Martin Luther King Jr.: A Resolute Beacon for Equality

One man stood resolute in the face of millions, staring into the sneering eyes of his foes and accepting smiles of his allies. He took the podium, gazing up into the sky, hoping for guidance from his spiritual forefathers. The efforts of hundreds and the sacrifices of thousands all stood upon this proclamation. A vicious vacuum sucked out the surrounding air in a savage vortex as he fatefully declared, “I have a dream”. This man, Martin Luther King Jr., was one of countless many who stood for equal rights. Although there are also those who stood just as firm for the same cause, he stands out as my role model for three main reasons.

Martin Luther King Jr. was renowned for his speaking talent. Able to project and pronunciate a deep, solemn

voice, he was sure to leave a lasting impact on his crowds. However, even without an exceptional education, his use of literary devices, such as repetition and figurative language, was far from lacking. His talent was first recognized in the Baptist churches of Atlanta, Georgia, where he worked as a Baptist minister; not only could he declare with power, he could sing, shout, and convince all at the same time. This talent served as the catalyst in his following battles with black segregation. Yet, it wasn’t the sole reason for his powerful voice. King grew up in poverty, and despite his parents’ desperate attempts, they couldn’t shield him from the spears of racism. Fortunately, this only further empowered his feelings against segregation. With the tool of a cogent voice and the weapons of emotion, King’s talent was admirable, but its influence aren’t nearly as exemplary as the effort he put into his work.
Upon hearing the cries of his fellow men in the midst of black segregation, Martin Luther King Jr. knew God’s calling for him. By the time he had inherited the role of minister from his family, he had already grown a - highly uncharacteristic - hatred for black segregation; it is likely that his religious education boosted this passion as well. Subsequently, when crowds of blacks came storming to him for his guidance, he had been prepared. For the next decade, King devoted his life to this new cause. Together with his family, friends, and followers, they joined the Civil Rights Movement. Slowly by surely, the movement gained momentum. Other notable activists, such as Malcolm X, joined the cause as well. Change was imminent. Nonetheless, King’s iconic rebellion was different than those of other activists. Malcolm X, for example, was known to speak with an insistent, tenacious ferocity. On the other hand, King, who had been inspired by another activist, the peaceful Mahatma Gandhi, followed his role model’s wisdom and only led peaceful revolts through merely marching and insisting that justice should be served. Thus, these efforts were quintessential for King’s image, but they don’t have nearly the lasting impact that his final act did.
After obtaining justice for America and abolishing black segregation, Martin Luther King Jr.

reached an untimely death. On April 4, 1968., in Memphis, Tennessee, King was assassinated by firearm. This act was voluntarily and purposefully committed in the hopes that the activist movement would end. On quite the contrary, this lethal crime only fueled the movement more, raising explosive riots from the peaceful homes of Georgia to the wild streets of Alabama. Carrying on King’s dying will, fellow activists fought a four-year battle until the Senate finally agreed and passed the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972. However, his legacy didn’t end there. For four decades now, Americans have mourned the death of King on a day now known as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. His dream of an American nation of unity and justice still prevail in today’s teachings and beliefs. Ergo, his influence was evident in both the world of the past and still is in the world of today.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy makes him the perfect role model for me. Through his personal virtues and qualities, King exploited his talent for speaking, devoted himself to changing the world through a fervent cause, and risked his life until the end. It’s for these reasons that King undeniably dwells in the hearts of all Americans regardless of race or color. Yet, at the very least, he remains in

mine.