African American and Luther King Jr. Essay

Submitted By candi-kisses
Words: 1108
Pages: 5

Martin Luther King Jr

Martin Luther King Jr was a miraculous man thought of to be a Prophet who held a Christian worldview. King was the chief spokesman for a nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. He is most famous for his “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28 1963, where he spoke about freedom, family, God and equality arising from a land of slavery and hatred. There are many people who have walked the ground of the earth, but who is it that has really made a difference? Martin Luther King Jr. is the only African American man that has a day observed in his remembrance. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King's birthday, January 15. Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983 and it was first observed 3 years later. It was officially observed in all 50 states in 2000. Martin Luther King Jr.’s worldview can be visualized through the way he viewed his family, the nature of God, and social issues. The views that he held true to his heart can be compared to my own. Martin Luther King Jr.’s worldview can be seen in how he views the concept of family.

Martin Luther King Jr was born into a family of preachers during the time of civil rights movements. King was born on January 15 1929. His strong willed Grandmother taught him that love holds the key to everything. Through the beatings and racial slanders, he never once shed a tear in the public eye or in his home. “The elder Kings had taught their children a lesson they had learned from their parents: Negative emotions, such as hate and anger, must be silenced, and must never be expressed to white people.” (Hinds, J. 2012). I believe that my beliefs are very similar to Martin Luther King Jr because I consider myself a very strong person and I will not shed a tear in front of my family or in the public eye in order to protect them from any stress.

King’s worldview of the nature of God was that of a Prophet. Martin Luther King Jr. “Prophet, saint, angel, little Jesus—King forsook all of these appellations, insisting that he, much like the people who came to hear him preach, was a sinner; he was, in essence, as he often confessed, a man who relied daily on the grace of God in order to overcome his flaws.” (Hinds, J. 2012). King proved that anyone can follow the book of the Bible and speak the word of God, but still not be perfect. There is not a person who has walked the earth besides Jesus who is capable of comparing himself to God. I agree with King’s beliefs for I once was not interested in the word of God until I realized how powerful and great it is, and how you do not have to be perfect to follow the book of the Bible.

Martin Luther King Jr.s worldview on social issues is why we now are living in the land of promise and the American dream. In Kings sermons, he speaks of “loving your enemies, hate damages the personality and injures the soul.” (Hinds, J. 2012) Hate is the beget that starts a spiral motion of human destruction. Love is the answer to everything. “King’s prophetic role also put him in a precarious position: he was expected to be, much of the prophets of the Old Testament, a fierce defender of the weak, a voice for justice that would not be silenced, and a bastion of hope that would not let his people fall into the deep abyss of despair.” ( Hinds, J. 2012) King was trying to make a difference in the “white” world he was living in. He could not understand how it was okay to care for white family’s children, but you were not able to use their restroom. He wanted to bring an end to the black and white segregation in the community. I agree with Kings Worldview on social issues, as I believe that everyone should be treated equal and fair regardless of the color of the skin or their social status. I would definitely choose Martin Luther