The Impact of Martin Luther King on American Civil Rights

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on 15th January 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia – one of the countries southernmost states. Luther’s family consisted of three children while both of his parents were heavily involved with the Ebenezer Baptist Church. Luther’s parents were paid relatively high income compared to other African-American people at the time due to their high positions within the church’s clergy. Consequently, Luther and his siblings received better education compared other African-American children, however they were still at the mercy of the Jim Crow Laws. These laws were especially prevalent within the Southern states, including Georgia, where King was brought up. These racially prejudicial laws dictated the segregation between races, within all institutions including school, shops, restaurants and hospitals just to name a few. Luther often recalled the instance where his family attended a shoe store and was quickly taken to the rear exit of the shop after the storeowner denied service to black people. Due to such laws Martin Luther King experienced segregation within his schooling, attending an African-American only school. At the beginning of his schooling, he did not achieve academic excellence, rather this came during his time at high school. Martin Luther King Jr. progressed through the latter years of his schooling quickly and showed many signs of brightness. King even travelled to other cities with Georgia for competitions, in which he came second in a speech righting contest. However, on the returning trip to Atlanta, King was forced to stand on the bus while Caucasian people sat. While Luther came from a financially stable family, they were not immune to the injustices faced by all other African-American people. Luther grew up in the south, a region generally considered more racist than the north. These experiences combined with King’s strong morals taught by his spiritual family led Martin Luther King Jr. to a life of social activism and ultimately his remarkable impact on civil rights within the US.

There is no doubt that Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most notable civil rights activists of the 20th century. Compared to other activists at the time, such as Malcolm X, King believed that the movement required non-violent protesting, therefore, becoming a strong advocate for such method of protesting. His actions paved the way for others to follow, eventually, allowing for the collective unification of both African-American and white people within many institutions as a result of causing legislative change. Throughout his career he organised many peaceful protests and other notable events including the Montgomery Bus Boycott and delivering the famous, “I have a dream” speech. These key moments throughout Martin Luther King’s career, portrayed him as pillar of strength and leadership for many African-American people within the movement.

King’s first major action for American civil rights included the Alabama’s Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. The majority of buses within Alabama did not allow for black people to sit at the front of buses, rather they were racially segregated to the back of the bus. This first instance of Martin Luther King’s significant involvement placed him in the public light, with many people choosing to support him. King’s actions forced the government to amend the laws that allowed racial segregation. He did so by putting economic pressure upon the bus industry, therefore, leading to the aforementioned changes.

The inarguably most significant event of Martin Luther King Jr’s career occurred in 1963 where he collaboratively organised the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom which demanded a minimum wage for all workers to be implemented within law to address the ongoing racism within the workforce and educational institutions. The march consisted of a couple hundred thousand people, predominately African-Americans and other allies. This significant occasion forced social reform and many historians believe that the delivery of King’s ‘I have a dream speech’, captivated the nation, therefore, putting even more pressure upon the government to address the disparity between races. Key quotes from the speech included, the statement, “I say to you my friends, that despite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream,” and “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.”

While Martin Luther King Jr. was a symbol of hope for many American’s, his words and actions challenged the racially bigoted, eventually leading to his murder in 1968 . Even in death King was recognised as a strong, resilient, hopeful leader that inspired social change and contributed to the advancement of African-American people within society and law. Throughout his years of activism, social and legal reforms such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights act of 1965, Immigration and Nationality Services Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 were all passed by government and recognised nationally. These acts advanced African American people within law and challenged historic laws advocating for inhumane treatment of black people. These many actions awarded King the Nobel Peace Prize and the US Public holiday coined the Martin Luther King Jr. Day.