Civil_Rights_in_the_Sixties_(Martin_Luther_King)

Civil Rights in the Sixties (Martin Luther King) University Of Phoenix Civil Rights in the Sixties (Martin Luther King) The people and events of the civil rights movement have made our lives easier today. When you walk into a public restaurant or store and use the bathroom, you have two choices, Men or Women. Imagine living 50 years ago and finding both a colored and a white person's bathroom. What if you went to get a drink and had to choose between a white or black drinking fountain. It seems hard to believe, but this was the conditions of America 50 years ago. Martin Luther King became an icon to African-American cultures. U.S. News described King as a false prophet and a dangerous radical who preached the necessity of social disruption, and increasing militancy throughout the nation. The New York Times called King the man of the year.( Herrick, Gene) Through his powerful speeches, it reflected men and women’s visions on improving America. In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King had written a letter from a Birmingham jail, voicing his opinion on the protest that was raging against racism and discrimination. He spoke about the two sides in the black community that stood in the path of justice: the middle-class whites and the angry African Americans. He warned whites that "oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever." On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King addressed the US Congress at Washington, demanding legislation to grant all Americans the same public accommodations, decent housing, adequate and integrated education and the right to vote.( Wilson, Florence) Martin Luther King inspired the crowd and addressed over 250,000 people with his famous "I have a dream" speech. He hoped that someday his children would, "live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." King had a positive attitude. He taught people to use non-violence with their mind. To stand up for what you believed in and treat people with equal respect, not by the use of his or her fists or guns. He believed through peaceful demonstrations, blacks would be able to one day achieve full equality with whites. He also helped change education and poverty in the slums of Chicago. Martin Luther King has helped are nation. Responses to American racism has dropped and is nowhere near the extremes in Martin Luther King’s times. The first major victory in the Civil Rights Movement came with the 1954 Supreme court ruling in the case of Brown vs. Board of Education. This was started because a girl named Linda Brown had to walk 21 blocks to go to a black school, when white school was so much closer. Can you imagine having to walk to a different school farther away just because you had brown hair, or green eyes' The Supreme Court decided that just because Linda Brown was black, it didn't mean she couldn't go to the white school. Immediately all the schools were integrated which remains today. The second big event happened in 1955 when Rosa Parks, a 43 year old black woman was arrested in Alabama because she refused to give up her seat near the front of the bus to a white man. (Wilson, Florence) After that, the black people got together and decided that they would not ride the buses until they stopped segregating them. This cost the bus company about 65% of its income. After more than a year of boycotting the buses, the Supreme Court once again ruled for integration. All the buses were forced to allow blacks to sit wherever they wanted. The Freedom Riders were African Americans that rode buses to the South to expose the illegal segregation practices. The people down in the South knew the laws, but many towns were still keeping blacks and white very separate. In Birmingham, Alabama, while peacefully protesting, hundreds of people were fined and imprisoned. They were put in jail just for protesting. One man put in jail was Dr. Martin Luther King. These events that started the great Civil Rights Movement are but a few of those that took place, but they took a monumental part in the move for equality. Martin Luther King had a dream that one day all people, no matter what race, would live together peacefully and equally. Although many points of this dream have been accomplished many are still lost and not fully achieved in a nation of white supremacy. The struggle we live today is with ourselves. We’re our own enemies today. We are letting his dream die more and more each day. You might of thought we helped blacks achieve equal rights such as allowing them to sit anywhere on a bus but we still have tougher problems to be dealing with. For instance, on the news, occasionally you’ll find people being prejudice against gay and lesbian rights and certain gangs at schools that only stick to their race and hate all other races. Through classroom studies, young children learn from King to judge everyone equally and not by the color of their skin because they too have feelings and personality. All races are now able to sit in the same schools and learn equally. Everyone is free to walk down the streets without the fear of racial bigotry. African Americans are allowed to hold elected offices in the US. I can easily get a job because I don’t have to worry about my skin color, disability or sex. Thanks to him he has created an environment where we can be free. If the Freedom Movement didn’t occur than I believe there would be tons of different racial opinions on cultures. There would probably be more destruction of property and homes, violence and towns wouldn’t be as wealthy. Together, we have learned that blacks and whites should be united and live together in peace. The King’s speech and freedom movement has improved our United States. We allow people to come to this country without worrying about violence due to their race. We are, “My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, and the land of the free.” “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” References Wilson, Florence. (1964, April 16). . Westide Gazzet. Retrieved from Herrick, Gene. (1956, March 19). . New York Times. Retrieved from