He Had a Dream

He Had a Dream

He Had a Dream Kings nonviolent teachings were mainly influenced by Mohandas Gandhi. King, like Gandhi believed that “social problem can be solved without resorting to primitive methods of violence.” (Martin Luther King, 1958, Peace News) While King was in Theology school, he thought the only way to solve the problems the black community were facing was through armed revolt. That is until he read the teaching of Gandhi did he change his point of view. “As I read, I became deeply fascinated by his campaigns of nonviolent resistance. As I delved deeper into the philosophy of Gandhi, my skepticism concerning the power of love gradually diminished, and I came to see for the first time its potency in the area of social reform." (Martin Luther King Jr. unknown date) In response to Rosa Parks being arrested for not giving up her seat on the bus, the black residence or Montgomery Alabama started a boycott of the transit system in 1955 that had lasted a year. They elected Martin Luther King Jr. as their leader, the president of the Montgomery Improvement Association. The MIA had only three demands, if accepted would have ended the boycott sooner; first-come, first serve seating, drivers be more civil to black passengers, and that black drivers be hired for predominately black routes. These demands were never met. The MIA conducted a meeting, and came to the decision to continue the boycott. Meanwhile, Rosa Parks’ court case had made it to the Supreme Court, when the Court ruled that Alabama segregation laws were unconstitutional. During the protest King faced many hardships. His house was bombed, he was arrested several times under false pretences, he was being sued for various reasons, and received many threats against his life. However, he endured all of this, and become very well known across the country. Sadly, on April 4th 1968 Marin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis Tennessee. He was there to lead a march...

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