Martin Luther King Lived a Life of Greatness - Essay Example

?A Study on Martin Luther King ID Number Number Declaration This assignment is solely the work .All ideas and views of other people included or referred to are acknowledged and appropriately referenced. Signature: Date: __________________________ __________________________ Name Professor Course Date A Study on Martin Luther King Introduction Martin Luther King lived a life of greatness. Born in 1929, he became an influential leader and civil rights activist. Martin Luther King combined leadership, activism and clerical duties in his life time. He had a pivotal role in the civil rights progress, in United States, and globally. He advanced his civil rights crusade through nonviolence as mentored by Mohandas Gandhi. Martin Luther King is a national icon in modern American history because of his leadership style, policy and strategic thinking. In his activities, he advanced principles of strategy. His historical significance goes beyond his civil rights crusade or clerical work. He represented black leadership absent at the time in America. During this period, black leaders whether accommodative or reformists had minimum influence on power. These black leaders acted as power brokers for the white leaders or as spokesmen; they never expressed or acted on their own. However, Martin Luther King had his leadership rested on religious establishments that went beyond the church to a constituency that tagged him because of his strategy and ideology. He differed from the times, conventional leaders because of his independence from political machinery and institutional constraints. He addressed broader issues than race and the racial injustices (Barber, 2011, p. 52). Martin Luther King exemplified talented and strategic thinking, and leadership on both a national and international scale. In all his actions, he carefully advanced his strategic principles, and they all paid off. Growing Up and Early Influence Martin Luther King, born on 15th January 1929, grew up in Atlanta Georgia. The son of Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King, he had a younger brother and an elder sister. King devoted much of his time in the church choir, where he sang with the choir during the opening of the movie Gone with the Wind. During his early age, king had intelligence and the will to question. He did not believe in things easily without getting all the information required to make a conclusion (Kavaloski, & Kavaloski, 2011, p. 25). Most striking was his skepticism of the resurrection of Jesus at the age of 13. He afterwards noted the inescapable truths in the Bible. This led him to join the seminary at a tender age. He attended Booker T Washington High School, but as a precocious student, he jumped ninth and twelfth grade. He joined the Morehouse College where he graduated with a Degree in sociology. During his seminarian years, King’s educator and theologian Howard Thurman immensely influenced his life. Thurman crucially mentored him as seen by their closeness. The success of Mahatma Gandhi nonviolent resistance inspired King to nonviolence in the movement. He had a commitment to the American civil rights struggle. The oppression that the minority faced played a significant role as well in influencing his thinking. The rich and wealthy had all the powers to do anything they wanted while oppressing the poor. King observed that using nonviolence offered him a strategy to push for the oppressed human dignity and justice, and also fight for their civil rights (Barber, 2011, p. 53). King’s society was plagued by racial discrimination, segregation and poverty. He disliked the society’s social state and decided to fight for their justice. The society’s inequality also pushed him to study sociology and theology because he wanted to help socially (Carson, 2005, p. 8). Achievements, Challenges and Great Moments In his lifetime, Martin Luther King had many achievements. He secured the progress of civil rights in U.S, and before his assassination the U.S Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. Part of this act is Title 8 attributed to King’s struggle in securing fair housing for all without discrimination. King continues to act as a reference of human rights icon, and his legacy and name continuously invoked posthumously for his contribution in the attainment of human rights in United States. Internationally, King influenced the South African civil rights movement and the Black Consciousness Movement. King immensely influenced Albert Luthuli, a South African and Nobel Peace Prize winner, in civil rights movement. King received many honors for his civil rights movement including a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He also received other numerous awards for his authorship. King exceptionally advanced the human liberty principle. He also pushed the Supreme Court to declare it unconstitutional for segregation in the transport industry after the Montgomery boycott (Dubin, 2006, p. 49). Martin Luther King had to overcome white, American stereotypes and government agents in his fight for indiscriminate achievement of human dignity. The government supported by the majority white population did not take king seriously. He was jailed severally but freed and continued his crusade. Some of the black leaders were skeptical of his objectives and did not give him the support he needed. During his objection of the Vietnam War, King faced a hostile media (Life Magazine and The Washington Post) that declared his diminishing usefulness to the country. Martin Luther King had many exciting moments in his life. However, his receiving of the Nobel Peace Prize could be viewed as a great moment for him because the award recognized his movement (Marques, 2007, p. 103). People Who Though Martin Luther King Was Great Martin Luther King has been described as an icon by many people in the world including the current U.S President. The scholar Molefi Kete Asante in 2002 listed him among 100 of the greatest African-Americans because of his commitment in the course of human rights. Malcolm Gladwell in 2011 described him as the primary 20th century tactician because of his meaningful changes and achievements in the civil rights crusade. President Ronald Reagan created a holiday in commemoration of king by signing a bill that authorized the observation of January 20th as Martin Luther King Jr. day. Jesse Jackson and Nelson Mandela also acknowledged his greatness. They observed his pivotal role in acknowledgement of human rights globally, and his nonviolent approach to solving issues (Garrow, 2002, p. 439). People Who Though Martin Luther King Was Not Great Very few people thought lowly of Martin Luther King’s greatness. Richard Neuhaus considered Martin Luther King a sexual libertine and adulterer. Boys Don in an article, in C.S.T News, titled Martin Luther King Jr.: Was Not a Good Man, shows that King was a plagiarist, Marxist and drunk. His protest of the American involvement in the Vietnam War led to criticism from media houses such as The Washington Post (Wilder, 2002, p. 20). The F.B.I also described king as an adulterous man who had affairs with many women and had sex with prostitutes (Lewis, 2003, p. 347). Lessons Learnt from Martin Luther King’s Life Martin Luther King through his life offered many lessons because people can draw from his life. He inspires the poor, rich, the oppressed, students, business leaders, human rights crusaders, local and international leaders and religious leaders. From his life, it is clear that leaders do not twist reality. Great people tell the truth even though it hurts. He compared the state of the society during the formation of the United States as a Republic and during the civil right movement. He lamented that life for the majority white improved as the life of the minority suffered injustices. Though this did not go down well with the whites, he did not stop his activism (King, 1959, p.7). Martin Luther King also engaged his heart in all his undertakings. While logic compels the mind, metaphors and stories move the heart. Martin Luther King used the technique of telling moving stories to move the crowd into his side of logic. This differentiated the act of giving information and offering inspiration. Martin Luther King showed that substantial leaders do not accept the status quo. This also shows that strong leaders are active and not passive and unwilling to accept their circumstances (Marques, 2007, p. 110). King also showed that illustrious leaders have a sagacity of urgency. Great leaders are impatient because they do not let nature take its course. They eagerly map out their own course. They also effectively communicate their sense of urgency. He also showed that leaders act in accordance with the highest value. King could have decided to change his tactic and resort to violence. However, he called all the people in the movement to defend the highest standards (Wilkins, 2007, p. 10). Lessons Learnt From Martin Luther King Leadership like Martin Luther King showed has innate qualities. However, an individual can learn a lot from the behaviors and actions taken by Martin Luther King as a catalyst for change. King showed that having a dream and following a vision leads to fulfillment of the dream. All revered leaders have visionary characteristics. The ability of a leader to develop a dream and a vision acts as a vital asset in the realization of the dream. As an individual, it is crucial to express visions and dreams to others for assistance towards the realization of the dream. The current world requires visionary leaders, and these leaders require encouragement from other people. It is also necessary to have defined convictions and courage to change the convictions into reality (Wilkins, 2007, p. 9). King exemplified the character of doing what he asked of others. He motivated and inspired people to make changes to the world through his actions. In order to advance in any situation as an individual, it is necessary to have consistent stimulation and be an example to others. As a leader, people should be willing to follow the example the leader sets out. A leaders credibility is validated by the leader’s ability to execute and dirt his/her hands. It is crucial for leaders to display not only strategic and managerial duties but also show tactical capabilities. In any event, a team develops respect for its leader if the leader displays leadership by example. Martin Luther King exemplified the principles of service and equality. The more service a leader gives to his/her workers, the higher the reward and the results (Marques, 2007, p. 115). Martin Luther King Coping with the Present World Martin Luther King would fit well in the modern society. Other civil rights activists during his time live comfortably, enjoying the fruits of the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King had a grand dream for the U.S and the world. During his life, King faced vilification from both whites and blacks. The militant S.N.C.C saw King as forgiving and passive in the fight for their rights. However, the fact that he chose to employ nonviolent tactics in his crusade could have endeared him a lot to the world, just like Nelson Mandela. Martin Luther King had begun drawing international leaders to his side. His way of thinking and strategy, when dealing with a crisis, would enable him fit well in the modern society. Also, because of the many injustices in the world, Martin Luther King would be helpful in addressing these issues (Kavaloski, & Kavaloski, 2011, p. 30). Summary Martin Luther King is indeed a veritable man. Born in 1929, he lived a life of activism at a tender age. During his childhood, he questioned the resurrection of Jesus but later acknowledged the centrality of the Bible in Christianity. He joined the seminary and started mentorship under Thurman Howard. Thurman immensely influenced King’s life and helped in instilling the principles of nonviolence. King studied theology and sociology in college because he felt that the two professions would help him in serving his impoverished community. King grew up in an African American society, and he knew the problems that plagued his society. Martin Luther King’s activism started during the Montgomery boycott after Rosa Park refused to surrender her place to a white passenger. The boycott lasted 365 days in which his house was shelled, and he faced arrest for the boycott. The boycott succeeded in ending, constitutionally, the racial segregation in public transport in Montgomery. King continued with his rights activism all over the state, inspiring movements across the world especially in apartheid South Africa. Because of his activism, King was instrumental in pressuring the congress to pass the Civil Rights Act that would end any form of discrimination in U.S. Conclusion Martin Luther King offers many lessons in thinking and strategic planning and leadership. He employed nonviolence in his campaigns; with slow but long, lasting positive effects on the society, compared to the violent campaigns that could have led to hatred and more violence. He preached peace and made people understand that he was not against anybody but rather he was agitating for the oppressed. He faced many challenges in his crusade including violence from his opponents. The militant black groups wanted a violent means to end the dispute, but king held to his value of a peaceful conclusion to the issue. The F.B.I was skeptical of his activities because they thought that he was a communist element. They spread propaganda about king; most prominent was that he was bisexual and adulterous. However, this did not stop him from going ahead to achieve his vision of an all inclusive United States of America without any form of segregation, discrimination or biases. Reference Barber, L. (2011). Assessing the Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Christian Research Institute. Page 50-53. Carson, C. (2005). Paradoxes of King Historiography. O.A.H Magazine. Page 7-11. Dubin, L. (2006). Bringing the Spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. into a Legal Ethics Course. The Column of the Legal Education and Professional Standards Committee. Crossing the Bar. Page 49-50. Garrow, D. (2002). Martin Luther King and the Spirit of Leadership. The Journal of American History. Vol. 94, No. 5. Page 438-447. Kavaloski, V. & Kavaloski, J. (2011). Tough Minds and Tender Hearts: Building Martin Luther King’s Beloved Community through Service Learning. National Youth Council. Page 20-34. King, M. (1959). My Trip to the Land Of Gandhi. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project. Paper 4. Page 4-9. Lewis, D. (2003). Failing To Know Martin Luther King, Jr. The Journal of American History. Vol. 95, No 4. Page 345-349. Marques, J. (2007). On Impassioned Leadership: A Comparison Between Leaders From Divergent Walks Of Life. International Journal of Leadership Studies. Vol. 3, No. 3. Page 98-125. Wilder, T. (2002). Review of the Martin Luther King Jr., Plagiarism Story, Edited By Theodore Pappas. Contra Mundum. No. 24. Page 19-25. Wilkins, R. (2007). Martin Luther King, Jr.: Because I Promised Them I Would Come. Ethics And Responsibility. Page 7-14. Read More