Topic
Equal Employment Rights – Contributions by Martin Luther King Jr and President John F. Kennedy
Instructions
President John F. Kennedy’s Civil Rights Address
AFSCME – Martin Luther King Documentary; I Am A Man; Memphis Sanitation Strike
Write a reflection paper reflecting on the lessons gained on Equal Employment Rights – Contributions by Martin Luther King Jr and President John F. Kennedy as shown in the videos.
Answer Preview
Dr. Martin Luther King was a civil rights activist who committed himself to fight discrimination against Black Americans by using peaceful protests, marches, and sit-ins, as noted by Your Dictionary (n.d). Boycotts, sit-ins, and peaceful protests were the main tools used by Dr. Martin Luther to ensure that legislations were passed to ensure equal rights for Black Americans. Key among his accomplishments was leading the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955. As Your Dictionary (n.d.) goes on to note, “blacks” were not allowed to sit in the front seats of buses in the public transport system in Montgomery. The boycott, which lasted 381 days, led the segregation laws in buses in Montgomery being declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1956.
Another significant contribution by Dr. Martin Luther is organizing what is said to be the largest gathering in Washington D.C.’s History in 1963, as stated in Your Dictionary (n.d.). This was where he delivered his “I Have Dream” speech in front of a crowd of more than 200,000 people. This march was meant to push for equal rights in education and employment and served to put increasing pressure on President Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration into pushing for civil rights laws in Congress, as Your Dictionary (n.d.) goes on to state.
Word Count: 1200