Due to problems with the Blogger website, many of you are having trouble posting your assignments. I apologize for the inconvenience and hope that the problem is cleared up soon. Until further notice, however, I will slightly change the format of the assignments - specifically, you will not need to comment on the posts of others (as many are having to email their assignments to me). If you have trouble posting please email your essay to robertakers@hotmail.com or robertakers@somersetchristian.com.
This week's assignment should have been posted last week, but better late than never, right? This week we'll take an opportunity to look into the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Since last Monday was a day off in Dr. King's honor, we should consider why he is the only American recognized by name with a National Holiday, and what his life's work means to our country. Dr. King was once hated by many Americans as a symbol of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Now, in addition to the national holiday, there is a statue on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in recognition of his contribution to American society. Ask someone who was around in the late 1960s if they could have imagined that America would be as integrated as it is now (an African-American president, an African-American UK football coach at a school that once refused to recruit black athletes). How did this change occur? Perhaps no one is more responsible for breaking the walls of injustice than a young pastor from Birmingham, Alabama.
Dr. King was in his twenties when Mrs. Rosa Parks was jailed for refusing to move on a city bus. (It is often misunderstood that Mrs. Parks was asked to give up her seat for a white man, which is untrue. There were plenty of seats available, but the law said that if a white passenger got on the bus all African-American passengers had to move to the rear of the bus into a section labelled "colored". Mrs. Parks, inspired, perhaps, by the recent atrocity of the murder of a black teenager, refused to move and was arrested). Beginning with a boycott of the Birmingham bus lines, Dr. King drew national attention to the injustice of segregation and the violence with which it was often enforced. Until the day he was assassinated in 1968 Dr. King continued to lead a peaceful movement for justice.
This week's assignment is to research the life and legacy of Dr. King and report your findings. Keep your focus on Dr. King, for we will do two homework lessons on the larger Civil Rights movement during the month of February in honor of Black History Month. Here are some suggested sites you may research:
For a list of Dr. King's quotations, see http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth297519.html
For a biographical introduction and timeline of Dr. King's life, see http://www.mlkonline.net/bio.html
To hear some of Dr. King's speeches you may visit http://www.mlkonline.net/sounds.html
Answer one or more of the following questions: Had there been no Dr. King, how might America be different today? Has Dr. King's dream been fulfilled (referring to his famous "I Have a Dream" speech)? What principles led Dr. King to lead the Civil Rights movement as he did?
The assignment caries the same requirements as all those that have preceded it. A reminder: cite your sources if you use a reference other than those given above.
Perhaps the best way to remember Dr. King is to follow his example of social involvement. Too many Americans are quick to speak volumes of criticism but slow to get involved and make a difference. As Christians we are instructed to ease the suffering of those who are miserable, and the Bible calls on us to "love justice". Our missions theme this year will come from Proverbs 31:8-9 "Speak up!" I challenge you to make a positive difference in your community this week.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Junior
ReplyDeleteMartin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 and he died on April 4, 1968. Just some background on him. He was a very smart person. At the age of fifteen he went to college and got a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, he then got married and was the father of four children and he soon then became a pastor of his church. The most interesting thing to me is that he stood up about his race. (If that makes any since) Just like Rosa Parks did. He didn’t care what people thought of him and he told people that it wasn’t fair how they treated blacks. That is one thing that makes me admire him. He tried and that was his goal to let people know, and even thought they didn’t listen and they didn’t like him he didn’t stop. Obviously we all know his most famous speech was “I have a Dream.” Talking about his thought about racial discrimination. I think without people like him and Rosa Parks and even Booker T. Washington there would still be laws and acts about the blacks just like back then. They all made a huge impact to change the racial discrimination. Rosa Parks didn’t give up her seat. Booker T. Washington proved so many ways to use peanuts. Those things influence the way people think. I would have to say that I am thankful for them so they wouldn’t be treated like that anymore. It is terrible thing when anyone gets treated badly especially for their color. I admire people like them
To me, Dr. Martin Luther King, JR was an amazing man who didn’t let prejudices stop him from what he believed in. The question that I chose for the assignment this week is question one which states: If there had been no Dr. King, how might America be different? I believe America would be different in that the Civil Rights movement might not have taken place as early as the 50s and 60s. Dr. King inspired so many people-both black and white- to fight peacefully and rationally for what was morally right. He proved that you can overcome opposition by keeping a level-head and staying strong and not succumbing to the hatefulness and violence of the people during these times. If the Civil Rights leaders didn’t have his example, things might have turned more violent and harsh than they already were and the movement may not have gotten anywhere. A good quote by Dr. King on the subject is the following: “The ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in the moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at the times of challenge and controversy.” So in conclusion, I believe that America would be different if we had not had the leadership and “Dream” of Dr. Martin Luther King, JR.
ReplyDeleteThank you,
Rebecca
What I think about Martin Luther King Jr. was an awesome man who didn’t let racism stop him and keep him down from what he thought was right. The Question that I chose was on how America would be different if there was no Martin Luther King. I think that America would definitely be different, there would still be problems with blacks and whites. I don’t think it would be as bad of a problem today but I think that maybe somebody down the road would try or at the very least attempt to stop the discrimination. A bit of background on Mr. King would be he was born on January 15, 1929 and died on April 4, 1968. He was obviously a very smart person and at the mild age of 15 he went off to college. That is very young in today’s society and quite rare. We all know his Famous speech “I Have A Dream” it was so inspiring and is played often all around the world. Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals. ~ Martin Luther King JR. We will never forget what he has done. Changed our society forever.
ReplyDeleteI have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.[Martin Luther King, Jr.] (August, 1963, in the I Have a Dream speech given to civil rights supporters at the March on Washington.) One sentence to change the world as we are right now! This awesome man was born in Atlanta on January 15,1929 from a religious family. His granfather was the pastor of his church: the Afican-American Babtist Church. In 1958 Martn Luther King Jr toured India to understanding the Gandhian non-violent strategies. King became Time magazine's Man of the Year and, in December 1964, the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He change all the world that we know right now. He gave a possibility to the blacks, that were the people most hated from there until the past. They couldn't vote and they couldn't have the right to do anything... He wanted that his child would live a life easier then his and that they could have the right like white people had.
ReplyDeleteDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the son of Martin Luther King, Sr. and attended the African-American Baptist church where his grandfather preached. Dr. King, Jr. is most well-known for his “I Have a Dream” speech where he said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” This speech was given in Washington, DC in 1963 during the March on Washington during the civil rights movement. In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King, Jr. did not get to see the results of his work because he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee at the Lorraine Motel on April 4, 1968. He was shot once in the face and neck area with a .30-06 rifle later that afternoon. He was pronounced dead at St. Joseph Hospital at 7:04 pm that night. His dream came true anyways. Today segregation is no longer around. Everyone has the same opportunities no matter what ethnicity, sex or age and that in itself is an amazing feat.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.maryferrell.org/wiki/index.php/Martin_Luther_King_Assassination
“At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love,”-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This defiantly was a major theme in Dr. King’s life. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an African-American Baptist pastor who took a major stand against racism in both his hometown and across the nation. King really started to take a stand when he heard of a lady named Rosa Parks who refused to move to the back of city bus when a white man got on board, by doing this she directly defied the Jim Crow laws and helped to kick start the civil rights movement. King started by standing up on his own city and later started speaking in other cities and helping black people in conflicts like the major shooting in Alabama. King also went to Memphis Tennessee too help back sanitation workers in there major strike. It was on this trip that he was killed by a raciest assassin who became obsessed with the idea of killing Martin Luther King. King himself said that he wouldn’t live to be forty, he fulfilled this, and he was Thirty-nine when he was shot. Without the work of Martin Luther King Jr. this nation would be very different. There would still probably be strict Jim Crowe laws. Also racist groups like the klu-kux-klan would still be strong a d go unpunished for their violent actions. These people fought for African-American oppression with violence, Dr King fought against it with peace and love.
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ReplyDelete@Amanda:
ReplyDeleteI really like your essay, you have a very high and good opinion about Dr. King. I also like the part where you say that there needs to be suffering and struggle for a society to have more justice. Furthermore I think it is interesting that Dr. King went to college at the young age of 15, he was a really smart person who achieved a lot. Your essay is really good!
@ Marta:
You did a very good job with your essay, I contains a lot of interesting information about the life and work of Dr. King. It is a good thing that you compare Dr. King with Gandhi.
@Bobby
Good job with your essay Bobby. It is good written and it has a lot of good information. I like your comment about the Dr. King and the Ku Klux Klan, I is a very good sentences, because it has the essential part of Dr. Kings life in it!
Doctor Martin Luther King Jr.:
ReplyDeleteDr. King was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the son of Martin Luther King Sr. a civil rights leader as well. He studied Theology in Chester, Pennsylvania and at Boston University. His big civil rights career started when he was elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association. At April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee he was assassinated.
Had there be no Dr. King or another strong civil right leader, America might be still a country with openly displayed racism and segregation. But you never know, maybe there would have been a violent uprising of Afro-American citizens, which could have made it more complicated for the two groups to work together to form a better America.
I believe, that the life of African-Americans has improved a lot since his “I have a Dream” speech. There are no more government supported regulation on black people like segregation. But I think there is still a lot to do to improve the life of ethnic minorities in the United States. I believe there is still a lot of hidden racism everywhere. Furthermore I believe it is really bad that racist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan still exist in the modern United States. I believe that Dr. King’s dream is yet to be fulfilled, but progress has been made.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a great man. All he stood for and all he did was wonderful. He was an inspiration to many people and his life was a legacy to model after. So many times people don't believe that just one person can change the world, but contrary to those beliefs Martin Luther King Jr did just that. He was a man of many words and almost all of them had some effect in the world. One particular set of words that just happened to make a ton of sense to a bunch of people was his " I Have a Dream" speech which he delivered August 28, 1963. In that speech he made one statement that, for me, captured the whole essence of the speech. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back." Just from these for words one can be given the courage to overcome almost any obstacle. And the knowledge to know that no matter how challenging things get you can't turn back and run to the comfort that always seems to lie at the beginning of most challenges.
ReplyDeletePeople have no morals, no rhyme or reason for some of the things they do but no less, stupid things get done that put a kink in the very lives of every person. This explanation is the only one that can be put for the actions done on April 4, 1968... The day Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.
Christian,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your essay it was very nicely laid out and full of information. But I have to touch directly on the fact that I fully agree with your statement that hidden racism still exist everywhere, but even worse in some cases it isn't hidden at all and people have no qualms one way or another. It is taken so lightly in many areas these days and sadly forgotten is the big picture that is rolled out right before our eyes. Amazing job!
Rebecca,
Great job on your essay. I really liked how you made it a point to say that Martin Luther King Jr. did not let the ugly appearance of racism stop him from following through with what he believed in, It probably wouldn't hurt some today to follow by his example. He made it clear that no matter what it is with enough determination your hopes and DREAMS can become a reality. Really good job!
How would America look different if it hadn’t been for Martin Luther King Junior? A simple question with an extremely controversial and difficult answer. Personally I think that an African American would have eventually would have the same effect on the problem of slavery, being such an important factor of that time period. The biggest difference I think that would occur would be the peaceful way of martin Luther King Junior and the hypothetical situation might not have such a peaceful leader. I think due to our Christian foundation (though it’s hard to see today.) we would eventually overcome the problem of slavery with or without King. I think it is so inspirational that though Martin Luther King Junior was directly and still had enough self-control not to start a violent riot of strike which would have been so much easier to do. Today due to Martin Luther King Junior’s changes to American society people of African American descent are looked equally to those of European descent and have the same chance of success in today’s economy. King’s belief system has changed the world today, just think how different athletics, college and professional, would look if only whites could go to school. And think how the music industry would be different, if you look at your playlist and take off all the black artist off the playlist how many songs do you think you would still have on your iPod? Probably not many.
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