Martin Luther King Jr Research Paper

907 Words4 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr. is a historical figure in our history that broke ground in the South pertaining to segregation. His motivation and dedication to the African American community will not be forgotten. Not only did he advocate freedom for them he also stressed non-violent protests. In 1963 King was arrested for parading without a permit and then wrote a letter from the Birmingham Jail to the clergymen. King paved the road for many oppressed African Americans in the South who just wanted to be free. He made it his mission to bring attention to how horribly African Americans in the South were being treated, no matter the consequences. King was a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and thru his organization engaged in …show more content…

He wanted to make it possible to spread awareness about African American oppression without making more trouble. He wanted to inspire others by “helping men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood” (Page 4). King did so by leading the way thru protests and listening to the police when they got involved instead of being violent and defiant. According to the article inspiring a shared vision is one of the practices of leadership. I believe that King is one of the most influential figures in our past because most African Americans in the South in the 1960’s were either too afraid to speak out about how they felt about segregation everywhere they went or they were being violent about it so nothing was done. I think King was the leader everyone needed to lead the movement putting an end to …show more content…

They know that they need other individuals to advocate to get things accomplished. Kouzes and Posner point out how teamwork, trust, and empowerment are essential. King worked very hard to get individuals involved in the movement to stop segregation. King states “oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro” (Page 12). King inspired others to take risks and get involved. He made them feel competent, strong, and linked. He wanted to get the word out and keep people educated so they knew they were apart of something big. He was a natural born leader that stayed positive no matter what the police did to him and his supporters. That is what it takes to be a great leader,