Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was America's greatest civil rights activist as well as a truly courageous and honorable human being. He broke barriers and fought for equality, dignity, and mankind. He was a true visionary of his time.

Martin Luther King Jr. made a huge impact on society. He tried to change peoples prejudices of African- Americans. He learned from great people in the past such as Mohandas Gandhi and used Gandhi's idea of non-violent protest to make his point.

Martin Luther King Jr. first rose to prominence when police arrested a black women named Rosa Parks who refused to to give up her seat on a bus on December 1st 1955. King took lead in the Montgomery Bus Boycott which took place between December 5th 1955 and December 20th 1956. This boycott was a non-violent protest which aimed to stop racial segregation on public transport. Blacks refused to use public transport an action that was extremely detrimental to the city;s economy. Martin Luther King Jr. succeeded in this boycott, but his house was bombed as a result. King's dedication to his beliefs was evident when he continued to lead the civil rights movement. In 1961 the FBI began wire tapping King because they feared that the communists were trying to infiltrate the civil rights movement. However after no evidence of a communist infiltration the FBI used King's tapes to try to force him out of his leadership position

The quotation “We can glimpse the future by standing on the shoulders of giants” directly correlates with Martin Luther King Jr.'s life. His vision to see an equal America has come true today. Todays society proves King's vision because we have numerous African American leaders who influence our lives such as Condoleza Rice (Secretary Of State), Colin Powell (former Chief Of Staff), and Oprah Winfrey (TV icon and philanthropist). King's “I Have A Dream” speech states his goals for