The person most remembered to have championed for the Civil Rights movement of African Americans was Martin Luther King, Jr. He demonstrated great courage and passion to defeat segregation and racism in the United States. His influence to all the African Americans to defy white supremacy and his belief in nonviolence lead to the success of the Civil Rights movement. His father, Martin Luther King Sr., who helped to advocate the idea that Blacks should vote, inspired him. He was involved with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the leading Civil Rights organization of its kind in the nation. These efforts to improve the way of life for African Americans could be seen by his son. When young Martin grew up, he knew he wanted to follow in his father footsteps and become a minister. In 1954, Martin Luther King became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Subsequently, King became a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He envisioned a society where race was not an issue in how people treated each other or in how they were allowed to live their lives. In 1955, he accepted to be the leader and official spokesman of the first great Negro …show more content…
The unforgettable March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom led by King was where he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech to millions of viewers across the nation. The next year he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. However, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement. Furthermore, he was awarded five honorary degrees, was named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963, and became not only the symbolic leader for African Americans but also a world