Imagine the feeling of walking into a funeral where the child laying in the open casket had a face that was beaten to the point where his own mother couldn't recognize him, all because of the color of his skin. This violence and prejudice wasn't uncommon in America in the 20th century. Because of Emmett Till’s murder, african-american students enrolling in Little Rock High School, politicians speaking up for minorities, freedom riders not using the public transportation system, and a minister reminding the world that love is always more powerful than hatred, our country has been more accepting and less prejudice. Emmett Till was born in 1941, in the city of Chicago. He was known to be a ¨jokester¨, he loved to make people laugh. He was a heavy set kid with a slight stutter. His uncle visited him in Chicago and when it came time for his uncle to leave, Emmett asked his mother if he could go with his uncle to …show more content…
Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential members of the civil rights movement. The way he thought about life wasn’t just inspiring because it spoke against prejudice but because of how he addressed confrontation in general. He believed instead of a violent reaction or a good “comeback”, he would pray for them and turn the other cheek. He was a very biblical man which emphasised his need for compassion and understanding. This made his teachings more inspiring by making it seem like the easiest route in anything would be to show kindness. One of his most memorable protests were when he and “ About 600 demonstrators marched in Montgomery for blacks having a fair chance to vote” (Branch). This quickly turned into conflict with local authorities who used unnecessarily brute force to beat and bludgeon protestors. This day later became known as Bloody Sunday. Dr. King also recieved a Nobel Peace prize for his efforts in the Civil Rights Movement. His influence on society was unprecedented and changed not only our country but our world