Remembrance

Legacy

Martin Luther King Jr is considered the most formative figure in the modern fight for civil rights. Martin's legacy appears in the work of those who follow him in his cause. He has inspired civil rights activists for the past forty years. There are a lot of organizations, like the NAACP, that have carried on his work on behalf of all people of color. Martin Luther King Jr pushed America to fulfill its promise of equal rights for all. 

"I close by saying there is nothing greater in all the world than freedom. It's worth going to jail for. It's worth losing a job for. It's worth dying for. My friends, go out this evening determined to achieve this Freedom which God wants for all of His children." --MLK

Holiday

It took 15 years to make Martin Luther King Day a federal holiday. Congressman John Conyers first introduced the legislation for a commemorative holiday only four days after King was shot dead. The bill for the holiday became stalled in Congress. In 1973 Illinois was the first state to adopt Martin Luther King Day as a state holiday and some other states would follow suit. There were petitions supporting the holiday and were signed by 6 million people and were submitted to Congress. Public pressure kept mounting in 1982 and 1983. Because of the public pressure Congress passed the legislation in 1983 which was then signed into law by President Ronald Regan. In 1986 federal MLK Day holiday went into effect. Martin Luther King Day is celebrated every third Monday in January. 

Monuments

There are many statues of Martin Luther King Jr throughout the country. The places that have a MLK statue are  Atlanta (2), Chicago, Springfield Illinois, Pueblo Colorado, National Mall Washington D.C., Birmingham, Denver, Allentown Pennsylvania, Florida (2), Toledo, Selma, North Carolina (3), Austin, San Bernardino, Capitol Rotunda Washington D.C., Indianapolis, and White Plains New York.

National Mall, Washington D.C

This MLK statue was unveiled in 2011. The ceremony was scheduled on the 48th anniversary of his "I Have a Dream" speech but the ceremony was cancelled because of hurricane Irene. The ceremony was then held on October 16th. Martin Luther King Jr is the first African American honored with a memorial on or near the National Mall and the fourth non-president. 

Allentown, Pennsylvania

This statue was dedicated in 2011. This is believed to be the only statue of both Martin and his wife Coretta. This statue depicts them marching forward with eyes on the horizon. 

Selma

This statue in Selma is located at the Brown Chapel AME Church. This church was the local SCLC meeting place during the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965. 

Indianapolis

This statue is of Martin Luther King Jr and Robert F Kennedy. This memorial is in the location where RFK delivered his speech announcing that MLK had been killed. It depicts Martin Luther King Jr reaching out to Robert F Kennedy. 

There are over 900 streets named after Martin Luther King Jr in 42 states and in Puerto Rico. There are also numerous schools and institutions named after him as well. 

Citations

"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." NAACP. N.p., 2015. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.

Ross, Shmuel, and David Johnson. "The History of Martin Luther King Day." Infoplease. Sandbox Networks, 2015. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.

"Martin Luther King Statues around the Country (and Beyond)." MyAJC. Coxmedia Group, 2015. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.

"Martin Luther King Jr Memorial." Wikipedia. N.p., 29 Nov. 2015. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.

"List of Streets Named after Martin Luther King, Jr." Wikipedia. N.p., 26 Nov. 2015. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.

                                                   Photo Credit

http://www.seiu1199nw.org/2013/01/19/honoring-the-legacy-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/

http://www.mga.edu/news/newspage.aspx?sqid=252

http://tisnm.org/event/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-holiday/

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/27802341/king-center-in-atlanta-plans-events-to-celebrate-mlk-holiday

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr._Memorial

http://comeexplorewithme.com/2011/11/13/allentown-pa-the-only-memorial-with-both-martin-and-coretta-scott-king/

http://www.myajc.com/photo/news/mlk-statues/pCXGqj/

http://leaksource.info/2013/01/22/page/2/

Assassination

Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis Tennessee. Martin and the SCLC were preparing for a planned march to Washington. They were going to lobby Congress on behalf of the poor. Before they could complete the march they were called to Memphis to support a sanitation workers' strike. On April 3, 1968 Martin Luther King Jr gave a speech at the Mason Temple Church. King ended his speech with these now historic words: " I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." 

Martin Luther King Jr and associates we're staying at the Lorraine Motel. Just a little after 6 p.m. on April 4, 1968 Martin was standing on the second floor balcony of the motel when he was struck in the neck by a sniper's bullet. He was rushed to the hospital and just about an hour later Martin Luther King Jr was pronounced dead at the age of 39. 

King's death sparked riots in more than one hundred cities around the country.  These riots included burning and looting.  President Lyndon B Johnson urged Congress to speedily pass the civil rights legislation. He said it would be a fitting legacy of Martin Luther King Jr's life's work. On April 11, 1968 President Lyndon B Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968 also known as the Fair Housing Act. 

Several months after King's assassination on June 8, 1968 authorities captured a suspect in his murder. The suspect they captured was a small-time criminal named James Earl Ray. He was captured at London's Heathrow Airport. James Earl Ray had been seen running from a boarding house near the motel where King was killed. Authorities said that the shot that killed King came from the bathroom in that boarding house. His fingerprints were found on the rifle used to kill MLK. They also found his fingerprints on a scope and a pair of binoculars. On March 10, 1969 James Earl Ray pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in prison for the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. There was no testimony heard at his trial. He later recanted his confession and claimed that he was the victim of a conspiracy. Though the US government conducted several investigations into the trial, and each time confirming James Earl

 Ray's, guilt there is still controversy surrounding King's assassination. James Earl Ray died in 1998. 

Both blacks and whites alike mourned the death of Martin Luther King Jr. But in some ways it served to widen the tension between blacks and whites. Many blacks saw King's murder as a rejection of their hard-driving pursuit of equality. His death also radicalized many moderate African American activists.

RFK gave this speech in Indianapolis and after he gave this speech this city was the only city to not see riots. He would be assassinated 63 days later. 

Citation:

"Martin Luther King JR Assassination." History Channel. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.

Photo Credit:

http://blog.genealogybank.com/46th-anniversary-of-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-s-assassination.html

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/March-April-08/On-this-Day--Martin-Luther-King-Jr--Assassinated-in-Memphis.html

http://swampland.time.com/2013/04/04/time-looks-back-martin-luther-kings-assassination/

http://thekingcenter.org/archive/theme/4805

http://englishteacherx.blogspot.com/2015/10/assassination-tourism-part-2-civil.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/04/martin-luther-king-jr-causes_n_5090748.html

Chicago Freedom Movement

The Chicago Freedom Movement of 1966 was led by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., James Bevel and Al Raby. This Freedom movement consisted of large rallies, marches and demands to the city. The demands covered a wide range of areas like:

1. Open housing

2. Quality education

3. Transportation and job access

4. Income and employment

5. Health

6. Wealth generation 

7. Crime and the criminal justice system

8. Community development

9. Tenants Rights

10. Quality of life 

The intention of the Chicago Freedom Movement was to end slums in the city of Chicago. For this movement the alliances were the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Coordinating Council of Community Organizations (CCCO). They organized:

1. Tenants' unions

2. Assumed control of a slum tenement

3. Founded action groups (Operation Breadbasket)

4. Rallied black and white Chicagoans to support goals 

On July 10, 1966 Martin Luther King Jr. organized a large rally at Soldier Field. This rally at Soldier Field was attended by 35,000 people for Martin Luther King Jr.'s first 'freedom rally'.  Marches and rallies were often meet with hostile and violent responses by local whites. Martin Luther King once said that even in Alabama and Mississippi he had not encountered mobs as hostile to Blacks' civil rights as those in Chicago. 

The Chicago Freedom March lost much of its focus and momentum by early 1967 when Martin Luther King Jr., James Bevel and the SCLC turned to other projects like the anti-Vietnam War Movement. The Chicago Freedom Movement is considered the most ambitious civil rights campaign in the North. This movement would led to the 1968 Fair Housing Act. 

Citation:

"Chicago Freedom Movement." Wikipedia. N.p., 30 Oct. 2015. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

Photo Credit:

http://thorncreekproductions.com/king_in_chicago.hhtml

http://www.oxfordaasc.com/public/features/archive/0110/photo_essay.jsp?page=14

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/4/4/947840/-

http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/specialcoll/services/rjd/CULExhibit/Urban%20League%20Exhibit/4_1_body.htm

https://historyrat.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/martin-luther-king-jr-and-chicago-in-1966-memories-not-so-fond/

Selma to Montgomery

The Selma to Montgomery marches took place from March 7, 1965 to March 25, 1965. The goal of these marches was voting rights for blacks. The result of these marches was the Voting Rights Act of 1965. There were three marches that would take place between March 7th and March 25th. This march highlighted the racial injustice in the South. The march from Selma to Montgomery was a 54 mile walk. President Lyndon B Johnson considered Martin Luther King Jr. a essential partner in getting the Voting Rights Act enacted. 

The first march took place on March 7, 1965. This march was organized by James Bevel, Amelia Boynton and others. There was an estimated number of 525 to 600 marchers. The March was led by John Lewis of SNCC and Reverend Hosea Williams of SCLC. The march was peaceful until they passed county line and were attacked by state troopers with billy clubs and tear gas. This march would be known as "Bloody Sunday." One of the organizers, Amelia Boynton, was beaten unconscious. She survived, lived a long life and died in August 2015 at the age of 110. 

The second march took place March 9, 1965 and this march would be known as "Turnaround Tuesday." For this march an estimated number of about 2,500 marchers marched. Troopers and marchers meet at the end of the bridge and when troopers moved to let them pass Martin Luther King Jr. turned them around and led them back to the church. King did this because he was obeying a federal injunction while seeking protection from the federal court. James Reeb, a white man from Boston who was apart of the march, was beaten that night by a white group and would later die. The events of Bloody Sunday and the death of James Reeb led to a national outcry targeting both the Alabama State and federal governments. 

The third march took place between March 21, 1965 and March 25, 1965. A judge had sided with the protestors and that they had a right to protest under the 1st amendment. The president offered protection for the marchers with 2,000 soldiers of the US Army, 1,900 members of the Alabama National Guard and FBI agents and Federal Marshalls. The beginning of the march on March 21, 1965 consisted of close to 8,000 marchers. They started the long walk to Montgomery. A judges orders were that no more than 300 marchers for the two days they would be crossing the two lane portion of highway-80 because of traffic. Most of the marchers returned to Selma and left 300 people to camp overnight for the next day trek. On March 22nd and 23rd, 300 marchers marched in the rain through Lowndes County. On March 24, 1965 the march crossed into Montgomery County. When they crossed into Montgomery County additional marchers were transported by bus and car to join. On the final day which was March 25, 1965 there was 25,000 people who marched from St Jude to the State Capitol Building where Martin Luther King Jr. would deliver a speech. 

The route the marchers took is memorialized as the "Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights Trail." This trail is designated as a US National Historic Trail.  

Citation:

 "Selma to Montgomery Marches." Wikipedia. N.p., 30 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

Photo Credit:

http://www.lbjlibrary.org/press/marches-for-civil-rights

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/4433299608735561/

http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2015/03/retrospective-the-march-from-selma-to-montgomery/#1

https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/Selma-to-Montgomery-Bloody-Sunday0

http://dreammarcheson.com

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_to_Montgomery_marches#The_march_to_Montgomery

Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts

                                      Civil Rights Act of 1964

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended segregation in public places. It also banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was considered one of the greatest legislative achievements of the civil rights movement. This act was originally proposed by President John F Kennedy and then when he was assassinated it was signed into law by his successor Lyndon B Johnson. 

Before the Civil Rights Act was signed into law in 1964 the U.S. Congress established a civil rights section of the Justice Department in 1957. President John F Kennedy while he was in office said that the United States "will not fully be free until all of its citizens are free." The Civil Rights Act would eventually later expand to bring the disabled, the elderly and women in collegiate athletics under it. 

President LBJ (Lyndon B Johnson) signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with at least seventy-five pens, which he handed out to congressional supporters of the bill such as Hubert Humphrey and Everett Dirksen and civil rights leaders such as MLK (Martin Luther King Jr.) and Roy Wilkins. 

Voting Rights Act of 1965

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon B Johnson on August 6, 1965. This act aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their legal right to vote under the fifteenth amendment. The Civil Rights Act of 1965 is considered among the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history. 

Before the Voting Rights Act was signed African Americans who attempted to vote often were told by election officials that they had gotten the date or time or polling place wrong. They were also often told that they possessed insufficient literacy skills or that they had filled out an application incorrectly. The Southern states had been known to force blacks to recite the entire Constitution or explain the most complex provisions of state laws. 

The Civil Rights Act of 1965 banned the use of literacy tests. It also provided for federal oversight of voter registration in areas where less than 50% of the nonwhite population had not registered to vote. This act also authorized the U.S. attorney general to investigate the use of poll taxes in state and local elections. 

Citations:

"Civil Rights Act." History Channel. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

"Voting Rights Act." History Channel. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.

Photo Credit:

http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/579924

http://www.nps.gov/subjects/civilrights/1964-civil-rights-act.htm

http://politic365.com/2012/07/07/how-title-vi-of-the-1964-civil-rights-act-benefited-education/

http://www.salon.com/2014/04/14/glaring_limits_of_the_civil_rights_act_we_need_to_redistribute_wealth/

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart9b.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/19/march-on-washington-voting-rights-act/2646695/

https://www.thinglink.com/scene/515520916835270657
https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King

I Have a Dream

Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech on August 28, 1963 during the March on Washington. He gave the speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to a crowd of 250,000 demonstrators. In his speech he called for an end to racism in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement. He starts his speech off with reference to the Emancipation Proclamation and how even one hundred years later the black man is still not free. 

Martin Luther King Jr. described his dreams of freedom and equality from a land arising from slavery and hatred. This speech was shown to have several versions written at several different times. The "I Have a Dream" speech was drafted with the assistance of Stanley Levison and Clarence Benjamin Jones. 

Mahalia Jones a gospel singer shouted "Tell them about the dream Martin" and that is when he stopped his prepared speech and started to preach and he started punctuating his points with "I have a Dream." 

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech was ranked top American speech of the 20th century in 1999. 

"I Have a Dream" Speech

Citation:

"I Have a Dream." Wikipedia. N.p., Oct. 2015. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.

Photo Credit:

http://thesource.com/2014/01/20/10-standout-quotes-from-martin-luther-king-jr-s-i-have-a-dream-speech/

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2013/08/26/mlk-dream-speech

http://abcnews.go.com/US/things-make-dream-famous-speeches-history/story?id=20068795

March on Washington

The March on Washington happened on August 28, 1963 and was a march for jobs and freedom. This march was the first to have extensive TV coverage. This march was the largest demonstration ever seen in the nation's capital. In this time 1963 was known for racial unrest and civil rights demonstrations. The march on Washington was attended by 250,000 people and a quarter of those people were white. 

The March on Washington represented a unioin of several civil rights organizations. There were leaders from six different organizations and they were known as the Big Six. These leaders and their organizations were:

1. James Farmer- Congress of Radical Equality (CORE) 

2. Martin Luther King Jr.- Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) 

3. John Lewis- Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

4. A. Phillip Randolph- Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters

5. Roy Wilkins- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

6. Whitney Young Jr.- National Urban 

League

The March on Washington had seven demands in mind. These demands were:

1. They wanted passage of meaningful civil rights legislation.

2. They wanted the elimination of racial segregation in public schools.

3. They wanted the protection for the demonstrators against police brutality. 

4. They wanted a major public works program to provide jobs.

5. They wanted a passage of a law prohibiting racial discrimination in public and private hiring. 

6. They wanted a $2 minimum wage.

7. They wanted self government for the District of Columbia.  

The president at this time was JFK and Kennedy was against the March in the beginning because he felt it would make the legislature vote against civil rights laws. When he found out that the march was going to go ahead as planned he got behind the march and supported it. There was of course resistance to this march and it came from two sides. They were white supremacist like the KKK and civil rights activists who felt it presented a inaccurate spectacle of racial harmony like Malcolm X. The demonstrators marched from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial. 

The March on Washington was civil and peaceful. 

This march is well known for Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

Citation:

Ross, Shmuel. "Civil Rights March on Washington." Infoplease. N.p., Oct. 2015. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.

Photo Credit:

http://www.eurweb.com/2013/08/nbc-news-mounts-dreamday-project-for-mlk-anniversary/

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/tag/march-on-washington/

http://www.acluohio.org/blog-posts/50-years-of-dreaming

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/marchonwashington.html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/2003/08/the-march-on-washington-for-jobs-and-freedom/