Heed Their Rising Voices Analysis

The advertisement ‘Heed Their Rising Voices’ was published in the New York Times on Tuesday, March 29, 1960, as a protest of how African American people were treated at the time, and the cruel treatment of African American children in schools.
The 1960s was a bad time for African Americans, due to segregation and prejudice between people. There were “white only” food counters and movie theaters, and a person could be arrested just by what color their skin was. A person could have to walk past many restaurants because they wouldn’t let African Americans eat or even be in the building. Often when African Americans were arrested it was a case of ‘Guilty Until Proven Innocent’. Sometimes even after proven innocent, they were still treated as if they were guilty.
Many people were tired of being treated this way, and started a movement, which was lead by Martin Luther King Jr. The people had put a full page advertisement in the New York Times to spread awareness of what was happening and to gather support. The advertisement read:
“As the whole world knows by now,

King’s peaceful protests with intimidation and violence. They have bombed his home almost killing his wife and child. They have assaulted his person. They have arrested him seven times-for “speeding.” “loitering” and similar “offenses.” And now they have charged with “perjury”-a I under which they could imprison him for ten years. Obviously, their real purpose is to remove him physically as the leader to whom the students and millions of others—look for guidance and support, and thereby to intimidate all leaders who may rise in the South. Their strategy is to behead this affirmative movement, and thus to demoralize Negro Americans and weaken their will to struggle. The defense of Martin Luther King, spiritual leader of the student sit-in movement, clearly, therefore, is an integral part of the total struggle for freedom in the