Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" -Martin Luther King Jr.
Background Information:
After the Civil War, the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was adopted, getting rid of all slavery in the United States. The Fourteenth Amendment, adopted in 1868, gave all former slaves U.S. citizenship and equal protection under the law.
These new laws, though they promised new hope for former slaves, did not result in equal treatment of African Americans living in the United States. In 1896, the United States Supreme Court adopted the “separate but equal” doctrine stating that the government could separate people based on their race as long as the different facilities were equal. The separate facilities did not turn out to be equal and this ruling was finally overturned in 1954 with the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education.
The segregation of Blacks and Whites was especially strong in the Southern United States, where the two racial groups were not only allowed to attend the same school, but could not use the same drinking fountain, the same entry way into a building, or sit in the same part of the bus.
I have included a link to some additional background information on why the Civil Rights Movement was started that you need to visit before researching your person. It is good to become familiar with the background information, before you focus in on one specific aspect.
Just in case you are still curious about the true facts of the church bombing mentioned in book, I have included a link about the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church for you to explore if you wish.
Your Task:
Your task is to research Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and determine what impact he had on the Civil Rights Movement. How did he help African Americans gain the right to be treated as equals? In what way did he change how African Americans were fighting back? What is he most famous for? What happened to him? Don't forget to use any fun facts you find! Do not feel limited by the resources I have given you, they are only listed as a guide to help your thinking. Good luck!
 Photo courtesy of Ci.Boulder |
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