Martin Luther King had three options from which to choose, to accept segregation and the ambience that they had failed, even though this would not result in further problems for the Blacks. To fight back with violence, which would result in many arrests and also death and more brutal assaults. Although this would be a way of “putting their foot down” to show the whites what they really wanted. Or to use peaceful direct action, using this would put their point across without drastic measures but they might occur more problems from the white racists for making a stand. King decided to use the peaceful direct action because it worked for Mahatma Ghandi and if it doesn’t work, things couldn’t get much worse. It was worth a try.
Martin Luther King, started the campaign for Civil Rights by starving companies of their much-needed money. On the buses, white and black people were segregated. When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white person and was thrown into jail, King pronounced that all black people boycott the buses. This was very successful to their campaign; the bus companies were bordering bankruptcy, and so had to change the laws to abolish segregation.
On the pathway to Civil Rights were many protests, some won and some lost. As a starter Martin Luther King focused on the most racist city in America, this was Birmingham, Alabama. He believed that if the black people of America could make a change in this city, then they could everywhere. In 1963 they held the first peaceful protest. Police used violence against the protesters, but they held their ground bringing press attention to what they were campaigning for, the civil rights act. Due to this coverage, they were forced to desegregate the area, the first protest was successful.
As a next step, they were to march on Washington; this would bring to attention the seriousness of their problems. This indeed happened; as they marched there was much press coverage. The people watching at home saw what was happening and many racist views were change. Some white people even went out to protest with them! This was a start, although some views were changed, there was still much racism throughout America. The March on Washington was another success, in 1964, the civil rights act laid down the law that you were unable to discriminate due to colour.
Black people had got what they had set out to do, but now believed that they could accomplish more. Many blacks wanted and by law were allowed to vote, but because of racism were not allowed to. In Selma, 1965 they protested, on the steps of city hall, a black man protesting to vote was knocked down by the chief of police who refused to listen and turned his back on them. Although the law was in place, it did not stop the chief of police from behaving as he had.
Their last march took two attempts. Marching from Selma to Montgomery, Hosea Williams led the people. They encountered abuse from the police; they beat everyone, even children and women to the ground. Blood was everywhere and gas was let out until it looked like an immense fog. It was described as “Facing Hitler”. White people were now looking on each other’s actions with disgust. Even with a defeat the black people of America were not put off. The next time, led by King, proved to be more successful. This time before giving up they prayed, this bought sympathy and eventually embarrassed the Authorities into letting them march. In August 1965, there was the Voting Rights act. This stated that every adult could vote, this included the black population. Another encouraging sign was that ALL segregation acts were band. The black people of America were getting somewhere.
Martin Luther King was shot dead on a balcony in Tennessee by a white racist who had sworn revenge on him.
Martin Luther King was very important to the black peoples campaign in my opinion. He was the person who made them believe, he was the one that gave them all the encouragement and the ideas to succeed. He was the one that broadcast their feelings, showed them that it could be done. Without his determination and skills at persuading people and making them believe they could accomplish something so great, I don’t think they would have the courage to do it.
