How Did Martin Luther King Influence The Civil Rights Movement

Martin Luther King Jr., also called MLK, Reverend King, or Luther King, was an influential figure in during the 1900’s and in today’s society was known for his efforts during the Civil Rights Movement. During this time he became an American Baptist minister, and activist for combating racial inequality, and he was one of the most visible spokespersons and leaders during the Civil Rights Movement. He is best known among many individuals for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent tactics and civil disobedience based upon the foundation of his Christian beliefs. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. His parents were Reverend Martin Luther King Sr. (1899-1984), and Alberta Williams King
was born as the middle child, between an older sister named, Willie Christine King, and a younger brother named, Alfred Daniel Williams King. When Martin Luther King Jr. was a child, he became friends with a young white boy whose father owned a business near his family’s home. When they reached the age of six, King had to attend a school for African-American children and the other boy attended a school for white children. Martin Luther King Jr. and the boy lost their friendship for this reason and because the boy’s parents did no longer wanted the two of them to play together. Martin Luther King Jr. suffered from depression for the majority of his childhood and his life. During his childhood, he initially felt anger toward white people due to racial humiliation that he, his family, his friends, and his neighbors often had to endure during this time period in the South. During this time period, large amounts of segregation was in place, and there was little interaction between black people and white people. Due to these feelings of depression, at the age of twelve, shortly after his grandmother passed away, Martin Luther King Jr. blamed himself and tried to kill himself by jumping out a second-story window. He did not succeed in killing himself as he survived and proceeded to do great things in his
attended Booker T. Washington High School. During this time he became known for his public speaking abilities and maintained a place on the school’s debate team. During his junior year in high school, he won a first place prize in an oratorical contest held by the Negro Elks Club in Dublin, Georgia. While he was returning to Atlantic by means of public transportation, he and the teacher with him were ordered to stand so two white passengers could sit down. King initially refused to stand, but he soon complied after he was told that he was breaking the law by remaining seated. King claimed during this event that he was the, “angriest I have ever been in my life” (CITE). As a very intelligent student, Martin Luther King Jr. skipped both his ninth and twelfth grades of high