States. King was linked to the development of the civil rights movement as it was considered to cause a lot of revolution in the country through the use of peaceful demonstrations, which succeeded in the attainment of numerous policies that made African Americans recognized in the then highly racist country. His efforts to combat racism and fight for equality made him perceived differently among the different social groups in the United States. While the Negroes perceived him as their savior, the whites and government saw him as a radical leader who radicalized the issue of racism, causing chaos across the country. This aspect made him meet a lot of resistance, especially from the government mechanisms, whenever he visited a state since he was considered a threat to the nation’s peace. Despite being treated as a terrorist during his life, Martin Luther King is currently remembered as a humanitarian who succeeded in bringing equality not only in the United States but also across the world.
Critics that Martin Luther may Experience in the Modern-day
Martin Luther King played a critical role in attaining civil rights across the United States. King’s mode of advocacy was one of a kind as it involved peaceful demonstrations where he, together with other activists, matched roads with placards showing their grievances and the various things they wanted the government to change. Such matches were highly denounced by the government, which had passed discriminatory laws, because they believed the demonstrations would destroy the social order (Harvey, n.p). This aspect made martin Luther face police officers dedicated to eliminating such protests as they were considered unlawful. The media back then denounced him and his entire course. According to Harvey, King was despised by the media as it was a tool against him. Most of the publications painted a negative image of him as he was considered a rebel and an enemy of the state. This aspect made him known as a revolutionist dedicated to causing trouble for the state. Such elements have significantly changed in the mainstream media as Martin Luther is considered a national hero who shaped America’s political and social lives (Harvey, n.p). His efforts are currently regarded as optimistic as he is even celebrated as one of the most influential people in the country’s history.
Critics he Might be Having on Modern-day Domestic and Foreign Policy
If Martin Luther King were there today, he would have highly criticized the current policing and economic policies experienced in the United States. Such policies are perceived to significantly impact the country’s people as they have made the country have a bad reputation not only within the land but also across the world. The use of excessive force by the police has led to demonstrations across the country since the minority groups are the ones that are highly affected. These events are similar to those experienced during his time, including discrimination against blacks. In addition, economic policies like high commodities prices are not new to the country as the country has always been materialistic (Rossner 236). Considering the various issues that King advocated for during his time, he would be at the forefront today, leading demonstrations across the country over the extrajudicial killings that have been experienced in recent years, where most of the victims of police brutality have been Negroes. Due to this reason, King would not watch what he had fought for being brought back, leading to the death of innocent people in the name of maintaining law and order.
Application of the Letter from Birmingham
King’s letter from Birmingham is still applicable today. Although equality laws exist, King advocated for various aspects still exercised in the modern world. In the letter from Birmingham, Luther talked about how the government had implemented regulations that discriminate among some people (Schwartz 375). He advocated for the people that should rise to fight injustice. In his letter, Luther states that it is the moral responsibility of the citizens to break all unjust laws through direct action instead of waiting for justice to be obtained through the courts, as it may take forever for such a thing to happen. He argued that injustice to anyone in a single place was a threat to justice anywhere else (Schwartz 375). Such aspects are applied today as people still undertake peaceful demonstrations in the United States to advocate for the acts of injustice experienced across the country. For example, the Black Lives Matter protests after the continued cases of police murders have been an act of fighting injustice. In addition, Luther complained about how the police were used to suppress the fight against racial discrimination, which is still experienced today as the police still execute blacks in the disguise of maintaining law and order.
Christian Voice Intervention
As a minister, Martin Luther used the bible to teach about the virtues taught in Christian teachings. Through summons, he preached about equality, peace, and love among Christians, which significantly impacted the mobilization of individuals who matched together in the street demonstration (Rossner 239). The teaching of peace made the protesters calm and composed. The Protestants did not fight back even when the police engaged them physically. Such an aspect made it challenging for the police to disperse them as they were united and dedicated to dying for what they believed in. Such a voice would play a significant role in modern society as it would unite people as one Christian family irrespective of an individual’s racial background. The voice would advocate against inhumanity that is undertaken by the police making it easy to push for the development of laws that criminalize police brutality.
Conclusion
Martin Luther King played a critical role in developing a modern society where all people are considered essential. His acts gave hope to the people of color as they were not regarded as relevant in American society. The change in presentation of King from being considered a rebel and an enemy of the state to becoming an international hero who fought against inequality shows that he was a great man. His efforts changed the mentality of many who advocate for abolishing policies against humanity. King’s letter from Birmingham is still relevant today as it reflected on things still experienced in the modern world. Aspects like police brutality reflect how the police troubled the blacks. His Christian voice could still be used today to preach peace, unity of purpose, and the importance of loving one another. Through such unity, individuals can unite and push for a typical course: racial discrimination.
Martin Luther King Junior was a great American leader who influenced me while I was growing up. Today, his ideas still influence me when I am preparing to join college. When growing, I took interest in the life of Martin Luther and today I appreciate his personality that made him a great leader. Martin Luther had strong attributes that propelled him to greatness and made him an indispensable part of the American history. Some of the attributes I admire in him include his profound courage and great wisdom. He was also visionary and most important, a man of action. These attributes have shaped my life in a profound way and I owe most of my success to these ideas. I adopted them in my early days and since then, I have tried to incorporate such ideas into my personality and character. I have always been aware of the fact that if I were to succeed in my life and become a great person, then I would have to develop a solid personality and character.
The greatest attribute that has shaped my life most is Martin Luther’s courage. He stood firmly for what he believed was right for all and he never compromised on that. I have found this aspect to be very outstanding in my life because the society is always pushing us into conformity. This has had the effect of making me assertive and a non-conformer. I always stand for what I believe in regardless of the consequences. This has helped me live a life that is in line with my values, objectives and goals thus avoiding a life of mediocrity.
His wisdom and good oratory skills, coupled with the fact that he was a man of action motivated me to study hard in school to develop my intelligence. I grew into a voracious reader and established a strong academic and life discipline. This made me focus on my academic endeavors and helped me form a good study routine. As such, I constantly try to work hard in any task assigned to me and I do not give up until I achieve the best results. This has given me hope and eradicated the fear of joining college because I am a hard worker and believe in action. I know that action is what separates the successful from the failures and I have made it a core part of my character. Through the years it has worked in my favour.
Martin Luther was also a wise and visionary leader. His wisdom helped him in making good decisions and avoiding bad ones that would land him in trouble. I have developed my own levels of wisdom and today I am able to decide what is good for me. I do not allow other people’s opinion to overshadow mine. In fact, I only consider people’s opinion after a considerable review. I have also learnt to be visionary and avoid the trap of limitations. To believe that nothing impossible is labeled by the society. I maintain an open mind and concentrate all my energy on anything I set to achieve. This has been a major source of my success.
Thanks to Martin Luther King, these attributes have molded me into an assertive, articulate and hardworking person. They have given me hope and strength to pursue my goals with a mindset that leads to success. They have helped me to develop a strong character and personality that guarantees success in any undertaking. I am enthusiastic and confident so I am well prepared to meet the challenges of college life.
Martin Luther King Jr. has made an enormous impact on promoting a peaceful and tolerating environment in the U.S. His efforts were recognized both at home where he was awarded Nobel Prize and abroad where his experience and knowledge are extensively cited and used. He opposed the use of violence from both protesters and the government preferring a word as his weapon, which proved to be quite effective. The motivation he gave the people around him inspired them to follow his steps and pursue their dream until it is fulfilled. The King’s teachings helped build the new identity and image of the people who were often unkindly treated. Equality and justice were among the key ideas he stood for during his civil rights activity and thought his life.
In his speeches, he also addressed controversial and urgent topics like the war in Vietnam and poverty opposing the policies that instigated it. ‘Freedom’ – the word that he often used had the central place in his speeches, life, and philosophy. He taught people how to pursue it and what it means for a person. Inspiring common people, he also addressed politicians who had the power to make fundamental changes because it was the majority he often defended. Many people believed he was or would become a politician since he had a great deal of charisma and built a solid image in society. However, he was more interested in being a religious person and becoming a preacher. Religion transcended his whole life and activities and, as he stated it was his “greatest commitment” (Warnock, 2013, para. 5).
Martin Luther King Jr. did not betray his affection to public speech until the day he died, murdered by a villain. The ideas he created, his sermons, speeches, and even his life became a legacy that still echoes in the present.
Martin Luther King Jr. and the Today’s Society
American history witnessed many people who fought in their own methods for creating a better world including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Bob Dylan, and many others. King can rightfully be called one of the most famous and influential people in the United States and stand in one line with those mentioned above. Together they all forged the spirit of today’s America. Many things that Martin Luther King Jr. stood for are urgent issues in the present-day U.S. and the modern world.
Freedom, equal opportunities for all, and justice are the key things that King promoted all his life, and they became the values that are still dominant in the minds of people around the world. However, these core attributes are preserved not in every corner of the earth. Many occasions of human rights violations happen globally. Terrorism has become a modern threat to civil society and its consequences direly affect the life and safety of civil society. Recent terrorist attacks in France, Belgium, Germany, and other European countries instigated anti-Islam protests and general hatred towards the Arab population. The 2016 Human Rights Watch report stated that there were several occasions of race-motivated crime in Germany (Human Rights Watch, 2016). There were also occasions of poor treatment of refugees from the Middle East. All this suggests that what Martin Luther King Jr. fought for, the world without pain, cannot be achieved yet.
Apart from campaigning for human rights, King also envisioned some modern trends that start to dominate the world. One of these issues is work automation. He wrote that if officials do not intervene in the process of labor distribution and job security the universal trend for robotization will leave hundreds and thousands of people unemployed (King, 2011). His words were truly visionary. It is no secret that today there is a great demand for programmers and developers while conventional hand labor becomes history. Houses can also be constructed via 3D printing with little human intervention. Therefore, the question of security of aged workers, and job creation in the car industry, construction, and other highly automated spheres of employment is urgent.
The guaranteed basic income was one of the ideas that King also supported. It seems to be introduced soon in the Scandinavian countries. It proposes that each citizen of the country is paid a fixed amount of money without any conditions. It is believed to eliminate poverty and create equal opportunities for everyone, which was the King’s dream. However, it requires a highly stable economy, a range of social, and financial policies to be launched and is still being debated around the world.
Conclusion
Martin Luther King Jr. devoted his life and work to addressing not only the problems of his time. He also left a great legacy in the form of his ideas and thoughts that can help modern people live in kindness and prosperity. However, the world today is far from perfect, and the universal freedoms he taught are not yet properly guaranteed in some parts of the world. That is why the current global society should once again review and reflect on them. King even anticipated some of the trends in the modern economy that influence our life like the dangers of work automation and basic income introduction. This gives one more reason to think that his ideas are timely.
References
Human Rights Watch. (2016). World Report 2016. Web.
King, M. L. Jr. (2011). All labor has dignity. M.K. Honey (Ed.). Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
1960s and 1970s in America were full of turmoil and unrest. The beginning was promising, marked with John F. Kennedy becoming a president and setting ambitious, reformative laws that promised social change and elimination of discrimination against women and minorities. However, this was met with stark opposition from the Southern states, who hated the liberalist changes Kennedy was trying to introduce. Race-related violence and discriminating “Jim Crow” laws were used to oppress and segregate the African-American population. In response to discrimination, legalized by the “separate but equal” doctrine passed in 1954, African Americans started standing up to the injustice, forming the Civil Rights Movement. But it needed a strong, resolute leader. These two decades gave the civil rights activists not one, but two prominent leaders, who defined the movement in different ways: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X (“A Timeline of 1964 and 1963 Civil Rights Milestones” par 1).
In this article we will look at these leaders and study their similarities and differences, because although they had the same goal – freedom and equality of the black minority – their values and methods couldn’t have been more different.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Before becoming a civil rights activist, Martin Luther King, Jr. was a pastor at a Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama. Having studied medicine and law under Dr. Benjamin Mays, a recognized speaker for racial equality himself, King received a firm intellectual foundation for the role that was about to be placed on him. Less than a year after his marriage, African American Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus for a white person and was arrested. Under the leadership of Martin Luther King, whom the activists chose as their representative and leader, they protested the arrest with a bus boycott that put a strain on the town’s economy. The boycott, as well as King’s strict adherence to peaceful means of resistance, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, quickly put the movement and King himself into the countrywide spotlight.
This victory inspired the activists to found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Its ultimate goal was to end discrimination against African Americans in its entirety and allow the black minority equal opportunities with whites, through non-violent means. King became the leader of the organization and kept the position until his very death. He traveled across the country, performing speeches and lectures on inequality and non-violent opposition to it. Kings rousing talks and adamant refusal in engage in violence cemented his reputation, getting him the Man of the Year award by TIME magazine and the Nobel Peace Prize. His activities, and refusal to respond with violence to violence, earned the movement a lot of support from the white population, President Lyndon Johnson included, which led to the Congress passing the Voting Rights Act, guaranteeing voting rights to people of all races (“Martin Luther King Jr.”)
Malcolm X
Despite being King’s contemporary and also a civil rights activist, Malcolm X represented the radical and sometimes violent side of the movement. He and his supporters believed that the civil rights activists were too soft and that people of color had the right to protect themselves through any means necessary. Even his last name was an attempt at rebellion, since he changed it from the original “Little”, “a slave name” in his opinion, to “X”.
Malcolm first encountered racism at a very young age. His father, a Baptist teacher, was threatened by the Ku Klux Klan, forcing thing the family to change cities. In spite of this, the father continued preaching about the importance of one’s freedom and was brutally murdered as a result. The death was labeled a suicide, and social workers put the children into foster homes. Malcolm soon left school and entered into a life of crime, which ultimately brought him into prison and in contact with Black Muslims. Inspired by their belief about the white men being the devil of the black men, Malcolm became a passionate supporter of the movement. He believed that the problems of the black population could only be fixed by their own hands. His paths with Black Muslims separated after the latter refused to join in the civil rights movement, and showed signs of massive corruption. Malcolm traveled to Mecca, where he dropped the view of white men as evil, and focused on equality of all races, with the black minority still having to be self-reliant in their pursue of freedom. Soon after his return he founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity. He was a massive influence on the Civil Rights Movement and inspired numerous people to defend themselves though any available means and fight back against oppression (“Malcolm X”)
Reflection
Ultimately, both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were firm believers in their ideologies. They were both murdered as a result, and both predicted that their cause would survive them. Despite their differences and only having met once in the public eye, near the ends of their lives they were slowly moving towards each other in their stances. While Malcolm may have thought that non-violence was an unlikely option, it is clear that he respected King for his honest dedication to the cause and willingness to put his life on the line. In return, King seemed to have become more radical in his views in the last years of his life and was even told by the journalist David Halberstam that he “sounded like a nonviolent Malcolm X” (Blake)
Conclusion
While King and Malcolm X never had a chance to unite their forces, they were ultimately fighting the same fight, a fact that they both recognized and respected. The amalgam of their combined beliefs powered the Civil Rights Movement for decades to come.
Martin Luther King is often regarded as one of the most courageous leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the history of the USA. In his book on Martin King’s struggle, Thomas Jackson (2013) mentions that according to King, the economic justice of the country can not be separated from racial equality. Therefore, he developed the radical interracial tradition in the U.S. However, Martin King’s ideas were never favored by the government that denied the idea of Afro-Americans being bound up with the destiny of white Americans (4).
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated in his room in Lorraine Motel. According to the police reports, his shooter’s name was James Earl Ray. In 1969, Ray was sentenced to spending 99 years in prison. The story, however, is still shaded with mysterious facts. There is some evidence that Martin Luther King was long prosecuted by the FBI members before being killed. In 1993, Loyd Jowers, who worked in Lorraine motel, confessed that “he had hired someone other than James Earl Ray to assassinate Dr. Martin Luther King” (“Loyd Jowers, 73, Who Claimed A Role in the Killing of Dr. King” par.1). As a result of further investigations on the issue, one of the most ill-fated conspiracy theories in the history of the U.S. was revealed. According to the verdict that was delivered by the Shelby Court in 1999, Jowers and some government representatives were the parties to the conspiracy (Chernus par. 5). Therefore, the scandalous conspiracy theory stopped its existence as an assumption, and eventually became a fact.
The Evidence of the Governmental Conspiracy
A consistent account of facts and evidence was compiled by David Garrow, who held research on the involvement of the FBI and the U.S. government in the case. According to the results of this investigation, the first issue that raises suspicions is that most of the materials, which were gathered on Martin Luther King by the FBI were flowing from a single human informant. This fact in itself contradicts the principles of the FBI’s work and testifies that Martin Luther King was an object of surveillance for the federal structure.
Secondly, the involvement of the Freedom of Information Act Department of the U.S. is evident regarding this case. It was reported that the Bureau allowed the department to make some consistent deletions of materials that were gathered by the FBI agent. The Bureau motivated this order by its relationship to the national defense (Garrow 4).
The role of James Earl Ray, in this case, serves as one more prompt for suspicions. The major reason for that is that the evidence that was used in court to convict this man was quite doubtful. Even though Ray’s fingerprints were found on a pair of binoculars and the rifle, there was some evidence of the influence that was made upon him before the assassination. First of all, after the trial, James Ray claimed that he was guided by a character whose name was Raul. According to Ray, Raul was the one who ordered him to buy a rifle and to check in a particular room. At the time of the investigation, no Raul was found. However, in 1994, there appeared evidence of a real existence of Raul whom Ray had previously recognized in the photo. Moreover, in 1998, one of the retired FBI employees confessed that he had found some pieces of paper with the name “Raul” in Ray’s car in 1968 (Brunner par. 1).
Thus, the shaded tactics that were adopted by the major governmental structures of the U.S. serve as evidence supporting the reliability of the conspiracy theory.
Seeking for Justice: What Allows the USA to Sustain Global Conspiracies
Martin Luther King was a person who inspired thousands of people to fight for their rights legally and intelligently. His “I Have a Dream” speech became a hymn of deprivation and violation, an encouragement for those who were the victims of racial inequality. In contrast to it, in the first part of the 20th century, the U.S. government viewed Afro-American citizens in a way that differed from the one adopted by King. The violent policy reactions and numerous imprisonments were a direct response of the government to any strikes and demonstrations that were held by people, who represented a minority in the country. Thus, an intelligent and inspiring representative of the Afro-Americans became an obstacle for America while it could no longer depict colored people as the dregs of the population. This is the reason that explains why the American government was strongly motivated to eliminate Martin Luther King as a potential threat.
The question of what allows America to sustain such outrageous crimes arises at this stage. Surprisingly, the most vivid coverage for the USA in this respect is the reputation of the country as the most democratic and impartial mechanism in the whole world. America created a myth for its population, according to which the government of the USA always acts correctly. Thus, even the decisions about murders seem the only wise decisions for the devoted Americans. This theory, however, is a contradiction in itself, while it ruins the very foundation of the government’s principles and violates fundamental human rights.
The Outcomes of the King’s Assassination Conspiracy
Even though the USA always exposes its rules and decisions as to the most lawful ones, the assassination of Martin Luther King that, brought many mournful consequences to the American citizens. First of all, only in many years after King’s murder, the population of the U.S. realized that the activist became a victim of his beliefs, while he was genuinely devoted to the American democracy and was assassinated by its founders. Second, the conspiracy theory brings us to a conclusion that James Ray had been unfairly sentenced to 99 years in prison. Unfortunately, taking into consideration a vast range of similar cases, the example of James Ray is only one in a million proof of injustice that rules the American legal system. Finally, the assassination of Martin Luther King initiated a profound breach between the white and black society in the U.S. It radicalized several Afro-American activists and prompted the growth of the Black Panther Society (“Martin Luther King Jr Assassination” par. 7).
Thus, the U.S. conspiracies often become the reason for the rifts that arise among the Americans. The problem of pretentious democracy gains global recognition today. Finally, people get conscious of the fact that it is a direct responsibility of any citizen to act in compliance with human rights, and not with the doubtful politics that is dictated to us from the government’s side.
Works Cited
Brunner, Borgna. King Conspiracy Theories. 2012. Web.
Chernus, Ira. The Conspiracy to Kill Martin Luther King Jr: Not a Theory But a Fact, According to Our Own Legal System. 2014. Web.
Garrow, David. The FBI and Martin Luther King, Jr.: From “Solo” to Memphis, Brooklyn: Open Road Media, 2015. Print.
Jackson, Thomas. From Civil Rights to Human Rights: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Struggle for Economic Justice, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013. Print.
Loyd Jowers, 73, Who Claimed A Role in the Killing of Dr. King 2000. Web.
Late in July 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. came to Chicago. Congress was on the verge of the Voting Rights Act release, which was a real triumph over the racial discrimination and segregation legalized by the Jim Crow laws. The achievements of the two decades after World War II were significant, and King recognized it due to his gift of the historical and global perspective. Black Americans succeeded to overcome inveterate oppression, but there were still many challenges lying ahead.
In January 1966, Chicago experienced a nonviolent campaign spearheaded by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and King alongside the Coordinating Council of Community Organizations (CCCO) (Portwood, 2019). The campaign targeted to improve the situation in the black neighborhoods and make stress the discrimination practices of realtors and housing officials of the city. This resulted in a much broader CFM – Chicago Freedom Movement. The CCCO and the SCLC conducted a series of demonstrations through the white neighborhoods. Quite expected, the marches were primarily met with violent resistance. Such kind of white Chicagoans reaction was the most vivid reflection of institutional bias and racial discrimination. The marches caused dismaying controversy and disruption, making the city mayor negotiate with CFM leaders and Martin Luther King. Hence, in August 1966, the Summit Agreement was reached, ending the CFM campaign. Contemporary critics evaluated the campaign as a defeat and failure of the CFM, The SCLC, and King, as reached reforms, eradicating discriminatory housing practices, were limited. Nevertheless, the campaign’s long-term impact was profound and resulted in real changes both in Chicago and beyond it.
Martin Luther King forever stays a symbol of the struggle against racism and discrimination. Activists of the Black Lives Matter movement believe that Pastor King’s dreams have not come true to the end. But Martin Luther King fought not only for equality but also against violence in its all manifestations. He did everything possible to make this country and the world better and changed America forever.
References
Portwood, S. (2019). The Chicago Freedom Movement: Martin Luther King, Jr., and civil rights activism in the North. Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, 112(1), 114-115. DOI:10.5406/jillistathistsoc.112.1.0114.