Martin Luther King Jr.’s Impact on the World: a Legacy of Hope and Controversy

Dr. King’s Impact on Society

“We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and the Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote,” demanded Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was a black man who believed that African-Americans and whites should be treated equally. He made speech after speech and protest after protest. He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955.

Dr. King was arrested many times because he was not afraid to stand up to fight against segregation.

He gave a speech in 1963, known as his “I Have a Dream” speech and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize a year after his famous speech. Dr. King’s life ended in tragedy when he was assassinated by James Earl Ray, sentenced to 99 years in jail. Dr. King was the Civil Rights leader who made the most impact in the United States because he led many protests and marches fighting for equality, and he was not afraid to speak about his beliefs that someday everyone would treat each other like siblings even if someone is black or white; however, Dr. King was accused of putting children in danger.

Driven to Make a Difference

Dr. King led numerous protests and marches to share his beliefs on equality. In the article, Martin Luther King Jr. states, “King was chosen to lead a boycott of the Montgomery bus system, meaning no black residents would ride the bus.” The Montgomery Bus Boycott was one of the first protests that sparked Dr. King’s career as a Civil Rights leader. He was trying to stop segregation from occurring on public transportation. African Americans were forced to give up their seat to any white person who asked. Dr. King thought of that as racism and started a protest to end it. His protests proved that he was not afraid of stating his beliefs.

Dr. King was brave and not petrified to speak about his beliefs. The author of Article A states, “It was here that King made his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, emphasizing his belief that someday all men could be brothers.” Dr. King protested in front of thousands of people. He was not afraid to protest in front of numerous people, proving that Dr. King was a brave man. In his speech, he spoke about his beliefs that all men should treat each other like brothers, and even though people disagreed with Dr. King, he still protested without fear. Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech changed how many people viewed him because of his bravery. Although Dr. King protested in the presence of many people with no fear, he was accused of putting children in danger, changing how people viewed him.

Controversies and Challenges

Dr. King made numerous positive impacts on the United States; however, he was blamed by many people for putting small children in danger. Dr. King’s protests upset the government. Therefore, the government sent police officers to spray small children with a fire hose. They not only soaked down children, they also sprayed families. The government did this to try and stop Dr. King from protesting. He did not let the government stop him from protesting, which made them even more furious with Dr. King. People assumed that this was all Dr. King’s fault because of all his beliefs that he protested. Although many people believe it was his fault that their children were in danger, it was the government’s fault. Dr. King stood up for what he believed in, and the government did not agree with his actions.

Dr. King was the Civil Rights leader who made the most impact in the United States because he led many protests and marches fighting against racism, and he was not petrified to speak about his beliefs that someday everyone would be treated equally; however, Dr. King was held responsible for putting children in danger. Dr. King was a man who changed the U.S. for the better. He was not ashamed of any of his beliefs, and he never stopped protesting until the day he died. Plenty of people tried to stop him, but he never listened. Dr. King was accused of many things that affected his protests, which caused him to lose many people who followed his beliefs. Dr. King never gave up and changed this country for the better.

References

1. Branch, T. (1988). Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-63. Simon & Schuster.
2. Farrow, D. (1998). Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 1995 Memorial Issue. Plough Publishing House.

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