Cdq biography of martin luther king jr
It was during this campaign that Dr. Later in , Dr. It was at this march that Dr. In , at 35 years old, Martin Luther King, Jr. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant. Also in , partly due to the March on Washington, Congress passed the landmark Civil Rights Act, essentially eliminating legalized racial segregation in the United States.
The legislation made it illegal to discriminate against blacks or other minorities in hiring, public accommodations, education or transportation, areas which at the time were still very segregated in many places. This day protest not only resulted in a Supreme Court ruling that declared segregation in public transportation unconstitutional but also solidified King's role as a national leader in the fight for civil rights.
His effective leadership during the boycott set the stage for future civil rights actions and galvanized the African American community across the nation. King's influence further extended through the organization of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in During this event, he delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech, which resonated with a crowd of over , people at the Lincoln Memorial.
This speech played a critical role in shaping public opinion on racial equality and ultimately contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of and the Voting Rights Act of King later found a significant model in Mahatma Gandhi, whose principles of nonviolent resistance inspired King to adopt similar methods in the Civil Rights Movement.
This commitment was further condensed into his six principles of nonviolence, which emphasized love as a powerful tool for social change and encouraged individuals to confront injustice without resorting to aggression. King believed that nonviolence was not merely a tactic but a way of life that could bring about societal transformation. He often referenced the "Beloved Community," envisioning a world where compassion and justice would prevail over hatred and violence.
By advocating for peaceful protests and civil disobedience, King aimed to create a scenario where oppressors could no longer ignore the plight of the marginalized. His philosophy resonated widely, encouraging not just African Americans but all Americans to reflect on their roles in the fight against injustice, thereby altering the course of the struggle for civil rights.
Coretta was an aspiring singer and musician studying at the New England Conservatory. Their union was built on mutual respect and shared values, with Coretta often taking on the challenging role of a supportive partner while raising their children. Conflict in Birmingham reaches its peak when high-pressure fire hoses force demonstrators from the business district.
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom attracts more than two hundred thousand demonstrators to the Lincoln Memorial. Organized by A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin , the march is supported by all major civil rights organizations as well as by many labor and religious groups. After the march, King and other civil rights leaders meet with President John F.
Kennedy and Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson in the White House. Carole Robertson, the fourth victim, was buried in a separate ceremony. President Lyndon B. Robert Hayling , leader of the movement in St. King meets Malcolm X in Washington, D. King is arrested and jailed for demanding service at a white-only restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida.
In the fall of his senior year, he told his father of his decision, and he was ordained at Ebenezer Baptist Church in February Later that year, King earned a sociology degree from Morehouse College and began attended the liberal Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. He thrived in all his studies, was elected student body president, and was valedictorian of his class in He also earned a fellowship for graduate study.
He became romantically involved with a white woman and went through a difficult time before he could break off the relationship. Mays was an outspoken advocate for racial equality and encouraged King to view Christianity as a potential force for social change. After being accepted at several colleges for his doctoral study, King enrolled at Boston University.
He completed his doctorate and earned his degree in at age A committee of scholars appointed by Boston University determined that King was guilty of plagiarism in , though it also recommended against the revocation of his degree. As explained in his autobiography , King previously felt that the peaceful teachings of Jesus applied mainly to individual relationships, not large-scale confrontations.
It was in this Gandhian emphasis on love and nonviolence that I discovered the method for social reform that I had been seeking. Led by his religious convictions and philosophy of nonviolence, King became one of the most prominent figures of the Civil Rights Movement. He was a founding member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and played key roles in several major demonstrations that transformed society.
The effort began on December 1, , when year-old Rosa Parks boarded the Cleveland Avenue bus to go home after work. As more passengers boarded, several white men were left standing, so the bus driver demanded that Parks and several other African Americans give up their seats. Three other Black passengers reluctantly gave up their places, but Parks remained seated.
The driver asked her again to give up her seat, and again, she refused. Parks was arrested and booked for violating the Montgomery City Code. On the night Parks was arrested, E. King was elected to lead the boycott because he was young, well-trained, and had solid family connections and professional standing. He was also new to the community and had few enemies, so organizers felt he would have strong credibility with the Black community.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott began December 5, , and for more than a year, the local Black community walked to work, coordinated ride sharing, and faced harassment, violence, and intimidation. In addition to the boycott, members of the Black community took legal action against the city ordinance that outlined the segregated transit system. They argued it was unconstitutional based on the U.
Board of Education After the legal defeats and large financial losses, the city of Montgomery lifted the law that mandated segregated public transportation. The boycott ended on December 20, Flush with victory, African American civil rights leaders recognized the need for a national organization to help coordinate their efforts. In January , King, Ralph Abernathy , and 60 ministers and civil rights activists founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to harness the moral authority and organizing power of Black churches.
The SCLC helped conduct nonviolent protests to promote civil rights reform. The SCLC felt the best place to start to give African Americans a voice was to enfranchise them in the voting process. King met with religious and civil rights leaders and lectured all over the country on race-related issues.
Cdq biography of martin luther king jr
By , King was gaining national exposure. He returned to Atlanta to become co-pastor with his father at Ebenezer Baptist Church but also continued his civil rights efforts. His next activist campaign was the student-led Greensboro Sit-In movement. The movement quickly gained traction in several other cities. King encouraged students to continue to use nonviolent methods during their protests.
By August , the sit-ins had successfully ended segregation at lunch counters in 27 southern cities. On October 19, , King and 75 students entered a local department store and requested lunch-counter service but were denied. When they refused to leave the counter area, King and 36 others were arrested. Soon after, King was imprisoned for violating his probation on a traffic conviction.
The news of his imprisonment entered the presidential campaign when candidate John F. Kennedy expressed his concern over the harsh treatment Martin received for the traffic ticket, and political pressure was quickly set in motion. King was soon released. In the spring of , King organized a demonstration in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. With entire families in attendance, city police turned dogs and fire hoses on demonstrators.