Martin Luther King Jr. Uses a New Approach to End Segregation - Free Essay Example

Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist who lead the Civil Rights Movement, which was a movement in the United States from 1954 to 1968, whose goal was to end discrimination among blacks. Martin Luther King fought amongst other Civil Rights activists like Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Bob Dylan, Jesse Jackson, etc.. These activists have become historic heroes , specifically to the Civil Rights Movement and has made significant actions and have had great effect on improving circumstances for the black community, but Martin Luther Kings unique leadership and ambition to end legal segregation against blacks was fundamental and an essential component to the movements success. Dr. Martin Luther King Jrs reliance upon non violent actions to illustrate the mistreatment and oppression of blacks, demonstrates that he was essential to the success of the Civil Rights movement. In Martin Luther Kings infamous I Have a Dream Speech he states Im committed to nonviolence absolutely. Im just not going to kill anybody, whether its in Vietnam or here, I will continue to preach it and teach it.. I plan to stand by nonviolence because I have found it to be a philosophy of life that regulates not only my dealings in the struggle for racial justice, but also my dealings with people, with my own self. I will still be faithful to nonviolence. Martin Luther King was undoubtedly dedicated to nonviolent protests and riots. He believed that killing anybody, anywhere was and shouldnt be justified under any circumstances. Throughout his leadership, he relentlessly taught and addressed issues with nothing less than effective and beneficial speeches. He stood by nonviolence because he found it to be a notion of life that dealt with the black community and himself. Martin Luther King Jr was an essential component to the Civil Rights Movement because of his belief in civil disobedience. Furthermore, his impact on the movement is unparalleled due to the effectiveness of his public speeches, such as his I Have A Dream speech. Similarly, according to Donna Batten Kings passion for nonviolence and justice shaped his economic views as well. While he fought for economic security and prosperity for all, King understood that violence has been the inseparable twin of materialism, the hallmark of its grandeur and misery. He argued the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism were only capable of being conq uered when humanity evolved from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society.King was passionate about nonviolence and justice in the community helped to shape his economic perspective also. Although he fought for economic justice and ease for everyone, King had understood that materialism and violence had the same characteristics and that violence had been its emblem for heartache. He argued that the systematic racism and materialism were only able to be conquered when society emerged from a materialistic society. Martin Luther King was a fundamental element in the Civil Rights movement because of how devoted and faithful he continued to be to civil disobedience in the midst of the fight for justice and equal rights for the black community. Dr. Kings emphasis on non-violence as a strategy reached into other aspects of the Civil Rights movement as well, such as the Freedom Riders, therefore solidifying his significance in the movement. As stated in an article by Donna Batten The Freedom Rides were a type of nonviolent direct action designed to oppose segregation in interstate buses and bus stations. They were inspired in part by the 1960 Supreme Court decision Boynton v. Virginia, 364 U.S. 459, 81 S. Ct. 182, 5 L. Ed. 2d 206, which outlawed racial segregation in bus terminals and other places of public accommodation related to interstate transportation. Organized by CORE in 1961, the Freedom Rides were undertaken by six whites and seven blacks who rode two interstate buses from Washington, D.C., to New Orleans. Along the way, the riders deliberately violated segregation policies on the buses and in bus terminal rest rooms, waiting areas, and restaurants. The Freedom Riders were a kind of non belligerent group of black le aders designed to fight against systematic segregation and discrimination in interstate buses and bus stations in the community. They had been inspired by the Supreme Court decision in Boynton v. Virginia, which had prohibited segregation on buses and other places of public accommodation. In 1961, the Freedom Rides were tackled by 6 whites and 7 blacks who rode two interstate buses from Washington, D.C. to New Orleans. Meanwhile, the riders had knowingly violated segregation policies on the buses and in bus terminal restrooms, waiting areas, and restaurants. Dr. Kings civil disobedience behavior reached other international activist groups, who had made notably sufficient improvement in the fight for freedom for the African American community, which shows how important Martin Luther King and his firm reliance upon civil disobedience had been in the Civil Rights movement. Equivalently, as reported in another document by Donna Batten Although the 1961 Freedom Rides proceeded no farthe r than Jackson, Mississippi, they achieved their larger goal of inducing the federal government to enforce its laws. The administration of President Kennedy sent in U.S. marshals to protect the riders during the last part of their journey. An even clearer victory was achieved in September 1961 when the INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION abolished all segregated facilities in interstate transportation. Even though the 1961 Freedom Rides did not go any further than Mississippi, they produced an even bigger goal which included the federal government to enforce its laws. President Kennedy sent U.S. marshals to defend and look after the Freedom Riders during their final journey. An even bigger victory was obtained in 1969 when the ICC banned all segregated facilities in interstate transit. Dr. Martin Luther Kings leadership was a vital factor in the Civil Rights movement because the systematic segregation that had been integrated amongst the black community was gradually being banned because of Kings civil disobedience leadership influence upon the Freedom Riders and other international activist groups. Not only was his civil disobedience strategy impactful with the Freedom Riders, but was also an essential component to the success of Montgomery Bus Boycott. According to Don Cravens By the mid-1960s, the nature of the civil rights movement began to change. African Americans, who had been united in their support of activities such as the Montgomery bus boycott, began to diverge in their views over what political action should be taken to improve their situation. Members of different groups within the movement increasingly expressed their dissatisfaction with other groups. More radical groups, including the Black Muslims and black power proponents, voiced discontent with the limited goals of the civil rights movement and its advocacy of nonviolence. By the 1960s, the essence of the civil rights movement began to transform. African Americans had been undivided in their backing of activities like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and began to deviate in their perspective over what political op erations should be taken to revise their situation. Black Muslims and black power groups expressed their dissatisfaction with other groups. They also articulated discontent with narrow goals of the civil rights movement and its assistance of nonviolence. Martin Luther King changed the perspective of the Civil Rights movement by being committed to his civil disobedience leadership strategy and made prominent groups make enormous transformations as far as different approaches over what actions to take while fighting for equal rights in the black community. Likewise, according to Montgomery Bus Boycott by Don Cravens Martin Luther King Jr. achieved international recognition for his leadership of the boycott, earning particular admiration for his advocacy of nonviolent resistance. A group of southern black religious leaders who had given their support to the boycott met a few weeks after the boycott had ended and decided to establish a formal organization to coordinate civil rights effo rts throughout the South. They formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which went on to become one of the movements most visible and effective organizations. The SCLC elected King as its first president.MLK gained international recognition for his administration of the boycott, earning distinct applause for his advocacy of nonviolent resistance. Black leaders had given their full support to the boycott that MLK had started, soon after met to establish an organization to coordinate civil rights efforts throughout the South. They also formed one of the most visible and effective organizations in the Civil Rights movement. The movement elected Martin Luther King as their first president. King was responsible for making successful changes and influential groups that gained international recognition which made Martin Luther King leadership an essential component to the Civil Rights movement because of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and its successful impact upon the syste matic oppression and segregation. In addition to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Kings experience in Birmingham jail demonstrate his effectiveness in the Civil Rights movement. To give an example, K. Lee Lerner states Letter from a Birmingham Jail can be seen as one of the best justifications of nonviolence as a political strategy ever articulated. Influenced by Indian leader Mahatma Gandhis concept of satyagraha, King used love as the instrument to overthrow the violent hatred of white racists. In Birmingham, Connor was the violent racist. On May 2, hundreds of black schoolchildren, at the urging of the SCLC, marched from the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church into the arms of arresting officers. Within a week, more than 2,000 children were in police custody. Connor could not control his anger any longer. Under his command, the police turned German shepherds upon the protesters, in a scene that reminded many observers of Nazi Germany. The marchers who failed to disperse were then assaulted with high-pressure water hoses.T he infamous letter Letter from a Birmingham Jail is seen as one of the most outstanding justifications of nonviolence of a political strategy ever expressed. King was influenced by an Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, to abolish the violent hatred of racists and used love as an instrument to conquer. Martin Luther King showed the violence wasnt the only nor the right answer to gain civil rights for the black community and could be achieved through other ways like his leadership that contained nonviolence and effective outcomes which made him a necessary part of the Civil Rights movement. In agreement to K Lee Lerner, Government, politics, and protests states that The Birmingham campaign sealed Kings reputation as the outstanding moral and political leader of the Civil Rights Movement. His strategy of nonviolence had succeeded dramatically. He had turned civil rights into a national security concern. Although not the first black leader to advocate the philosophy of nonviolence, King was the first to implement it on a mass scale with evolutionary consequences The Birmingham campaign established MLKs reputation as the superior moral and political leader of the Civil Rights movement. His approach to the situation of the black community had succeeded tremendously. He revolved the civil rights into a national security concern. He wasnt the first to promote nonviolence, but King was the first to put it into action with revolutionary consequences. Martin Luther Kings prestige reputation leadership had turned the civil rights movement into something bigger than anyone could have envisioned. There were revolutionary improvement because of his unique approach to the civil rights movement. His leadership was influential and effective to reduce violent strategies and approach. Therefore, his leadership was an essential component to the civil rights movement. Besides Kings experience in Birmingham jail being able to demonstrate his effectiveness in the Civil Rights movement, prayer, was used throughout the Civil Rights Movement. Prayer before marches, speeches, and risky rallies was another way that Martin Luther King Jr was an essential part in the Civil Rights Movement. Michael Curtotti states that He drew on biblical precedents for civil disobedience to the law, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake. Human rights, as he conceived them, do not depend on the decision of any human agency. As a consequence, they can never be overridden by any human decision. It is a perspective which in the final analysis places human rights beyond the reach of any tyrant, no matter how powerful, and beyond the reach of any rationalisation offered by the powerful that claims a justification for the oppression of human beings. Martin Luther King added biblical authority to the civil disobedience to the law. Human rights did not depend on the v erdict of any human agency. As a repercussion, they can never be overridden by any human decision. It was a view of which the final analysis places human right beyond the reach of any oppressor, no matter how powerful the person. Not only did he believe that the oppressor and systematic segregation be conquered by civil disobedience but through prayer also, his leadership was an effective component in the civil rights movement. Donna Batten in a article states that Prayer was a wellspring of strength and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the movement, we prayed for greater human understanding. We prayed for the safety of our compatriots in the freedom struggle. We prayed for victory in our nonviolent protests, for brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all races, for reconciliation and the fulfillment of the Beloved Community.Martin Luther Kings prayer throughout the movement was a origin incentive. During the movement, the black community prayed for victo ry in protests and also prayed for unity of brotherhood and sisterhood among people of all ethnic backgrounds. In conclusion, during the Civil Rights movement, there was a tremendous amount of anger and desolation in the black community. The fight to end racial segregation and discrimination brought about countless numbers of destructive rampage and mass numbers of injuries and deaths in predominantly black neighborhoods. Dr. Martin Luther King believed that the key to alter and progressively make changes Prayer was believed to be a noteworthy element in the success of the Civil Rights movement but building strong relationships between those of the black community is important to make significant progress and Martin Luther King insisted on brotherhood, which made him an significant component to the success of the Civil Rights Movement. According to Martin Luther King in his American Dream speech All Im saying is simply this, that all life is interrelated. And we are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny † whatever affects one directly, affec ts all indirectly. For some strange reason I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality. I think this is the first challenge and it is necessary to meet it in order to move on toward the realization of the American Dream, the dream of men of all races, creeds, national backgrounds, living together as brothers. MLK believes that, as brothers, whatever affects one person affects all. He believed that no one could be what they ought to be or live up to their full potential if there was no unity. All men of all races must come together as one, so that one could be what they ought to be. Brotherhood was believed to be one of the most effective strategies in the civil rights movement, as it was constantly used to form activist groups, riots, peaceful sit ins, and strikes. Martin Luther Kings belief in brotherhood was an essential component in the success of the civil rights movement. In accordance with Martin Luther King, the American Dream speech also states that Beyond the calling of race or nation or creed is this vocation of sonship and brotherhood. Because I believe that the Father is deeply concerned, especially for His suffering and helpless and outcast children, I come tonight to speak for them. This I believe to be the privilege and the burden of all of us who deem ourselves bound by allegiances and loyalties which are broader and deeper than nationalism and which go beyond our nations self-defined goals and positions. We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for the victims of our nation, for those it calls enemy, for no document from human hands can make these humans any less our brothers.Martin Luther King believes that brotherhood was effective and made improvement in the process of trying to gain civil rights for the black community. In the black community was to participate in and construct non violent protests and speeches, being a social influence, writing letters that had effective results, christianity, and brotherhood which made Martin Luther King Jr. was an essential component in the success of the Civil Rights movement.