How Did Martin Luther King Influence

MLK: The Influential Voice Approximately one hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation, southern states continued to oppress African Americans. In 1954, the United States Supreme Court struck down the “separate but equal” doctrine which allowed racial segregation. This decision received attention world-wide. For ten years, various civil rights activists decided to protest the “separate but equal” doctrine hoping to make a change. Rosa Parks, Malcom X, Andrew Goodman, and others decided to fight the system of segregation for freedom and equality. Although there were many civil rights activists who risked their lives for the cause, there was one particular leader who captured the hearts of many through his peaceful demeanor and eloquent
speeches. That person was Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King studied the teachings of Gandhi.
He learned that peaceful protests resulted in India winning freedom without firing a gun and that “hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” King became an advocate for peaceful protests because he saw how it worked for Gandhi. Martin Luther King evoked empathy from many people because as he advocated non-violence and passive civil disobedience to push for political change, he suffered much violent resistance. Regardless, Martin Luther King was dedicated to winning the fight for equal rights without the use of violence. He was more interested in changing the system that oppressed the minorities rather than the individuals who were caught up in what the system believed. Martin Luther King’s intention was not to humiliate the White community, but enlighten them on how the system created the injustice of segregation. Therefore, in order to make his points appear valid and evoke sympathy, peace and love became the heart of his civil rights
movement. Martin Luther King was a Baptist minister who received his Doctorate in Theology from Boston College and became a pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. “From the beginning of his career, Martin Luther King embraced his prophetic role attaching it both to his work for racial equality and his broader advocacy of peace and economic justice.” He was devoted to his cause and was willing to suffer for justice. Throughout his life, he was confronted by violence. There were many white southerners who hated and feared him. They were offended that his speeches included a God that was not a God just for white people, but for all people. The white southerners did not want to hear that God would want equality and that all men were created equal. Hearing these ideas were foreign to many white southerners who looked at African Americans as inferior. King’s family was threatened, his house was bombed, and he was stabbed. Even with this violence against him, he told the people “remember if I am stopped this movement will not be stopped because God is with this movement.” He never reacted violently, but continued to preach love and peace. His essential message was that race, color, creed, and nationality did not matter; what mattered was who a person was on the inside. Martin Luther King used persuasive, repetitive language in his speeches to emphasize the racism that existed.
His speeches focused on African Americans being treated as human beings, not just simply being recognized as black people. He used the bible in many of his speeches to argue against segregation. By using repetition and rhymes, people would remember King’s speeches with a sense of inclusion which created the feeling that they were all in it together. HE used emotional language in his “I Have a Dream” and “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speeches which evoked sympathy from not only African Americans, but other races. He appealed to many people of different races, nationalities, and genders with one common, powerful idea; we are all created
equal. History has shown that the methods used by Martin Luther King were more effective in creating change. His non-violent approach created less radical reactions. He used passive ways to address his message. King knew that in order to succeed in gaining civil rights for African Americans, he would need to appeal to all people. After three hundred days of continuous peaceful protests, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation on public transport was unconstitutional. Peace, resistance to violence, and being persistent made Martin Luther King different from other civil rights leaders.