Leslie A.
Dr. Martin Luther King's accomplishments during the Civil Rights Movement greatly affected our lives now. The reason I say “our” lives, is because it was not only the black people who benefited from Dr. King's accomplishments, but people of many races reaped the reward. His honorable acts and encouraging speeches impacted people around the world.
Dr. King impacted many blacks by teaching them to maintain peace in conflict and respect everyone by refusing to respond negatively to violence. He promoted peaceful protest. Gandhi inspired Dr. King with his successful use of non-violence. One way Dr. King impacted white people was by changing some of the ways they viewed black people. Caucasians got to see that blacks were just normal people like themselves, with different skin colors.
Today, black people have the freedom to go outside and not be or feel discriminated against. They have the freedom to ride the same transportation as whites. They also have the freedom to speak their mind and actually have and express their own ideas. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made great changes in history that will remain in our minds for as long as America lives.
Jennifer O.
Martin Luther King, Jr. has helped our communities and our generation. MLK believed that “the time is always right, to do what is right.” He believed now is the right time and because of that he changed the course of history. He also helped progress the Civil Rights Movements which helped integrate public places. The outcome of the integration was that it gave all races a chance to learn and earn a profession in life. Since the changed happen back then, it also affected our generation. It gave us rights and motivated us to work harder. He showed us how to peacefully protest and not to use violence to prove our strength. Also because of integration, I get to have friends of many races. He taught us that no matter our age, race, or beliefs, we can make a difference.
Leslie O.
Martin Luther King Jr. made a great difference in schools. Long ago, many schools were not helping people become better educated because schools were separated by race. During segregation, schools did not have good education because they were separated, which limited students' opportunities.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “The function of education is to teach one to think critically. Intelligence plus character that is the good of true education.” After segregation was ended in schools, we had integrated schools, and all students learned more about race by learning together. Schools changed a lot after segregation.
If segregation was still going, there would still be protesting and controversy. This affects me because I would not get as good of an education. Praise God that the legal segregation in schools stopped because I can go to the school I am in now and learn with and from people of different races.
Nicholas J.
Even with the improvements of learning at a school with people from many backgrounds, there can still be problems with things like bullying. Martin Luther King told us that we would remember the silence of our friends long after we forgot the words of our enemies. While our friends may not be able to say anything to the bully, we will remember our friends’ actions. Then, we will not care about the words of our enemies / bullies. We will ultimately care about what our friends did.
Luis G.
If it was not for Martin Luther King Jr., I would never have met my best friends at school, who are African American, or even some of my Hispanic friends. It is because of him that I enjoy equal rights as a Hispanic American.
Jolene A.
At school and at home, I have been taught that character is key in everything that you do whether in a job or your family. Martin Luther King once said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” MLK has made me realize that I should focus on peoples’ personality and character, regardless of their skin color. I thank MLK for helping me to have a different mindset about people and work to understand their character.
Abigail M.
I believe that Martin Luther King, Jr. was a society-changing, hopeful man. He had dreams for a better future for blacks and other people discriminated by the law in the 1960's. He led boycotts that showed whites and the rest of the world that they, meaning the blacks, were not going to stand for poor treatment. The whites did things to make blacks feel inhuman. They prohibited them to go to certain places or eat at the lunch counters.
Martin Luther King, Jr. has affected my life because he always made me feel good about being a “colored” person. There are still prejudiced people in this world. That is why my mom tells me always to make a good impression because you never know who may harbor hatred toward others. Martin Luther King, Jr. once, “I have decided to stick with love; Hate is too great a burden to bear.” He followed a path of peace and inspired others to walk in the same way. Rosa Parks and many other role models who love in this fashion inspire me to love others and reject hate.
