Essay On Martin Luther King

1600 Words4 Pages

Charles Baldwin Mrs. Sola English December 18, 2013 Martin Luther King Jr. On January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King and Alberta Williams King became the parents of a small child who eventually grew up to be one of the most influential individuals in the country. His name was Michael—better known as Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted to convince Americans to join the civil rights cause. While he was doing this, he became one of the most important leaders of the American Civil Rights movement. He encouraged people to disobey laws that were not fair and to accept the punishments for them. He wanted to stand up for the rights of African American people. It wasn’t an easy journey for him and although he didn’t bring an end to racial discrimination by himself, he overcame many challenges and was a major part in leading America in the right direction. King grew up in what is known today as the "Williams House" named after his grandfather, Reverend A.D. Williams. The house was originally built in 1895 but Williams and his wife bought it in 1909. The community that King was born and raised in had an ordinary social status. Nobody had a lot of money. Most of the people in the neighborhood were African Americans. In his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, people who were rich lived in a part of town called as "Hunter Hills." The people in his community as well as his own family were considered middle class. Martin Luther King was also born a little bit before the Great Depression began, so growing up, he and his family were financially affected. King was highly influenced by his family roots in the African-American Baptist church. He attended Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. This was where many African Americans ... ... middle of paper ... ...mined man, Martin Luther King was by far the most influential person in American history. He was fearless and fought for equal rights through speeches, marches and protests. He knew that his strong attitude and opinion on civil rights would cause many people to dislike him, but he didn’t care and continued to fight for African American rights. He has affected my life as well as the life my future children will live. I don’t live in a world of segregation and I’m not treated any differently than a white person because of his braveness to speak out. I am allowed to eat in the same restaurants, use the same public water fountains and bathrooms, ride the same buses and go to the same schools as a white person. If it wasn’t for him, that might not have been possible. His actions showed that one person can impact the country with a lot of effort and a humble attitude.

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