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Assess the Role and Impact of Martin Luther King Junior in the Civil Rights Movement

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Assess the Role and Impact of Martin Luther King Junior in the Civil Rights Movement
On November 16 2008, Barack Obama was elected as the first African American president of the United States of America, a role that is counted as one of the most powerful in the world. This wouldn’t have been possible if Martin Luther King (Jnr) didn’t fight for racial equality 50 years earlier. He played important roles in many non violent protests, such as the bus boycott, sit ins and freedom rides, but he also helped founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, serving as its first president.

In the 1955 bus boycott, the African Americans refused to use public transport for almost a year. This was lead by Martin Luther King. During the bus boycott his house was bombed and many threats and verbal abuse was thrown at him. This was the first stepping stone to racial equality, as racial segregation on public transport has been removed.

The next indecent was the sit ins. This involved black citizens to sit in white diners until they are served. As they don’t get served unless they’re in black diners, they filled up the seats; there was a loss of income for those associated with the diners. This was also lead by Martin Luther King. Within a few months desegregation occurred in diners. African Americans were finally being treated more as equals.

Martin Luther King also lead freedom rides, this had the most violence involved towards them. This was segregation of interstate traveling, both whites and blacks were active where whites would use black facilities and blacks would attempt in using white facilities. Now, the majority was desegregated, yet the ideal “separate but equal” had failed, they were now integrated and second class.

Finally, Martin Luther King lead the freedom march, a march for jobs and freedom in 1963. The march was a success. There was the minimum $2 wage applied. Blacks now had a minimum wage, just as whites, they has the same opportunity to sit where they pleased on public transport, and they we’re finally gaining the rights they disserved.

Martin Luther King had a great influence on racial equality, and modern day society. Today, America has the first African American president, and blacks and whites are treated as equals. In 1963 hundreds game to watch him present his “I have a dream” speech. Martin Luther King was a very influential African American who helped to improve modern day society.

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