The Trials and Tribulations of Martin Luther King Jr
Unit 5 Project
Kaplan University
SS310-03 Exploring the 1960’s
March 25, 2010
Abstract
This paper is meant to describe the trials and tribulations as well as the influences and effects that the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. had on the 1960’s and beyond.
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929 as Michael Luther King but changed his name to Martin in 1934. King was brought up in a morally wealthy family as his grandfather and father both served as pastors. He had a B.A. from Morehouse College and a B.D. (Bachelor of Divinity) from Crozer Theological Seminary in Upland, Pennsylvania. He was elected to president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which was an active leadership group for the civil rights movement. King provided many peaceful actions including a protest in Birmingham, Alabama that he called the ‘coalition of conscience’ and led the drive for African Americans as voters. His “I Have a Dream” speech was a display of peace in front of 250,000 people in Washington, D.C. All of these events led to his receiving of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at the age of thirty five and was the youngest to ever have received such an award. Politics King registered as a Republican in 1956. His political ideologies stemmed from the fact that the Republicans of the time fought for civil rights and the Democrats, though they initially freed the slaves, contributed instead to the typical views of the civil rights movement and denied African Americans rights and privileges. The political ideologies of the Republican Party were the supporters of the anti-slavery laws, overall freedom and civil rights of the African Americans of the time. Unfortunately, the democrats of the time were against the civil rights at the start of the 1860’s and continued to be all the way through the 1960’s. Even President John F. Kennedy as a senator in 1957, voted against the civil rights act as well as
Kaplan University
SS310-03 Exploring the 1960’s
March 25, 2010
Abstract
This paper is meant to describe the trials and tribulations as well as the influences and effects that the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. had on the 1960’s and beyond.
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929 as Michael Luther King but changed his name to Martin in 1934. King was brought up in a morally wealthy family as his grandfather and father both served as pastors. He had a B.A. from Morehouse College and a B.D. (Bachelor of Divinity) from Crozer Theological Seminary in Upland, Pennsylvania. He was elected to president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which was an active leadership group for the civil rights movement. King provided many peaceful actions including a protest in Birmingham, Alabama that he called the ‘coalition of conscience’ and led the drive for African Americans as voters. His “I Have a Dream” speech was a display of peace in front of 250,000 people in Washington, D.C. All of these events led to his receiving of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at the age of thirty five and was the youngest to ever have received such an award. Politics King registered as a Republican in 1956. His political ideologies stemmed from the fact that the Republicans of the time fought for civil rights and the Democrats, though they initially freed the slaves, contributed instead to the typical views of the civil rights movement and denied African Americans rights and privileges. The political ideologies of the Republican Party were the supporters of the anti-slavery laws, overall freedom and civil rights of the African Americans of the time. Unfortunately, the democrats of the time were against the civil rights at the start of the 1860’s and continued to be all the way through the 1960’s. Even President John F. Kennedy as a senator in 1957, voted against the civil rights act as well as
References: Harrison, Brigid C., Dye, Thomas R. (2008). Power and Society. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning Farber, David (1994) Fears, Darryl, (October 19, 2006). Controversial Ad Links MLK, GOP. Retrieved on March 25, 2010 from the website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/18/AR2006101801754.html Rice, Frances, (August 16, 2006) Brunner, Borgna (n.d.) King Assassination Conspiracy Theories. Retrieved on March 26, 2010 from the website: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/mlk1.html From Nobel Lectures, Peace 1951-1970, Editor Frederick W Pianin, Eric (June 19, 2005) A Senator’s Shame. Retrieved on March 26, 2010 from the website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/18/AR2005061801105.html Black Republican History The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (n.d.) Retrieved on March 26, 2010 from the website: http://www.history.com/topics/martin-luther-king-assassination Friedman, Michael (March 31, 2008) Martin Luther King’s Dream Lives on 40 Years After His Death The I Have a Dream Speech (n.d.). Retrieved on March 27, 2010 from the website: http://www.usconstitution.net/dream.html