Martin Luther King Jr. was a strong advocate of civil and economic rights for black people in the United States. He was a black American himself, so he knew the struggles and frustrations posed by racism in the country. Segregation, slavery and lack of civil rights for people of color were devastating for them. The youth was so enraged that it became a ticking bomb ready to blast. Then came the civil rights movement, and it channelized the rage and anger in a positive direction. Martin Luther King Jr. became the face of the movement. He inspired black people to stand for their civil and economic rights and equal opportunities.

What Martin Luther King Jr. Believed?

Martin Luther King Jr. believed in non-violent movement. Moreover, he believed protests, marches, and boycotts had the potential to give the required momentum to the civil rights movement. The radical change in Martin Luther King Jr.’s thought process most probably happened at the age of 15. At this time, he spent his summers at the tobacco farm in Connecticut. He noticed how blacks and whites went to the same church and how people of color could eat anywhere. This was opposite to the culture of racism and segregation he faced back home. This was the beginning of his iconic dream. Yes, I have a dream…..

His Rise to Fame:

Martin Luther King Jr. rose to national fame when his Montgomery Improvement Association decided in favor of a boycott. They boycotted the transit system against racism in public transport. This was in response to the arrest of Rosa Parks, who refused to surrender her seat for a white passenger. Nevertheless, the segregation law of the city gave whites preference over black people while traveling. He fought till, after more than a year later, the city’s transit system recognized the civil rights of black people. The government announced the desegregation of the buses. They also withdrew the law based on racism. This must be a dream come true, but King had many more dreams for equal civil rights.

King later decides to spread his civil rights movement to the whole country. He formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1960 and lectured from this platform throughout the country. This became his channel to address the people in the United States. He inspired them to dream for equal civil and economic rights. Then he declared that “psychological moment has come when a concentrated drive against injustice can bring great, tangible gains.”

I Have a Dream Speech:

A few years of the civil rights movement and after some more incidents of sit-ins, marches, boycotts, and arrests passed. Then, came the historic moment of August 28, 1963. This protest was against the racial discrimination in schools and the workforce against the black people. They demanded Congress to pass the civil rights laws on the national level. This was the greatest highlight of the civil rights movement.

Here, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous ‘I have a dream…’ speech in front of 250,000 people in Washington DC.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. “

“I have a dream this afternoon that my four little children will not come up in the same young days that I came up within, but they will be judged based on the content of their character, not the color of their skin.”

This iconic speech holds the complete manifesto for civil and economic rights for all the citizens in the country. Equal rights mean no racism, prejudice, and any kind of bias. His movement was so effective and it hit the right chords at the right time. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964. Martin Luther King Jr. received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Nobel Peace Prize won by Martin Luther King Jr:

Martin Luther King Jr. fought for the rights of his people.  He achieved tremendous victories without firing a single bullet and a single casualty. His peaceful and non-violent civil rights movement was recognized throughout the world.  He also received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

Where Are We Today?

Martin Luther King Jr. delivered these historic lines in 1963, but these are still relevant and still inspiring. This speech remains one of the most important and the most impactful orations in the history of the United States. This clearly describes the main character we built our nation on. A national character based on no racism, equal rights, and equal opportunities for every

citizen. Have we accomplished this dream?

The answer is both yes and no. When we see the conditions in 1963 and compare it to today, things have changed only for better considering racism. The constitution of the country safeguards the civil and economic rights of all the citizens.  But then there are incidents of violence against the black people, people of different religions, immigrants and so on. If Martin Luther King Jr. was alive today, what would be his manifesto? Equal civil and economic rights for all citizens of the country, irrespective of their religion, race, or ethnicity. His ideology and his speeches are so pertinent even now. American society has to do a lot more to make it a perfect model of civilized society. As King said,

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”

This is life and we need to learn and understand things not just from our experinces but from others too. This life of King showed us several things that how he survived and still succeded. Keeping such things in mind will always keep us motivated and help in building ourselves. Going towards betterment considering someone’s else life experience is another level of success.