Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist Minister who was the face of the civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. He was known for his inspirational speeches promoting equality among whites and African Americans alike and for his nonviolent tactics and movement that drastically differed from radical activists such as Malcolm X. Due to his influential movement, King had a pivotal role in the formation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the abolishment of the legal segregation of African Americans in the United States and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (A&E Television Networks).
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gained his inspiration from several individuals and leaders, including Mohandas Gandhi, better …show more content…
Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi were assassinated. These men died because not everyone agreed with their movements and non-violent tactics. There were some who simply did not want equality and peace; they agreed with or participated in the acts of evil and injustice toward other races. Furthermore, there were some who desired to fight the injustices but disagreed with the non-violent tactics that Dr. King and Mahatma Gandhi used. Those who disagreed with the peaceful movements believed the use of force was the only way they could bring about change and overcome the injustices they were