1960's
...with an environment tuned to make him a
destined leader. At first, he refused to follow in his father's foot steps by becoming an assistant minister at the same church, but eventually gave in. He then decided to devote himself to the cause of improving the life quality of the black man. Soon, an opportunity to head his own church would arise when one in Montgomery had hired him. Here is where he and his wife Coretta Scott King would reside. During a highly successful boycott planned by the leaders of the church and the Women's Political Council, an organization called the Montgomery Improvement Association was formed, with Dr. King chosen as president. Teachings of nonviolent resistance became the new lessons taught at his church. With such impressive work, Dr. King was chosen to lead the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference). With these resources at his back, Dr. King would lead many successful boycotts, protests, and demonstrations, often with him ending in jail. Dr. King later became a member of CUCRL, or the Council on United Civil Rights Leadership/"The Big Six," an organization to keep the revolution from "getting out of hand." On August 28, 1963, Dr. King gave his most famous speech, "I Have a Dream." This awe-inspiring speech had a tremendous influence on the struggle and ended up being one of the most recognized in America's history. During the Vietnam War, he became a large provoker of criticism. He in return was criticized for his idea that the Vietnam War and civil rights were comparable, while still being one of the most influential critics of the time. On April 4, 1968 on a motel balcony in Memphis, an assassin made his way to Dr. King and killed him at the age of thirty nine. His body was given a home at his father's church. As a result, the movement had been pushed to extremes not thought possible as well as immediate...
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