To what extent was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. able to escalate the Civil Rights Movement using Gandhi’s philosophies?
Criterion B: introduction The introduction should explain succinctly the significance and context of the topic, why it is worthy of investigation and, where appropriate, how the research question relates to existing knowledge. It should not be used for lengthy, irrelevant background material.
Introduction:
Sixty-one years ago in the southern United States racial tension had reached its peak and inequality of the races was no longer going to be tolerated. The Civil Rights Movement began with the Supreme Court ruling of Brown vs. Board of Education, which occurred in Topeka, Kansas. This ruling would overturn the former Supreme
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Court Ruling known as Plessy vs. Ferguson which stated that a “separate but equal” segregation of the races was constitutional. This now meant that segregation in the schools was unlawful and that the government recognized that separation and segregation does not allow for equality. Although the federal government was moving progressively forward the Southern United States remained in their ways with the lasting effects of the Jim Crow laws still remaining in their communities. African Americans in the south, in such places as Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi felt the brunt of the inequality and indiscrimination. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man born in Atlanta, Georgia who grew up with racial tension and inequality who became the leader of the Civil Rights Movement in America.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a significant leader because of his philosophies and beliefs, such as the triple evils and the six principles of nonviolence. These beliefs stem from and closely resemble Mahatma Gandhi’s eleven vows that he was introduced to while completing his studies to be a minister. Which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was able to escalate the Civil Rights Movement These being Ahisma meaning nonviolence, Satya meaning truth, Brahmacharya meaning self discipline, Aparigraha meaning non-possession, Sharirshrama meaning Bread Labor, Sarvatra Bhayavarjana meaning Fearlessness, and Sparshbhavana meaning removing of untouchability. Mahatma Gandhi was also a great leader, as he became the leader of the Indian Independence movement from British control.This topic is worth investigating because so many of the world’s conflicts today revolve around violence, and violence is the way that many conflicts seem to be solved around the world. While both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi were two of the most powerful leaders in the world who never once raised a hand in violence and were able to overcome some of the harshest oppression. Both the men were greatly revered as radical thinkers and won highly sought after awards as both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
and Mahatma Gandhi won “Time” Magazine Man of the year in 1930 and while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize Mahatma Gandhi was nominated five times for the award and the committee publicly announced their regret for his losses. While both brave men were highly revered with their radical and and peaceful movements they also drew hate from their oppressors and were both assassinated for their power and beliefs. Although Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. never directly met Mahatma Gandhi the direct connections and line of inspiration is clear. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. did however travel to India in 1959…. The events that occurred in Selma, Alabama exponentially escalated the Civil Rights Movement. Selma was the perfect stage for the next part of the Civil Rights Movement as only one percent of Dallas County's eligible African Americans were registered to vote. (PBS) While Selma also provided hissable villains, such as segregationist governor George Wallace and atavistic white supremacists led by the Sheriff Jim Clark. (King) The campaigning for voting rights of African Americans began during January of 1965. The first nonviolent tactic King implemented was to begin taking African Americans to the courthouse to register to vote. Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis, a SNCC activist led 400 blacks to the Sheriff Clark’s courthouse to register. As expected their requests were denied and proved the injustice that African Americans in Alabama were facing. While Martin Luther King Jr. was checking into the hotel that him and his fellow activists would be staying in he was met with oppression and violence by a white man who struck Dr. King on the head. Dr. King continuing his vow of Ahisma simply stayed put without retaliating which had allowed his campaign to advance as he was a leader who followed the beliefs that he preached to so many others. Again Dr. King took many more to register to vote and while doing so he was arrested for parading without a permit and taken to jail. After Dr. King was released Montgomery led to the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and 1960; Birmingham inspired the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Selma produced the voting rights legislation of 1965’’ (King, 11 August 1965). http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/wallace/peopleevents/pande08.html
When a person, who is a citizen of this country, thinks about civil rights, they often they about the Civil Rights Movement which took place in this nation during mid 11950s and primarily through the 1960s. They think about the marches, sit-ins, boycotts, and other demonstrations that took place during that period. They also think about influential people during that period such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Medgar Evers, John Lewis, Rosa parks, and other people who made contributions during that movement which change the course of society's was of life in America. In some people view, the Civil Rights Movement began when the Supreme Court rendered their decision in Brown vs. Education, or when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Bus and the Montgomery Bus-Boycott began. However, the Civil Rights Movement had already begun in several cities in the South. This was the case for the citizens of African descent of the city of Tuskegee.
"an unjust law is no law at all."- quote by St. Augustine who was an Christian theologian and philosopher, whose writings influenced the development of Western Christianity. Martin Luther King Jr. was a baptist minister and civil rights leader that made advancements for civil rights peacefully, exclusively for African Americans in America. Mohandas Gandhi was a non-violent leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule. Accordingly, both MLK Jr. and Gandhi were leaders for civil rights that practiced and preached non-violent approaches for their freedom.Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi were both valid in their judgment to break the law for their peaceful protests.
The civil rights movement, by many people, is though to have happened during the 1950's and 1960's. The truth of the matter is that civil right has and always will be an ongoing issue for anyone who is not of color. The civil rights movement started when the black slave started arriving in America centuries ago. The civil rights movement is one of the most known about issues in American history. Everyone at some point in their life has studied this movement. This movement is particularly interesting due to the massive amounts of different stories and occurrences through the course of the movement. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a vital figurehead to this movement. He inspired many people who had lived their whole lives in the shadow of fear of change.
The Civil Rights Movement refers to the political, social, and economical struggle of African Americans to gain full citizenship and racial equality. Although African Americans began to fight for equal rights as early as during the days of slavery, the quest for equality continues today. Historians generally agree that Civil Rights Movement began with the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 and ended with the passing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
The 1950s was a great success for the civil rights movement; there were a number of developments which greatly improved the lives of black people in America and really started the civil rights movement, as black people became more confident and willing to fight for their cause. The first big development of the ‘50s came almost immediately at the turn of the decade, when the Supreme Court essentially overturned the verdict reached in the Plessy vs. Ferguson trial of 1896. Thanks to the NAACP lawyers, the Supreme Court made three decisions regarding civil rights which not only showed that at times the government was on the black side, but also almost completely overturned the ‘separate but equal’ idea that had been followed for 54 years. The next big step in the civil rights movement came in 1954, with the BROWN vs. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA case, where Thurgood Marshall, representing Brown, argued that segregation was against the 4th Amendment of the American constitution.
The Civil Rights Movement is one of the most important events of the history of the United States. Although many people contributed to this movement, Martin Luther King, Jr., is widely regarded as the leader of the movement for racial equality. Growing up in the Deep South, King saw the injustices of segregation first hand. King’s studies of Mahatma Ghandi teachings influenced his views on effective ways of protesting and achieving equality. Martin Luther King’s view on nonviolence and equality and his enormous effect on the citizens of America makes him the most influential person of the twentieth century.
The Civil Rights Movement had a lot going on between 1954 and 1964. While there were some successful aspects of the movement, there were some failures as well. The mixture of successes and failures led to the extension of the movement and eventually a more equal American society.
Comparing the Civil Disobedience of Martin Luther King Jr., Henry David Thoreau, and Mohandas Gandhi
The Civil Rights Movement began in order to bring equal rights and equal voting rights to black citizens of the US. This was accomplished through persistent demonstrations, one of these being the Selma-Montgomery March. This march, lead by Martin Luther King Jr., targeted at the disenfranchisement of negroes in Alabama due to the literacy tests. Tension from the governor and state troopers of Alabama led the state, and the whole nation, to be caught in the violent chaos caused by protests and riots by marchers. However, this did not prevent the March from Selma to Montgomery to accomplish its goals abolishing the literacy tests and allowing black citizens the right to vote.
Martin Luther King Jr was one of the most beloved and one of the most hated men of his time. The legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. is embodied in these two simple words: equality and nonviolence. He believed that Gandhi’s method of nonviolent resistance was the key to overcoming evil (The Archive, 1968). King was involved in many nonviolent protests including the Montgomery bus boycott, The Albany movement, and the Birmingham campaign. He also wrote many speeches and writings that changed the way people thought about others. In one of his most famous speeches, I Have A Dream, King says, “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” He is basically saying that anger and revenge will actually do the opposite of setting you free. The hatred in your heart will never satisfy
Later, however, they accepted Gandhi’s principle, stating that any retaliation or violence was hurtful and could not be justified. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's success with nonviolent activism, Martin Luther King Jr. pushed forward his Civil Rights Movement with nonviolent activism as well. Although the two have personally never had contact, Dr. King learned of Gandhi's discipline while in the seminary. His first application of the nonviolent campaign came in 1955 during the Montgomery bus boycott. Here, he witnessed firsthand the power of a peaceful protest.
Mohandas Gandhi is an Indian lawyer and a spiritual leader that led a successful nonviolent resistance movement against the British colonial power. “The tactic of nonviolence civil disobedience in the Civil Rights Movement was deeply influenced by the model of Mohandas Gandhi, (...) Gandhi 's approach of non-violent civil disobedience involved provoking authorities by breaking the law peacefully, to force those in power to acknowledge existing injustice and bring it to an end”. (1) “Provoking authorities by breaking the law peacefully” this is an example of how nonviolent disobedience allows the message to stay focused and reach the point where people in power cannot ignore. Violent actions draw the media away from the message and fuels the rich and powerful; those who hide behind barriers in order to mute the underprivileged. An example of underprivileged people is African American’s during the 1950s who were treated like second class citizens. “Laws separated people of color from whites in schools, housing, jobs, and public gathering places”. (3) The types of methods used to fight against segregation are, “One of the ways African American communities fought legal segregation was through direct action protests, such as boycotts, sit-ins, and mass civil disobedience”. (1) This is how nonviolent disobedience is fought
Throughout his education, Martin Luther King Jr. tried to find a way to demonstrate his belief of racial equality with the most effective means possible. He quickly realized that the best strategy to end segregation was to use nonviolent forms of protest. At Crozer, Morehouse and Boston University, he studied the teaching of Mohandas Gandhi, who used nonviolent methods to help India claim its independence from Britain. King read several books on the ideas of Gandhi, and eventually became convinced that his methods could be employed by African Americans to obtain equality in America. King knew that any violence on the part of African Americans would lead to violent responses from segregationists, which would lead to injury or maybe even death for his followers. He had to teach his followers not to respond violently to cruel attacks from segregationists. King decided to sponsor workshops to train African Americans in nonviolent beh...
Historically, the Civil Rights Movement was a time during the 1950’s and 60’s to eliminate segregation and gain equal rights. Looking back on all the events, and dynamic figures it produced, this description is very vague. In order to fully understand the Civil Rights Movement, you have to go back to its origin. Most people believe that Rosa Parks began the whole civil rights movement. She did in fact propel the Civil Rights Movement to unprecedented heights but, its origin began in 1954 with Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka. Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka was the cornerstone for change in American History as a whole. Even before our nation birthed the controversial ruling on May 17, 1954 that stated separate educational facilities were inherently unequal, there was Plessy vs. Ferguson in 1896 that argued by declaring that state laws establish separate public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. Some may argue that Plessy vs. Ferguson is in fact backdrop for the Civil Rights Movement, but I disagree. Plessy vs. Ferguson was ahead of it’s time so to speak. “Separate but equal” thinking remained the body of teachings in America until it was later reputed by Brown vs. Board of Education. In 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, and prompted The Montgomery Bus Boycott led by one of the most pivotal leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. After the gruesome death of Emmett Till in 1955 in which the main suspects were acquitted of beating, shooting, and throwing the fourteen year old African American boy in the Tallahatchie River, for “whistling at a white woman”, this country was well overdo for change.
This movement started in centuries-long attempts by African slaves to resist slavery. After the Civil War, American slaves were given basic civil rights. However, even though these rights were guaranteed under the Fourteenth Amendment, they were not federally enforced. The struggle these African-Americans faced to have their rights federally enforced carried into the next century. Through non-violent protests, the civil rights movement of the 1950 and 1960’s led to most public facilities being segregated by race in the southern states....