good hook for martin luther king essay

Martin Luther King Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on martin luter king.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an African-American leader in the U.S. He lost his life while performing a peaceful protest for the betterment of blacks in America. His real name was Michael King Jr. He completed his studies and attained a Ph.D. After that, he joined the American Civil Right Movement. He was among one of the great men who dedicated their life for the community.

Reason for Martin Luther King to be famous

There are two reasons for someone to be famous either he is a good man or a very bad person. Martin Luther King was among the good one who dedicated his life to the community. Martin Luther King was also known as MLK Jr. He gained popularity after he became the leader and spokesperson of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s.

Martin Luther King was an American activist, minister, and humanitarian. Also, he had worked for several other causes and actively participated in many protests and boycotts. He was a peaceful man that has faith in Christian beliefs and non-violence. Also, his inspiration for them was the work of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. For his work in the field of civil rights, the Nobel Committee awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize.

He was a great speaker that motivated the blacks to protest using non-violence. Also, he uses peaceful strategies like a boycott, protest march , and sit-ins, etc. for protests against the government.

Impact of King

King is one of the renowned leaders of the African-American who worked for the welfare of his community throughout his life. He was very famous among the community and is the strongest voice of the community. King and his fellow companies and peaceful protesters forced the government several times to bend their laws. Also, kings’ life made a seismic impact on life and thinking of the blacks. He was among one of the great leaders of the era.

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Humanitarian and civil rights work

As we know that King was a civic leader . Also, he has taken part in many civil right campaigns and boycotts like the Bus Boycott, Voting Rights and the most famous March on Washington. In this march along with more than 200,000 people, he marched towards Washington for human right. Also, it’s the largest human right campaign in U.S.A. history. During the protest, he gave a speech named “I Have a Dream” which is history’s one of the renowned speeches.

Death and memorial

During his life working as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement he makes many enemies. Also, the government and plans do everything to hurt his reputation. Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. Every year the US celebrates his anniversary as Martin Luther King Jr. day in the US. Also, they honored kings’ memory by naming school and building after him and a Memorial at Independence Mall.

Martin Luther King was a great man who dedicated his whole life for his community. Also, he was an active leader and a great spokesperson that not only served his people but also humanity. It was due to his contribution that the African-American got their civil rights.

Essay Topics on Famous Leaders

• Mahatma Gandhi
• APJ Abdul Kalam
• Jawaharlal Nehru
• Swami Vivekananda
• Mother Teresa
• Rabindranath Tagore
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
• Subhash Chandra Bose
• Abraham Lincoln
• Martin Luther King

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5 Creative Ideas for Martin Luther King Essay

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most revolutionary influences of the 20th Century. His passion and determination for racial equality not only changed history but paved the way for many other activists seeking rights and representation. During his lifetime, he inspired millions to fight for freedoms they never dreamed possible, and his death remains a testament to his dedication to peace.

It’s no wonder that professors love to assign essays about this controversial American hero. While it can seem a daunting task to undertake, writing a powerful essay about Martin Luther King, Jr. is actually much easier than it seems. With the right approach and a little personal investment, your professor will be blown away by the quality and depth of your Martin Luther King essay submission.

Maximum Quotability

In many high schools and colleges, Martin Luther King Day is celebrated with essay contests that revolve around many of his incredible quotes. To start your essay off right, try looking up some of these well-known (or little-known) snippets to get the mental juices flowing:

• “Everyone has the power for greatness, not for fame, but greatness because greatness is determined by service.”
• “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
• “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
• “War is a poor chisel to carve out tomorrow.”
• “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Connect It to Your Life

Martin Luther King, Jr. talked about so many important concepts that it is virtually impossible not to be personally affected by at least one. Review some of the main ideas that he fought and died for. Which ideas have your life (or the lives of those you love) been touched by? Tell those stories and then reflect on how Dr. King’s actions have helped you to be where you are today.

Some of Dr. King’s ideas to consider are:

• People should not be judged based on their outward appearance but by the “content of their character.”
• Fear is the ultimate cause of hatred and violence.
• Not standing up for what is right is just as bad as doing wrong.
• Nonviolence is a powerful weapon.
• Quality of life, not length of life, is what is important.
• The creative and dedicated minority are the ones who change the world.

Living History

Another great way to get into your essay is by looking at the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. from a historical perspective. Pick out a few events that were pivotal in the life of Dr. King, or turn the last few days of his life into a narrative essay. In fact, you could get creative by writing a short story from the perspective of a close assistant or even the gunman who assassinated Dr. King. Just make sure that you use primary sources and good research skills to build your narrative.

It’s been almost 50 years since the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In that time, we’ve seen racial integration and equality on an unprecedented scale. And yet, is there more work that needs to be done?

In this essay style, you need to look around and see the world through Dr. King’s eyes. What would he think of today’s music? Our current president? Current social and political activism efforts? Peruse the headlines and imagine what Dr. King would think about the Ferguson riots or the push for gay marriage rights equality. Then, write your essay from his perspective, using his own quotes to support your theories of how he would respond.

Put It Into Action

Instead of starting your essay on a piece of paper, why not begin something with your hands? For example, consider putting those ideas into action instead of just writing about Dr. King’s ideology for a week. Take notes about how serving others made you feel. Explain the difficulties and benefits of reacting peacefully to people who don’t like you. When all the other students in your class are turning in the same rehashed information and opinions, you can share your real-life experiences of putting Dr. King’s famous concepts into action – and completely blow your teacher away.

Are you assigned with Martin Luther King essay? Have some interesting ideas? Share anything with us in the comments below

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Tackling today’s violence requires Dr. King’s philosophy of love

This moment in history should compel us to follow dr. king’s mandate of love, if we are to survive and combat the violence that permeates our society..

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., center, and Rev. Ralph Abernathy, third from left, share a laugh outside court in Decatur, Ga., Oct. 25, 1960. Others are unidentified. Andrew Young is seen at center, facing right. (AP Photo)

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King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech: Rhetorical Analysis Essay (Critical Writing)

On August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his most fiery speech to shock the United States – “I Have a Dream.” “America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned,” a black rights advocate shouted from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (King 1963, pp. 4). The speech is full of outrage and contains allusions to the Bible and the US Declaration of Independence. It is considered one of the best in the history of mankind. The main theses of King’s political speeches were not only the equalization of the rights of Whites and Blacks but also a more global idea – world peace for the sake of the prosperity of mankind.

The format of Martin Luther King’s speech is quite simple, as the entire text can be conditionally divided into two parts. The first part presents a picture of an American nightmare full of injustice and humiliation of human dignity. This part is about both the past and the present day, namely, August 28th, 1963. In addition, in the first part of his speech, King calls people to stand up for themselves and their dignity. The second part of the speech, however, is much more positive. It represents King’s view on the bright future of the United States, his dream, his hope and belief in equality and justice for all people, regardless of skin color.

Martin Luther King used a variety of rhetorical techniques, such as speech figures and tropes, in his speech. Among these techniques, allusions are the most prominent. For the first time, the allusion in King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is used immediately after the opening sentence, which is an homage to the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. US President Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery with this proclamation. The reference is symbolic and carries a lot of meaning, setting the tone of the speech from the very beginning. “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation,” said King (1963, pp. 2). This passage is also a starting point – the beginning of the story, indicating the date and place of the event.

Among English-speaking speakers, references to Shakespeare and the Bible were especially popular, which is exactly what Martin Luther King did in his speech. For example, King (1963) said: “This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality” (pp. 7). This is a very subtle allusion to the play by William Shakespeare, Richard III . Moreover, King often refers to the Bible in his speech, which, of course, is natural and not surprising because he was a pastor. “It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity” (King 1963, pp. 2), he announced right at the beginning of his speech. This is, in fact, an allusion to Psalm 31, verse 4: “Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength” (King James Bible 1769). Being a deeply religious person, King artfully weaved homages to Bible into his speech, which only helped him translate his idea to the masses in a more understandable and relatable way.

Although this historical event happened a long time ago, the general idea of King’s speech is modern and relevant to this day: it is impossible to win by responding with violence to violence. Martin Luther King’s insistent calls for unity and nonviolent action in response to oppression and brutality are worthy of deep respect and long memory. His speeches have become key moments in American history in the struggle for racial justice. And this particular, unique speech, “I Have a Dream,” is, indeed, a real rhetorical masterpiece, presented in a powerful and inspiring way.

King James Bible . (2017). King James Bible Online.

King, M. L. (1963). I Have a Dream . American rhetoric.

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IvyPanda. (2022, November 6). King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech: Rhetorical Analysis. https://ivypanda.com/essays/kings-i-have-a-dream-speech-rhetorical-analysis/

"King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech: Rhetorical Analysis." IvyPanda , 6 Nov. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/kings-i-have-a-dream-speech-rhetorical-analysis/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech: Rhetorical Analysis'. 6 November.

IvyPanda . 2022. "King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech: Rhetorical Analysis." November 6, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/kings-i-have-a-dream-speech-rhetorical-analysis/.

1. IvyPanda . "King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech: Rhetorical Analysis." November 6, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/kings-i-have-a-dream-speech-rhetorical-analysis/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech: Rhetorical Analysis." November 6, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/kings-i-have-a-dream-speech-rhetorical-analysis/.

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How to Write the MLK Scholars Program NYU Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Moriah Adeghe in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info. 

What’s Covered:

Approaching the prompt.

• Why You Should Do Your Research

Example Essay

The Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Scholars Program at New York University (NYU) has an extra essay with a 200-word limit. The prompt asks:

“In what ways have you enacted change in your community and what has been your motivation for doing so? This can include enacting change globally, locally, or within your family (200 words, optional).”

In this article, we go over the best ways to approach this essay and how to make yours unique. For more information on NYU’s other application essays, check out our post on how to write the NYU supplemental admissions essays .

The MLK Scholars Program is an NYU program dedicated to educating and empowering students to build an inclusive and civically engaged community of leaders. The prompt for the MLK Scholars’ essay is completely optional, so you only have to write this essay if you want to be a part of the program. 

This prompt is a generic, open-ended question that enables you to respond in many different ways.

As a general tip, your response to this prompt should not only express your interest in the program but also reflect the values that led you to apply. These should align with those of the MLK Scholars Program and how you’re committed to contributing to social justice both inside and outside your community. 

Why You Should Do Your Research  

Before you begin writing your response, you need to research Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his work, and his message thoroughly. This will help you understand which of your values are relevant, what you should highlight, and how you can align your essay with the values that he embodied. You want to prove to admissions officers that your values and characteristics align with the mission and spirit of the program. By doing your research, you can strategically position the experiences that you write about to show that you are the type of student the program is seeking. 

The ideal response to this prompt would include the following information: an experience that sparked your interest in social justice, an issue that you want to tackle, and how being an MLK Scholar will help you reach your future goals and how these goals align with the program’s mission. Including these three topics in your essay will demonstrate why you are a good candidate for the program.

A good way to brainstorm how you want your essay to sound is by reading other students’ essays for inspiration. The following essay was written by an MLK Scholars applicant who was accepted into the program.

“‘No! Por favor!’ I checked the clock. 10:30 a.m. and already the fourth time I’ve heard someone scream from Mr. Wilson’s office. When I accepted a summer internship as a law clerk, I never anticipated 90% of the cases would be deportation based. 

“Nearly every hopeful face I greeted with a smile on the way in, walked out with their head down and their cheek stained with tears. How foolish it was to think that I could make a positive impact on the world this summer when all I do is file paperwork as people’s lives are torn to pieces. While nowhere near the despair the deported clients felt, my personal frustration toward my helplessness manifested into resolve to fix this country’s immigration policies. Instead of working within the restraints of unjust laws, I plan to be leading discussions and writing the language that will help aspiring citizens, not punish them. 

“As an MLK Scholar, my ambitions will be fostered and hopefully blossomed into a reality. I’m eager to work with faculty that will aid my research on immigration policies and other nations during the first-year research seminar. Not only will I have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with immigration lawyers in the heart of New York City, but the program’s travel colloquia will perfectly allow me to get an up-close look at the immigration policies of the countries I researched. While my journey with immigration law had a disheartening beginning, the MLK Scholars Program will turn my dream of justice into a reality.”

The student established an emotional connection to the topic of social justice with their anecdote; they then explained what they hope to change about the world and what they plan to do at NYU to achieve this. This student’s drive and passion for social justice are exactly what admissions officers are looking for. They want students who will be leaders both on campus and beyond. This essay shows the student’s drive, passions, and how they believe that they will be able to make a difference and impact the problems that they are passionate about.

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Writing Prompts

January 3, 2017 by feelgoodteaching Filed Under: Uncategorized

Holy Moly, it’s been a loooong time since I did a post about writing! It’s so difficult to be torn between my two great loves: science (especially STEM challenges) & writing! There’s only so much time in a day! So, without further ado…

Martin Luther King, Jr. put together some of the most beautiful, powerful words the world has ever known. When I revisit some of this writings and quotes, I am struck by the wisdom and, unfortunately in many cases, how much those words still ring true today.

In my opinion, one of the best ways to teach students to hook readers into persuasive and expository essays is to start with a quote. It’s kind of like sanctioned cheating: we get to benefit from someone else’s awesome writing. A little of that person’s genius rubs off on us — genius by association!

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s works are a treasure trove of quotations that can make your students’ writing sparkle and shine. Beyond that, they are fantastic to inspire writing prompts and discussions on their own.

I used to give my 7th students a big printed packet of MLK quotes in January along with an essay assignment related to a topic like peace, education, social justice, equality, poverty, etc. It was their job to go through and select 1 – 3 quotes that they wanted to use in the essay. As they would read through the quotes, many were shocked that the wisdom, brilliance, and beautiful words came from just one man. One student even told me she had known the facts and history, but after reading so many of his quotes, she felt like she understood who he actually was. It was one of those magical teacher moments I continue to cherish.

Quick Writes Inspired by Quotes

In order for students to use quotes effectively to hook readers, they’ll need practice reading and responding to quotes throughout the school year. January is a perfect time to start (or continue), using MLK quotes! A simple approach is to select one quote a day for a quick write prompt or class discussion. You can do a search for MLK quotes online, and you’ll get plenty of results!  Here’s one site where you can find quotes .

I usually give students an optional prompt along with the quote in case they “can’t think of anything to write.” (Don’t you just hate that!) I also allow them to ignore the prompt (when the writing purpose is quick writes and/or practicing responding and connecting with quotes). Over time, many will choose to do a free, quick-write as they become more comfortable connecting authentically with the quotes. As long as their responses are related to, or inspired by, the quote, I’m happy.

Then, every 1 – 2 weeks, you can have students look at their quick writes over that period and turn one into a final draft for grading, if you like. This gives students choice, and it’s so much nicer to for you to grade essays that are on varied prompts!

For the last two years (at least), I have told myself I would put together a resource with writing prompts inspired by MLK quotes. Finally, in 2017, I made it happen! So, if you’re looking to save yourself a little time in the weeds, check it out:

Each prompt comes in 3 versions: lined paper (Print & Go), Writers’ Notebook Inserts, and Projection Slides. You can click on the image above if you’d like more details.

GET YOUR FREE SAMPLE!

January 6, 2017 at 6:47 pm

So true about using quotes, and Martin Luther King had some great ones. Wonderful post. I'm sure your students will have a great time with these activities.

January 10, 2017 at 6:40 am

Thanks, Deann!

January 7, 2017 at 5:12 pm

I love using quotes, too! And I think when kids learn who said each speech or statement, it's even more meaningful. This looks like an awesome resource and I think I'll try the one quote a week as my morning work! Thanks, Kerry!

January 10, 2017 at 6:41 am

Kathie, quick writes are great for morning work! Let me know how it goes!

January 9, 2017 at 10:49 pm

What a great idea! I think kids will latch on to the idea of writing based off quotes. Thank you for sharing.

January 10, 2017 at 6:42 am

I know I always love a good quote or song lyric! I figure there are students out there like me! 🙂

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Three Essays on Religion

Author:  King, Martin Luther, Jr.

Date:  September 1, 1948 to May 31, 1951 ?

Location:  Chester, Pa. ?

Genre:  Essay

Topic:  Martin Luther King, Jr. - Education

In the following three essays, King wrestles with the role of religion in modern society. In the first assignment, he calls science and religion “different though converging truths” that both “spring from the same seeds of vital human needs.” King emphasizes an awareness of God’s presence in the second document, noting that religion’s purpose “is not to perpetuate a dogma or a theology; but to produce living witnesses and testimonies to the power of God in human experience.” In the final handwritten essay King acknowledges the life-affirming nature of Christianity, observing that its adherents have consistently “looked forward for a time to come when the law of love becomes the law of life.”

"Science and Religion"

There is widespread belief in the minds of many that there is a conflict between science and religion. But there is no fundamental issue between the two. While the conflict has been waged long and furiously, it has been on issues utterly unrelated either to religion or to science. The conflict has been largely one of trespassing, and as soon as religion and science discover their legitimate spheres the conflict ceases.

Religion, of course, has been very slow and loath to surrender its claim to sovereignty in all departments of human life; and science overjoyed with recent victories, has been quick to lay claim to a similar sovereignty. Hence the conflict.

But there was never a conflict between religion and science as such. There cannot be. Their respective worlds are different. Their methods are dissimilar and their immediate objectives are not the same. The method of science is observation, that of religion contemplation. Science investigates. Religion interprets. One seeks causes, the other ends. Science thinks in terms of history, religion in terms of teleology. One is a survey, the other an outlook.

The conflict was always between superstition disguised as religion and materialism disguised as science, between pseudo-science and pseudo-religion.

Religion and science are two hemispheres of human thought. They are different though converging truths. Both science and religion spring from the same seeds of vital human needs.

Science is the response to the human need of knowledge and power. Religion is the response to the human need for hope and certitude. One is an outreaching for mastery, the other for perfection. Both are man-made, and like man himself, are hedged about with limitations. Neither science nor religion, by itself, is sufficient for man. Science is not civilization. Science is organized knowledge; but civilization which is the art of noble and progressive communal living requires much more than knowledge. It needs beauty which is art, and faith and moral aspiration which are religion. It needs artistic and spiritual values along with the intellectual.

Man cannot live by facts alone. What we know is little enough. What we are likely to know will always be little in comparison with what there is to know. But man has a wish-life which must build inverted pyramids upon the apexes of known facts. This is not logical. It is, however, psychological.

Science and religion are not rivals. It is only when one attempts to be the oracle at the others shrine that confusion arises. Whan the scientist from his laboratory, on the basis of alleged scientific knowledge presumes to issue pronouncements on God, on the origin and destiny of life, and on man's place in the scheme of things he is [ passing? ] out worthless checks. When the religionist delivers ultimatums to the scientist on the basis of certain cosomologies embedded in the sacred text then he is a sorry spectacle indeed.

When religion, however, on the strength of its own postulates, speaks to men of God and the moral order of the universe, when it utters its prophetic burden of justice and love and holiness and peace, then its voice is the voice of the eternal spiritual truth, irrefutable and invincible.,

"The Purpose of Religion"

What is the purpose of religion? 1  Is it to perpetuate an idea about God? Is it totally dependent upon revelation? What part does psychological experience play? Is religion synonymous with theology?

Harry Emerson Fosdick says that the most hopeful thing about any system of theology is that it will not last. 2  This statement will shock some. But is the purpose of religion the perpetuation of theological ideas? Religion is not validated by ideas, but by experience.

This automatically raises the question of salvation. Is the basis for salvation in creeds and dogmas or in experience. Catholics would have us believe the former. For them, the church, its creeds, its popes and bishops have recited the essence of religion and that is all there is to it. On the other hand we say that each soul must make its own reconciliation to God; that no creed can take the place of that personal experience. This was expressed by Paul Tillich when he said, “There is natural religion which belongs to man by nature. But there is also a revealed religion which man receives from a supernatural reality.” 3 Relevant religion therefore, comes through revelation from God, on the one hand; and through repentance and acceptance of salvation on the other hand. 4  Dogma as an agent in salvation has no essential place.

This is the secret of our religion. This is what makes the saints move on in spite of problems and perplexities of life that they must face. This religion of experience by which man is aware of God seeking him and saving him helps him to see the hands of God moving through history.

Religion has to be interpreted for each age; stated in terms that that age can understand. But the essential purpose of religion remains the same. It is not to perpetuate a dogma or theology; but to produce living witnesses and testimonies to the power of God in human experience.

[ signed ] M. L. King Jr. 5

"The Philosophy of Life Undergirding Christianity and the Christian Ministry"

Basically Christianity is a value philosophy. It insists that there are eternal values of intrinsic, self-evidencing validity and worth, embracing the true and the beautiful and consummated in the Good. This value content is embodied in the life of Christ. So that Christian philosophy is first and foremost Christocentric. It begins and ends with the assumption that Christ is the revelation of God. 6

We might ask what are some of the specific values that Christianity seeks to conserve? First Christianity speaks of the value of the world. In its conception of the world, it is not negative; it stands over against the asceticisms, world denials, and world flights, for example, of the religions of India, and is world-affirming, life affirming, life creating. Gautama bids us flee from the world, but Jesus would have us use it, because God has made it for our sustenance, our discipline, and our happiness. 7  So that the Christian view of the world can be summed up by saying that it is a place in which God is fitting men and women for the Kingdom of God.

Christianity also insists on the value of persons. All human personality is supremely worthful. This is something of what Schweitzer has called “reverence for life.” 8  Hunan being must always be used as ends; never as means. I realize that there have been times that Christianity has short at this point. There have been periods in Christians history that persons have been dealt with as if they were means rather than ends. But Christianity at its highest and best has always insisted that persons are intrinsically valuable. And so it is the job of the Christian to love every man because God love love. We must not love men merely because of their social or economic position or because of their cultural contribution, but we are to love them because  God  they are of value to God.

Christianity is also concerned about the value of life itself. Christianity is concerned about the good life for every  child,  man,  and  woman and child. This concern for the good life and the value of life is no where better expressed than in the words of Jesus in the gospel of John: “I came that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.” 9  This emphasis has run throughout the Christian tradition. Christianity has always had a concern for the elimination of disease and pestilence. This is seen in the great interest that it has taken in the hospital movement.

Christianity is concerned about increasing value. The whole concept of the kingdom of God on earth expressing a concern for increasing value. We need not go into a dicussion of the nature and meaning of the Kingdom of God, only to say that Christians throughout the ages have held tenaciouly to this concept. They have looked forward for a time to come when the law of love becomes the law of life.

In the light of all that we have said about Christianity as a value philosophy, where does the ministry come into the picture? 10

1.  King may have also considered the purpose of religion in a Morehouse paper that is no longer extant, as he began a third Morehouse paper, “Last week we attempted to discuss the purpose of religion” (King, “The Purpose of Education,” September 1946-February 1947, in  Papers  1:122).

2.  “Harry Emerson Fosdick” in  American Spiritual Autobiographies: Fifteen Self-Portraits,  ed. Louis Finkelstein (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1948), p. 114: “The theology of any generation cannot be understood, apart from the conditioning social matrix in which it is formulated. All systems of theology are as transient as the cultures they are patterned from.”

3.  King further developed this theme in his dissertation: “[Tillich] finds a basis for God's transcendence in the conception of God as abyss. There is a basic inconsistency in Tillich's thought at this point. On the one hand he speaks as a religious naturalist making God wholly immanent in nature. On the other hand he speaks as an extreme supernaturalist making God almost comparable to the Barthian ‘wholly other’” (King, “A Comparison of the Conceptions of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman,” 15 April 1955, in  Papers  2:535).

4.  Commas were added after the words “religion” and “salvation.”

5.  King folded this assignment lengthwise and signed his name on the verso of the last page.

6.  King also penned a brief outline with this title (King, “The Philosophy of Life Undergirding Christianity and the Christian Ministry,” Outline, September 1948-May 1951). In the outline, King included the reference “see Enc. Of Religion p. 162.” This entry in  An Encyclopedia of Religion,  ed. Vergilius Ferm (New York: Philosophical Library, 1946) contains a definition of Christianity as “Christo-centric” and as consisting “of eternal values of intrinsic, self-evidencing validity and worth, embracing the true and the beautiful and consummated in the Good.” King kept this book in his personal library.

7.  Siddhartha Gautama (ca. 563-ca. 483 BCE) was the historical Buddha.

8.  For an example of Schweitzer's use of the phrase “reverence for life,” see Albert Schweitzer, “The Ethics of Reverence for Life,”  Christendom  1 (1936): 225-239.

9.  John 10:10.

10.  In his outline for this paper, King elaborated: “The Ministry provides leadership in helping men to recognize and accept the eternal values in the Xty religion. a. The necessity of a call b. The necessity for disinterested love c. The [ necessity ] for moral uprightness” (King, “Philosophy of Life,” Outline, September 1948-May 1951).

Source:  CSKC-INP, Coretta Scott King Collection, In Private Hands, Sermon file.

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How public attitudes toward martin luther king jr. have changed since the 1960s.

About eight-in-ten American adults (81%) say civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. has had a positive impact on the United States, according to a Pew Research Center report that comes ahead of the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom . This majority includes nearly half of Americans (47%) who say King’s impact has been very positive. Just 3% say his impact on the country has been negative.

Sixty years after Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington, Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to determine how views of King have changed over time in the United States.

This analysis uses data from a 2023 Center survey as well as data from Gallup surveys conducted in May 1963, August 1964, May 1965, August 1966, May 1969 and August 2011. The Center survey polled 5,073 U.S. adults from April 10 to April 16, 2023. Everyone who took part is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. Address-based sampling ensures that nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the Pew Research Center survey questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and the survey methodology .

However, views of King haven’t always been so positive.

In May 1963, only about four-in-ten Americans (41%) had a favorable opinion of King, according to a Gallup survey . That included just 16% who viewed him highly favorably, rating him +4 or +5 on a scale of -5 (most unfavorable) to +5 (most favorable). The survey was conducted shortly after King’s Birmingham Campaign , which led the Alabama city to remove signs enforcing segregation of restrooms and drinking fountains and to desegregate lunch counters.

King’s favorable ratings remained about the same in Gallup surveys conducted in 1964 and 1965. But by August 1966, only a third of Americans had a favorable view of the civil rights leader. More than six-in-ten (63%) viewed him unfavorably, including 44% who viewed him highly unfavorably.

Gallup’s survey questions about King between 1963 and 1966 coincided with his civil rights work in a variety of areas:

• In August 1963, King delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington.
• In June 1964, he demanded equal treatment at a segregated Florida restaurant, an act that led to his arrest.
• In December 1964, he received the Nobel Peace Prize and pledged the full financial award to civil rights efforts.
• In March 1965, he led a civil rights march from Selma, Alabama, to the state capital of Montgomery.
• In June 1966, he completed fellow civil rights leader James Meredith’s March Against Fear after Meredith was wounded by a White gunman.
• In August 1966, he was hit by a rock while marching through an all-White neighborhood in Chicago as part of the Chicago Freedom Movement. The movement sought to expand civil rights work to northern U.S. cities.

King was assassinated in April 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. Gallup did not ask Americans to rate King again until August 2011, when the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial was officially dedicated in Washington, D.C. By then, views of King had changed dramatically, as 94% of Americans had a favorable opinion of him. Americans were also broadly supportive of the memorial: 91% approved of it and 70% were at least somewhat interested in visiting it, according to the Gallup survey.

Racial differences in views of King

Throughout the mid-1960s, Black Americans had much more favorable views of King than White Americans did. In the May 1963 Gallup survey, for example, 92% of Black Americans but only 35% of White Americans had a favorable opinion of the civil rights leader.

As more White Americans learned who King was over the next three years, a higher share of them viewed him unfavorably. Around four-in-ten White adults (41%) had an unfavorable view of King in May 1963 – a figure that rose to 69% by August 1966.

In 1969, Gallup asked Black adults in the U.S. whether they thought King’s beliefs about nonviolence had gained or lost support since his assassination a year earlier. About half of Black Americans (52%) said they thought King’s beliefs had lost support, while 30% said his beliefs had gained support.

By 2011, White Americans’ attitudes toward King had become much more positive. Fully 100% of Black adults and 93% of White adults had a favorable opinion of him, and majorities of both Black and White Americans (96% and 65%, respectively) had highly favorable views of him.

Views of racial equality after King

More than 40 years after King’s assassination, Americans were still divided on whether his dream of racial equality had been realized. In the 2011 Gallup survey, 51% of Americans said King’s dream had been realized, while 49% said it had not.

Pew Research Center’s new report, which uses survey data from April 2023, finds that Americans are similarly divided today about whether the U.S. has made progress on racial equality over the last 60 years.

About half of U.S. adults (52%) say that the country has made a great deal or a fair amount of progress, while 33% say it has made some progress and 15% say it has not made much or any progress. But Black Americans are more pessimistic: Just 30% say the U.S. has made a great deal or a fair amount of progress, compared with 58% of White adults. And 32% of Black adults say the country has made little or no progress, compared with 11% of White adults.

Note: Here are the Pew Research Center survey questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and the survey methodology .

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Public sees black people, women, gays and lesbians gaining influence in biden era, economy and covid-19 top the public’s policy agenda for 2021, 20 striking findings from 2020, our favorite pew research center data visualizations of 2019, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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Martin Luther King Jr. Biographer Wins American History Prize

The New-York Historical Society honor goes to Jonathan Eig, whose “King: A Life” presents the civil rights leader as a brilliant, flawed 20th-century “founding father.”

By Jennifer Schuessler

Jonathan Eig, the author of “King: A Life,” has been named the winner of the New-York Historical Society’s 2024 Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize, which is awarded annually for the best work of American history or biography.

Billed as the first major biography of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in decades, Eig’s book draws on recently declassified government records and other new sources to take a panoramic yet intimate look at Dr. King. The book places him in the context of the many figures, inside and outside the civil rights movement, who shaped his thinking and actions.

The biography, almost 700 pages long, shows a young King struggling to establish himself in the shadow of his father, a prominent Baptist preacher and community leader in Atlanta. As King and his movement grew, Eig shows him in a complicated dance with white leaders like President Lyndon B. Johnson, who sometimes supported and sometimes hampered him, and with more radical Black activists who increasingly saw him as dedicated to an outmoded form of “ respectability politics .”

While hailing King as “one of America’s founding fathers,” Eig doesn’t stint on his personal struggles and flaws, including his marital infidelities and posthumous revelations of plagiarism in his doctoral dissertation. Reviewing the biography last year in The New York Times, Dwight Garner called it “a very human, and quite humane, portrait” that is “worthy of its subject.”

The historical society’s prize, which comes with a cash reward of $50,000, honors books that are accessible to a general readership. It generally focuses on works of political history that keep founders, presidents and other prominent figures at the center of the frame, if not always in a celebratory way. Last year’s winner was “G-Man,” Beverly Gage’s biography of J. Edgar Hoover, who as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation worked to undermine Dr. King , authorizing wiretaps of his home and office and planting bugs in his hotel rooms.

In a statement, the historical society’s board chair, Agnes Hsu-Tang, called Eig’s biography of Dr. King “a deft, multidimensional portrayal” that avoids hagiography, showing how “America — and its many founders — can be both heroic and imperfect.”

Other past winners of the prize include Alan Taylor , Drew Gilpin Faust and Jill Lepore.

Jennifer Schuessler is a culture reporter covering intellectual life and the world of ideas. She is based in New York. More about Jennifer Schuessler

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Letter From Birmingham Jail — Rhetorical Analysis of King’s ‘Letter From Birmingham Jail’

Rhetorical Analysis of King's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'

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Published: Jul 3, 2023

Words: 1057 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

'Letter from Birmingham Jail' - a Rhetorical Analysis

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