Martin Luther King

The boycott was the catalyst of the formation of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Its objective was to co-ordinate local protests across the South. Under the leadership of King, the organisation promoted nonviolent protest and Christian ethics. Its motto was, "Not one hair of one head of one person should be harmed." The black churches in the South were powerful organisation, and the SNCC knew how important it was to harness the power and independence of these churches.

Students at Greensboro were inspired by King‘s book ‘Stride Towards Freedom’ - a memoir about the Montgomery bus Boycotts. Basing their demonstrations on the non-violent protest of those in Montgomery, they decided to start a student sit-in at one of the lunch counters in Woolworth’s. Martin Luther King also inspired the Freedom Rider’s use of non-violent protest to desegregate transport in the South.

King had already proven himself as an exceptional orator. He gained the support of many through his speeches and highlighted the economic power the black communities held. He tried to get communities to support businesses that supported the civil rights cause, and boycott those who did not.

King also recognised the importance of Federal Government in securing civil rights, as well as the power of the vote. The majority of black people in the South struggled to exercise their constitutional right to vote. In Mississippi, 42 per cent of the state's population was black but only two per cent registered to vote in the 1960 election. However, thanks to voter registration drives and civil rights legislation, more people registered throughout the South. In 1960, their support (70 per cent) helped Democrat J F Kennedy beat Richard Nixon by a narrow margin.

In 1963, Kennedy proposed his civil rights bill. The March on Washington, organised by King and other civil rights leaders, was hugely important in convincing Congress to support the bill. Baynard Rustin took leadership of the march.

The march on Washington proved to be a huge success. Up to 400,000 people joined the march on 28 August 1963 and listened to King’s 'I have a Dream' speech. What’s more, the speech was broadcast across the world, bringing much needed international attention to the civil rights movement.

The Civil Rights Act was eventually passed in 1964 following Kennedy’s assasination in 1962.

King then pushed for a bill that would ensure every black citizen had the right to vote, which led to the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

In the last years of his life, King increasingly turned his attention to social issues, including poverty and economic inequality. He became more radical and was accused of being a communist by the FBI. He also strongly opposed the Vietnam War.

King was constantly threatened by those who opposed his work. In the South, the KKK did their best to undercut his influence. Even the FBI worked to undermine King’s influence. Under J Edgar Hoover’s leadership, the FBI bugged King’s hotel rooms and released recordings as evidence of his extramarital affairs in an attempt to damage his reputation.

On 4 April 1968, during a trip to Memphis, Martin Luther King was assassinated as he stood on the balcony of a motel. The world responded with horror and race riots erupted across the US. James Earl Ray was found guilty of King's murder in March 1969,and sentenced to 99 years in prison.

See also: Martin Luther King Quotes