Martin Luther King free essay sample

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a fundamental leader of modern society. His lectures and speeches stirred the concern and sparked the integrity of a generation. The movements and marches he led brought significant changes in the framework of American life through his courage and selfless devotion. This devotion gave direction to thirteen years of civil rights activities. His leadership abilities inspired men and women, of all ages, in this nation and around the world. Although King was only thirty-nine at the time of his death, his life was remarkable for the ways it reflected and inspired so of the country’s political, social, and cultural developments (MLK Biography). Transactional leadership can be temporary; once the exchange takes place, the connection between leader and follower may end. However, transformational leadership requires the committed engagement of both leader and follower in order for the mutual satisfaction of needs and values to occur. We will write a custom essay sample on Martin Luther King or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The leader must foster this relationship in order for the follower to continue to support it – in other words, to have them follow (Lussier 350). Martin Luther King Jr. was a transformational leader. Transformational leadership starts with the development of a vision, a view of the future that will excite and convert potential followers. This vision may be developed by the leader, by the senior team or may emerge from a broad series of discussion. Transformational leaders seek to transform the organization, and promise followers that they also will be transformed in some way. In some respects, the followers are then the product of the transformation (Ling). Transformational leaders are often charismatic, but do not solely succeed through a belief in themselves, but rather a belief in others. King was able to mobilize a nation towards a vision. He expressed his vision best in his â€Å"I have a Dream† speech: â€Å"So I say to you, my friends, that even though we must face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed- we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. He was speaking with authority, he knew what the future could look like, and he needed his followers to understand how he wanted to achieve this vision (Ling). King was a highly charismatic leader. Great charismatic leaders refuse to accept the status quo. This is the defining characteristic of real leaders. They are not passive; they are active. They are unwilling to yield to their circumstances. K ing never gave up and never let his circumstances define him. Great leaders, like Dr. King, engage the heart. While logic may compel the mind, stories and metaphors move the heart. This is the difference between offering information and inspiration (Martin). King’s speeches were inspiring to millions. He was able to paint a vivid picture of a better tomorrow. He helped his followers see what his dream was: â€Å"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. I have a dream today! These words have resonated through years of American history and motivated other leaders to see how captivating words and an unwavering vision can inspire significant change. However, four words are not the measure of a man. There is much more to be seen from his actions. King’s actions and ideas were far greater than his words. He did not just lead his followers, he marched right along with them. King felt that racial justice would help everyone achieve his or her potential. The civil rights movement, like most social movements, was a mixture of many independent organizations with their own leaders and goals. King was managed to get many separate groups moving together in search for a better future. Through King’s leadership, many victories were won during the years he was active in the civil rights movement, as well as several defeats. He was not successful in bringing a total conviction to the entire black community and to his fellow activists (About). Nonviolence was not seen by many leaders as a successful way to achieve their goals, but King constantly stressed the fact that violence was not a way to accomplish equality. He did not want to degrade the whites, but fought to eliminate evil and hatred between the races. Dr. King was constantly searching for opportunities and seeking innovative ways to change, grow, innovate, and improve the quality of life for African-Americans. King challenged racist activities throughout the nation and helped to spark a Civil Rights Movement in the United States. One of the ways that he started this was during the Bus Boycott of Montgomery, Alabama. He also led mass demonstrations with the SCLC in Birmingham, Alabama during 1963. During Dr. King’s entire adult life, he was promoting the action of a nation (MLK Biography). He promoted a shared vision and enabled others to collaborate together to achieve common goals. Perhaps the most relevant personality attribute possessed by Dr. King, was his willingness to serve. The fact that he offered his life to benefit not only the cause of his people, but of mankind, speaks about his consciousness of his role as a servant. King was a great example of servant leadership. A servant leader is one who offers an inclusive vision; listens carefully to others; persuades through reason; and heals divisions while building community (Lussier 356). It is easy to spot servant leaders. In a room where others are jockeying for attention, they are the ones listening to someone others might consider unimportant. When faced with a problem, they look for solutions that benefit everyone. When something goes wrong, they take the blame and when things go well, they share the credit. Dr. King’s life shows the extraordinary power of servant leadership to radically transform a nation. Dr. King was a leader who didnt need a formal position to lead. He led a movement of people passionate about a cause, and he did that with integrity and influence. The life and teachings of Dr. King continue to inspire the struggle for freedom and social justice. His devotion to a cause intrinsically related to human dignity goes beyond merely the color of a persons skin. Even years after his death, King remains the most widely known African American leader of his era. Martin Luther King free essay sample Purpose: The purpose of this letter was to explain the goals of these nonviolent demonstrations and the letter is directed to the white clergymen who had criticized these demonstrations and also called him an outsider and troublemaker. Chronological and Topical Scope: Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested and imprisoned for participating in these nonviolent demonstrations. Thesis and Main Points: In the letter Martin Luther King Jr. ’s says, â€Å"I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. † His thesis is that there is injustice and injustice has seized the civil rights movement. Because of these injustices he is in the Birmingham City Jail. In his main points he explains to the clergymen his goals for these demonstrations. He writes about how protesting against segregation was justified and he makes the point that nonviolent demonstrations are necessary to end the practice of segregation. Critique and Analysis: Besides writing his letter for the clergymen I believe King also wrote this letter for a national audience. We will write a custom essay sample on Martin luther king or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page His letter gives the audience feelings of anger, sympathy, and love. But he also evokes feelings of disgust and sadness when he describes the many horrific events that occurred during nonviolent protest. His choice of words brings out emotions from the audience and he persuades readers to see his point of view. King reaches out in an intelligent manner and gains the trust of the audience. Overall, Martin Luther King Jr. makes his point that injustice should not be tolerated. Purpose: The purpose of this article was to show the injustice that occurred during the lynchings in Memphis. Her three friends were wrongfully killed and she wanted to expose the people who brutally killed them. Chronological and Topical Scope: 1880’s and 1892 during the lynching’s in Memphis. Ida B. Wells-Barnett discusses the injustice of her friend’s killings. Thesis and Main Points: She argues â€Å"every white man in Memphis who consented to the lynching’s and rioting is as guilty as those who fired the guns. † She is saying that if you are there at the time the crime is committed you are as guilty as the person who committed the crime. Wells-Barnett explains the murders of her three friends â€Å"Thomas Moss, Calvin McDowell and Henry Stewart. † These three were owners of Peoples Grocery Company and they had taken away customers from competing white businesses. A group of angry white men thought they would eliminate the competition. They attacked Peoples grocery, but the owners fought back, shooting one of the attackers. The owners of Peoples Grocery were arrested, but a lynch mob broke into the jail, dragged them away from town, and murdered all three. Critique and Analysis: Ida B. Wells-Barnett had a passion for justice. She knew what they did to her friends was wrong and she wanted justice for them. When the superintendent and treasurer of the City Railway Company came to talk to her about convincing the colored people to ride on the streetcars again she asked them why they thought the colored people weren’t riding them and they replied and said they didn’t know. She wanted them to admit that they were in the wrong. They believed that colored people weren’t riding in the streetcars because they were â€Å"afraid of electricity† but Wells knew better, she knew that it was because of the lynching’s and she wasn’t afraid to say it. She told them about her friend and said that he was a well-liked man and he was wrongfully killed. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind because she knew that something had to be done. Name: Shirley Bernal ______________________________________________________ Santa Monica CollegeDr. Saavedra History 10 Fall 2013 Synopsis Packet # _4_ Hiriam W. Evans â€Å"The Klans Fight for Americanism† 1926 Type of reading: Academic Essay Historical Context: Purpose: To define the Ku Klux Klan, explain who they represented and why. And give the definition of Americanism according to the â€Å"Ku Klux Klan. Chronological and Topical Scope: 1920’s, Hiriam W. Evans explains the purpose of the Ku Klux Klan. Thesis and Main Points: Evans says that the people who are in control now are too liberal of people to run the government and that they have betrayed the American people. He writes about who the Klan was organized for, he talks about how his people are oppressed, and how the Klan is appealing to the average American person. Critique and Analysis: Evan tries to enlighten then audience with his point of view. His point of view is the Klans feeling that America is being lost to liberal ideologies.