What Is the Importance of Dr. Luther King's Work?
Between 1955 and 1968, minister Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the American Civil Rights Movement's most prominent leaders . According to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, during King's brief leadership, African-American made more progress towards equality than they had in the previous 350 years.
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Nonviolence
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Although many black leaders of the time, such as Malcolm X, advocated freedom by "any means necessary," inspired by his deep Christian faith, King urged people to follow a system of nonviolent resistance which he modeled on the teachings of the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. King believed that violence only created bitterness while nonviolent efforts such as peaceful protests, boycotts and grassroots organizing created a sense of community.
Successes
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In 1955, Martin Luther King Jr. was thrust into the spotlight as the spokesman for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, an effort to end segregation on public transportation in Montgomery, Alabama .After more than a year of peaceful protest, the Bus Boycott pushed the U.S Supreme Court to outlaw segregated public transportation. In 1963, as the leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, King led a campaign to end segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. News reports depicting police brutality towards the protesters inspired a national cry for civil rights legislation. In 1963, King led the March on Washington, D.C. where he delivered the "I Have A Dream Speech." The next year, partially inspired by the march, Congress passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act which essentially outlawed segregation. In 1965, King led the March for Voting Rights between Selma and Montgomery, Alabama which inspired Congress to knock down the remaining barriers between blacks and the voting booth by passing the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
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Later Efforts
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In 1966, King and Chicago activist Al Raby began working on the problems faced by urban blacks. However, King's tactics were not as effective in the north as they'd been in the south and the Chicago Campaign yielded few results. (Ref 1 & 2) In 1967, King took a firm stance against the Vietnam War, calling for a negotiated settlement. This inspired investigations by the FBI and may have limited his ability to influence national policy but King remained steadfast in his convictions. That same year, King began working on the Poor People's Campaign, a plan to bring together people of all backgrounds in Washington, D.C to protest poverty.
Last Days
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In March 1968, King went to Memphis, Tennessee to aid sanitation workers striking for better working conditions. Unfortunately, the strike turned into a riot. After the riot, King promised to return to Memphis and a lead a nonviolent demonstration. King returned to Memphis in early April. On April 3, he told a crowd at Memphis's Charles J. Mason Temple that although he probably wouldn't see it, blacks would eventually reach what he called the Promised Land. King was assassinated the next day while standing on the balcony of his hotel. According to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, King's legacy is his use of nonviolent action as a tool for those fighting injustice and violence.
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References
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