Martin was under the infuence of the bible and racism from a very young age. When he and his friends were old enough to go to school he realised that balck and white children were sent to seperate schools. From then on he noticed that cafe's cinema's and most churches were made just for white people.
When he was older he went to Morehouse college, the head teacher was called Dr. Mays. He was not a doctor, but a church minister. When Dr. Mays preached he often spoke of how people should be fair towards others. Martin could see that by listening to this man, that he was not only interested in the christian faith, but also had real concern for other people.
On the 1st of December 1965, a black woman was arrested. She was arrested for being tired and refusing to give up her seat for a white person. Following this Martin Luther King, led the bus boycott, whicj stopped people from using the local buses, to try and change the way black people were treated in society. Martin Luther King was soon put in charge of the civil rights movement. Martin made a speech on the bus boycott, and on Rosa Parks arrest. He said "We're here this evening to say to those who have treated us wrong for so long, we're tired. Tired of being kept apart, tired of being shamed, tired of being kicked about. We have to pretest, we've been patient, but we come here tonight to e saved from the patience that makes us patient with anything less than freedom and fairness. But we must not be violent. Don't force people not to ride on the buses Our actions must be guided by our christian faith. Remember the words of Jesus 'Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Pray for them that use you badly.'"
During a speech a few months later, Martin got told that his house had been bombed. He reacted calmly to this and asked if his family were safe. When the people said yes. He replied well that is all that matters. Martin said to the angry mob outside his house after it was bomed "We can't solve anything by violence. We must meet hate with love. Remember, if I am stopped, this movement will not stop. For God is with this movement."
Martin one day was waiting to see his solicitor, when he was violently attacked by policemen. He was taken to court and was told to either pay a fine of $10 or spend 14 day in prison. Martin said "You honour, I cannot pay a fine for an act I did not do. I was about to go into a courtroom when two policemen pushed, twisted, choked and kicked me. I did nothing to be treated like that. The black man can no longer silently suffer cruelty from the police. We cannot do so because of what we read in the bible. We're commanded to resist evil by the God that made us all."
During a march in August 1963, Martin made a speech infront of a quartre of a million blacks aswell as whites. The speech basically summarised his aim. He said "I have a dream that my four little children will one day will live in a nation where they will not be judged bythe colour of their skin, but by the sort of persons they are.
I have a dream that one day.... all of God's children, black, white, jew, gentile, protestants and catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the black peoples old song 'Free at last, Free at last. Thatnk God almighty, we're Free at last.'"
After Martin's deah his daughter said to her mother "Mum, i'm not going to cry, because my dad's not really dead. His body is dead, but his spirit will never die. I'm going to see him again in heaven."
Their mother then told the children not to hate the man that killed Martin Luther King, as he would not want that. Martin lost his life through a crime, upon which he was trying to stop.
Overall Martin Luther King refused to support the idea that all white people are evil. Some black radicals believed this. Instead he taught that Christian love was the way forward. Love was the supreme moral norm. "Love" he said "Is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend"
Martin could of protested violently, but it was due to his christian beliefs that his protests were peaceful.