Martin Luther King Jr.

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Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. not only spoke with purpose but also with a style unlike any others. He was an inspirational speaker and a motivational leader. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., due to his importance in the civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's, motivated masses with his tremendous speeches and actions. Dr. King utilized his charisma and inspirational tactics to change the views and beliefs of a nation and to lead his people throughout their course of the civil rights movement. His personality consisted of every good characteristic needed of a leader. He was sensible at all times and his ability to clearly state his ideas and thoughts surrounding peace and equality in the United States. There were other rights movements going on at the same time that Dr. King was leading his peaceful rights movements. The Black Panthers and other militant groups, some under Malcolm X's philosophy, often time would question King's leadership. King spoke in an eloquent manner and his ability to persuade and inspire is rivaled by none. Martin Luther King Jr. lived an exemplary life and although it culminated in his assassination, the strides that Dr. King made for the civil rights movement and his numerous speeches that inspired a nation such as his “I have a dream…” speech, should never be forgotten nor ignored. The “I have a dream…” speech is one of the most powerful speeches ever and is a main focus of the life of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King was born on January 15th, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. Martin was the second child in the family whose parents were the Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Alberta Williams King. He was the first son of the family, and his older sister was named Christine King. His actual real name was Michael Luther King, but “he was renamed "Martin" when he was about 6 years old” (Seattle). King's education is one of the normal sorts for a child growing up in the mid 1900's. He went through the regular educational system. Until his junior year, Martin Luther King was always an above average student, but once his junior year hit he received excellent marks on his college entrance exams which granted him admittance to Morehouse College an entire year earlier that expected. Also, Martin Luther King was so above average in his earlier years that he also skipped the ninth grade entirely...

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...eaks in the same manner as always when he declares,

“Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor in America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours” (King 1967).

King was one for peace, whether it is on the home front, in the home, at the workplace, or around the world. He tried to limit the amount of trouble in the world. He was monumental in changing the views of a nation and helping to end segregation, inequality, and discrimination in the United States. Such a man who has caused such great change as King has, should be respected, admired, and given gratitude by all for his undying efforts to end the oppression that African Americans had been dealing with for hundreds of years.

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