The Civil Rights Movement Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The 1960s were unmistakably some of the tensest times for race relations in American history. During these times, the Civil Rights movement was at its peak. This was an era that saw Blacks in America truly begin to demand equal rights, doing so by organizing across the country in efforts to pressure government officials to implement progressive legislation. Through a collaborative effort with Dr. Martin Luther King, President Kennedy crafted his 1961 Executive Order 10925—Establishing The President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity—which first coined the term â€Å"affirmative action† with regards to discrimination. The order focused on eradicating discrimination within government employment by creating the President’s Committee on†¦show more content†¦Throughout this paper, it will be demonstrated that the cause of affirmative action and the legal journey that it has taken throughout the course of history in the United States is an example which illustrates cause lawyering, particularly exemplifying the framework of such as laid down by Austin Sarat and Stuart Scheingold. Cause lawyering, according to Sarat and Scheingold, â€Å"is frequently directed at altering some aspect of the social, economic, and political status quo.† Here, the status quo in the case of affirmative action might be considered the common interpretation of the fourteenth amendment of the constitution. One cannot effectively contextualize affirmative action without addressing the role that the fourteenth amendment has come to play. This famous Reconstruction amendment is a direct result of the American Civil War. Congress officially passed the amendment in 1868 in order to guarantee and protect the newly recognized civil rights and liberties of Blacks. The amendment granted citizenship to former slaves, while also declaring â€Å"nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or protection, without due process of the law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws†. The Equal Protection Clause guarantees that the laws set forth in the constitution will apply to all citizens of the United States regardless of their race or ethnicity. In essence, the fourteenth amendment is thought to set the legalShow MoreRelatedThe Civil Rights Movement : Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.1168 Words   |  5 Pages(Keith Lundberg 36). In a London speech that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered to the Christian Action Group on December 7, 1964, he discusses the positive gains that have been achieved by the civil rights movement. In this speech King provided his audience with several facts on how the people have came a long way from where they began and that the civil rights movement has made a great progress in its struggle for equal treatment under the law. In King s speech, he begins by claiming that theyRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement : Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.1050 Words   |  5 PagesPerseverance The Civil Rights Movement was a critical time in the history of the United States of America. In this time of fighting, brutality, and injustice, leaders arose to fight for equality for all, one, in particular, was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King is well-renowned for believing in something and standing up for it, even though the repercussion of his actions resulted in serving time in jail. While he served his time in Birmingham, he wrote a lengthy letter to inspire and admonishRead MoreDr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement Essay1269 Words   |  6 Pagescontroversy.† (Famous civil-rights†¦) As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, the â€Å"measure† of a man comes not when things are going well, but when things are times are challenging. In the time of the Civil Rights movement, lots of African American people were measured by how they managed difficult situations. The Civil rights movement had many influential leaders and events. The overall i mportance of the movement was the profound impact it had on American life. The Civil Rights Movement had many importantRead MoreEssay on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and The Civil Rights Movement2125 Words   |  9 PagesMartin Luther King jr. was one of the most influential persons of the 20th Century. He is the father of the modern civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is recognized around the world as a symbol of freedom as well as peace. King practiced everything that he preached, he did not preach or speak values that he himself did not follow. He established himself as a pastor that was not afraid of hard work, guiding the middle-class congregation to public service. For example, Peake, ThomasRead MoreDr. Martin Luther King Jr s The Civil Rights Movement Essay1126 Words   |  5 PagesAs Dr. Martin Luther King Jr sit in a jail cell writing a letter to clergymen, there is civil unrest in the nation. In 1963, the Civil Rights Movement is well underway. Alabama is one of the most segregated states in the union and being in the Deep South , is prone to more racial injustices than others. Dr. King points out his feelings of telling his daughter she can’t go to a new place as it is whites only, the pain of his children and their unconscious feelings of being inferior while not understandingRead MoreDr. Martin Luther King Jr. And His Influence On The American Civil Rights Movement765 Words   |  4 PagesWhen talking about leadership, I would think of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his influences on the American civil rights movement. His famous speech – â€Å"I have a dream† is one of the most compelling in all times. The speech was powerful because it was simple and brought out a clear and focused theme. The audiences’ emotion was agitated instantly by his speech. And the reaction and impact were enormous. Of course, leadership is not only about powerful speeches, but involves the leaders’ characteristicsRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement : Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And Governor Ge orge C. Wallace1050 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Steinbeck wins a noble peace prize, Nixon and Kennedy have the first televised debate, Mohamed Ali wins a gold medal and the Civil Rights Movement is at the precipice in America. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Governor George C. Wallace are two prominent figures throughout the Civil Rights Movement. Individually, they deliver historical speeches concerning civil rights, however the dialogue encompasses completely different messages. Comparatively, the two speeches will be presented side by sideRead MoreMartin Luther King Pathos and Ethos of Speech895 Words   |  4 PagesDr. Martin Luther King Juniors use of Ethos Pathos in his â€Å"I have a dream† speech. On August 28, 1963, people around the nation tuned into hear several civil rights speeches going on in Washington. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of those civil rights speakers, and that day he gave his famous â€Å"I have a dream† speech. In Dr. Martin Luther King Juniors speech, he spoke about unifying the nation, to create a place where Americans â€Å"will not be judged by the color of your skin but by the contentRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr Essay1299 Words   |  6 PagesWhy was Martin Luther King Jr. such an inspiration to African Americans in America? Martin Luther King Jr. was an American minister, Civil Rights leader, and activist who had a strong belief in nonviolent protests (history.com; Martin Luther King Jr.). He was the leader behind the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington which were eventually effective and a law was passed to end racial discrimination (history.com; Martin Luther King Jr.). On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested f orRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is unarguably the most famous civil rights900 Words   |  4 Pages Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is unarguably the most famous civil rights activist in American history. His story and legacy is taught in classrooms across the country. From birth to death, Dr. King impacted the lives of many people and changed the roles of society forever. Dr. King had one big dream and what shaped his dream begins in Atlanta,, Georgia, and ends in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born into a loving and caring family on January 15, 1929 in