Compare And Contrast Martin Luther King And Kennedy

874 Words4 Pages
Sacrifice: destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else. America was once a great nation because of the incredible sacrifices that were made. America is, still, a great nation, but is lacking the sacrifices that were made years ago. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for example, went to jail to gain freedom for his people. His powerful words in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech and “Letter from Birmingham Jail” moved his followers to take charge and earn their freedom. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, another incredible man, affirmed in his inaugural address that he would do anything to insure “survival and success of liberty” for Americans and it cost him his life (jfklibrary). Beyond his wealth and power, Kennedy was always considerate of the common man. This essay will explain how both Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy wanted to end segregation with faith and cooperation, but their ideas of achieving change were different; this essay will also connect their sacrifices, like going to jail or having the will to die, for the sake of the people. Initially, King and Kennedy had similar views on freedom. For instance, both men believed that change and rights would come only if there is faith in God and in themselves. King stated in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” that he wants “the radiant stars of love and brotherhood [to] shine” over all (teachingamericanhistory). In Kennedy’s inaugural address he said, “the belief that the rights of a man come not from