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Civil Rights Movement Essay

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The Civil Rights movement starting in the 1950’s aimed to fight against racial segregation, discrimination that was rooted in slavery. During the civil rights movement, several protests occurred. In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery Alabama for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. Rosa Park’s arrest sparked outcry for an economic strike against the city. Dr. Martin Luther King, a young preacher that advocated for nonviolent protest in search of social justice then gave a speech in favor of the boycotts. This speech sparked the Montgomery bus boycott, which lasted a year until the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the law was unconstitutional. The height of the civil rights movement came on August …show more content…

There are several messages throughout the speech which are explicit. King addresses the status of black Americans as secondary citizens stating, “There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights.” King is saying that these protests will never end until black people have the same rights as white people. King made his statements very clear, with no room for misunderstanding. King’s argument was based around the foundation of America, comparing the constitution to a promissory note. King states, “This note was the promise that all, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” King argued that the constitution guaranteed black Americans the same rights as all Americans, therefore the government needs to step in to protect these …show more content…

King spoke about some of his real-life experiences as a Black man. There is no question that a white man from that time would have differing experiences, and therefore produce a different speech. King’s position as a preacher also shapes his argument stating that “Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. Considering the circumstances that black Americans faced, it is highly likely that many were tempted to turn to violence to encourage political change. King stayed with his religious values, and his beliefs to create his own

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The Emancipation Proclamation signed by the same great American serves as a fundament for the freedom of all colored citizens of the United States. That is why Mr. King intentionally refers to the significance of this document. He also references the Declaration of Independence to evoke authority into his speech. King also quotes the “unalienable rights” for “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. He is stating that the American government has neglected

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In the speech King shows in this quote that the Negroes should be free. “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic

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King didn’t just use an emotional approach during his “I Have a Dream” speech, but he also uses a logical approach. He uses a lot of emphasize about how after a century, the negro is still not free. Also, it might be a long time before the negro can be freed. King talks about how he has a lot of dreams for the world, and although not all of them will become true, at least some might. He wants everyone to be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.

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King’s letter is full of powerful and motivating quotes. King explained the topic of freedom and how it was difficult for the African Americans to achieve, he stated: “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed” (68). The African Americans, specifically the leaders, went through extremely tough and painful experiences. According to King, for the African Americans to achieve freedom they had to fight for it, because the oppressors refused to give freedom to their victims. King knew this because of the many different painful experiences him and the other leaders experienced to receive their

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King stated that the black community has waited long enough. “We have waited for more than three hundred and forty years for our constitutional and God-given rights” (King 5). These are rights that everyone should have yet people had been neglected of them just because of their skin color. Other countries were making progress while they were stuck on an unnecessary issue. King uses a great analogy to explain this “The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jet-like speed toward the goal of political independence, and we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward the gaining of a cup of coffee at a lunch counter” (King 6).

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In a sense, they give up their individualistic thinking and think as a group. King questions the kind of people that voted for these laws and if they were intended to be for the good of the people. In the social contract, the government is legitimate if consented by the people. In this case, the government would serve to protect but King questions if the laws were democratically elected and states that because African Americans weren’t able to vote for such a government, they have no obligation to obey such

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He speaks in a measured and deliberate manner, conveying the gravity of the atrocities he is discussing. In contrast, King's speech is more celebratory and hopeful, reflecting the optimism and energy of the civil rights movement. This is shown through the quote “I say to you today, my friends, though, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.” (King

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Numerous laws are morally right, while other laws are completely illogical and aren’t morally right. He also exercises the importance of “Now”, why it’s important that they are given equal rights “Now”. King states he has heard “ The word “Wait!” and “It has ringed in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity,” along with “This wait has almost always meant ‘Never,” therefore “Justice too long delayed is justice denied.” (Page 275, para. 13).

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By depicting a future in which everyone is treated equally regardless of race. He appeals to the emotions of his audience. In order to foster a sense of solidarity and shared suffering. He also discusses his own experiences as well as those of other African Americans. King made a strong speech and his rhyming passionate delivery helped make the gravity of his message clear.

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We live in a world with currently many conflicts from the racial disparity in high incarceration rates to gun violence and the war over gun rights. In his letter, King describes that Black Americans have no identity and that the oppressed cannot remain oppressed forever. King implies that they cannot be told to “wait for justice” because if they simply

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The civil rights movement from 1945 to 1980 was a complex and multifaceted struggle for equality, in which both civil rights activists and government officials played central but distinct roles. While civil rights activists mobilized communities and raised awareness of the need for change, government officials worked to remove legal barriers and pass laws protecting civil rights. These additional efforts led to significant advances in the fight for equality, including the Montgomery Bus boycott, Brown v. Department of Education and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For example, the Montgomery bus boycott was

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King uses allusions to the bible to show what's right from wrong and shows how long it's been going on throughout time. In addition King says, “They’re accustomed to being slaves,” which by that he is saying that is what first comes to mind when you think of a black American at that time. Furthermore King says that the black American is so used to being oppressed that they have acquiescence, they

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He places the strong authority of the declaration on his side to show how the American people are in contradiction to their own “sacred obligation” and the Negros have gotten a “bad check.” A metaphor representing the unfulfilled promise of human rights for the African Americans. King skillfully evokes an emotional response from all races with the use of religion: “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” By doing this he finds a common ground that brings black and whites closer with a common belief in God they share, as well as the mention of

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In his words he suggests,“This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (King) . Dr. King is insisting that there should be equality between one another. Dr.

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Throughout his speech he implies a lot of metaphors to make his speech effective and influencing. For example, King constantly describes the Negroes as being “crippled” by the “manacles of segregation”, “Storms of Persecution,” and “chains of discrimination.” Through these metaphors King indicates the crises the Negroes face. A few of King’s strongest metaphors are his references to prejudice: “the quick sands of racial injustice”, the “heat of oppression”, “the dark and desolate valleys of segregation”, and the “chains of discrimination.” King also indicates the unbearable inequality by creating an image: “the sweltering summer of the negro’s discontent.”

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