Critique of Nonfiction Novel
The civil rights movement was a revolutionary chapter in American history. Leading the movement was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose legacy has been etched in history. Troy Jackson explores the roots of King’s legacy in Becoming King: Martin Luther King Jr. and The Making of a National Leader. Jackson analyzes how different influences in Montgomery, Alabama shaped Dr. King into the leader of the civil rights movement.
Troy Jackson’s purpose was to inform how King became so involved in the equal rights movement and how he rose to be such an important figurehead. He describes how people like E. D. Nixon, Vernon Johns, and Rosa Parks influenced King to be involved in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Jackson’s thesis was that Martin
…show more content…
While most historians focus on King’s development along the movement as a whole, Jackson narrows the scope on just Montgomery itself. He provides new insight that has not been explored yet. Also, most books focus on King and what he did. Becoming King: Martin Luther King Jr. and The Making of a National Leader does the opposite and “[shifts] the discussion of power and strength back to everyday people without obscuring King’s particular genius” (Walton 2).
Troy Jackson effectively convinced the reader that the people of Montgomery did in fact influence King to be a national leader for civil rights. The way Jackson “[humanized] Martin Luther King Jr., without diminishing his greatness”, along with the surplus of quotes and evidence, added to the credibility of his argument that ultimately convinced us (Walton 3).
Becoming King: Martin Luther King Jr. and The Making of a National Leader, by Troy Jackson, focuses on the development of Martin luther King Jr. when he first arrives in Montgomery all the way until he leaves for Atlanta. Jackson provides new insight that makes this book a refreshing change of
This book brings together some of the best primary sources on Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X that relate to what I’ve learned in history class. Through their writings and speeches, I appreciate the roles they played in the freedom crusade of the 1950s and 1960s. It is a good summary of its essential teachings that give me insight into their individual styles and personalities. The book is not one that tries to force ideas or a religion on the reader but instead offers new insight on two of these most important civil rights leaders of the century. It is a valuable effort that helps me both within and beyond the classroom, which focuses on the crucial years in the lives of quintessentially human
Martin Luther King, Jr. had extremely powerful words and views in his book Why We Can’t Wait. I was able to learn a lot about the many different nonviolent events that lead to the Civil Rights movement and what occurred after it. Reading King’s book helps readers understand the different struggles African Americans went through. Why We Can’t Wait effectively reflects the struggle of the African Americans from slavery to segregated civility and how they performed their revolution nonviolently. King wrote about the nonviolent movement against racial segregation in the United States, he specifically focused on the 1963 Birmingham campaign.
In “To Walk in Dignity: The Montgomery Bus Boycott” written by Clayborne Carson. Carson essentially takes a greater looks at the the Montgomery Bus Boycott as a social equity battle that was supported by numerous respectable leaders different from King. He utilized one of King's well known quotes “When the history books are written in the future, somebody will have to say, ‘There lived a race of people, a black people… who had the moral courage to stand up for their rights. And thereby they injected a new meaning into the veins of history and of civilization.’” Carson believes that it was noteworthy that King was significant figure in the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Overall, this book about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. written by Michael Eric Dyson was interesting. I wasn’t always interested in reading non- fiction books but this year I had to read one. My interests vary from genres but since the book needed to be based on real events or actual events, I decided to read about race because I enjoy people's opinion about race. In this book, I learned new information about Dr.King and how he affected communities around him. I learned new people that were with Dr. King like Jesse Jackson, statistics about African Americans, and people who were inspired by Dr. King’s work.
In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, Martin Luther King, Jr. is responding to criticism of the peaceful protests and sit-in’s that were taking place in Birmingham, which led to his being arrested and the reason that he was in jail. He first responds to the accusation of being an “outsider” by setting the stage for his being in Birmingham due to being invited because of his ties to the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights organization and due to the fact that he is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Next, Martin Luther King expands on his moral beliefs that there is “injustice” in the way that Birmingham is “the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States”.
Martin Luther King and Transcendentalism Martin Luther King Jr. could be considered one of the more important historical figures in our county’s history. He was the leader of the Civil Rights Movement which took place during the 1950s and 1960s. His “I Have a Dream” speech spurred the end of segregation in our country and the beginning of equality between blacks and whites. Along with being a leader, he was also a Baptist minister, as well as a husband and a father to two sons and two daughters.
Martin Luther King Jr. was an American baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement in 1954. He had a great impact on race relations in the U.S. and he made a great impact on many lives. He died in 1968. Dr. King wrote 2 famous works, “Dream” and “Birmingham” and each had a different audience and purpose. Both works utilizes the persuasive techniques of pathos in “Dream” and logos in “Birmingham.”
Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential leaders of his time and played a crucial role in the African-American Civil Rights movement. Luther was a charismatic leader who took a firm stand against the oppressive and racist regime of the United States (US), devoting much of his life towards uniting the segregated African-American community of the US. His efforts to consolidate and harmonise the US into one country for all is reflected in many of his writings and speeches spanning his career. As a leader of his people, King took the stand to take radical measures to overcome the false promises of the sovereign government that had been addressing the issues of racial segregation through unimplemented transparent laws that did nothing to change the grim realities of the society. Hence, King’s works always had the recurring theme of the unity and strength of combined willpower.
The Civil Rights Movement was a big thing for the United states and we as Americans will always remember Martin Luther King Jr. for helping lead the people and inspire change and bring hope. The speech “ I Have a Dream” by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an important gathering of people at the Lincoln Memorial. A huge crowd gathered to listen to his powerful speech which helped to inspire change. Martin Luther King also wrote a letter to eight white clergymen named “Letter From Birmingham Jail” the letter was written in in his jail cell which he was in for marching and protests. In both of these texts Dr. King used pathos and logos to inspire change and reach out to the people during the civil rights movements.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” (King, Jr.). Martin Luther King Jr. exceeded this “measure of a man” during his civil rights acts as a strong soldier in a very volatile time. During this time of “challenge and controversy” King made himself heard in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. In some of his civil rights acts that occurred in Birmingham, resulted in him ending up in jail. During his time in jail, he wrote his also famous “Letter From Birmingham Jail.”
Summary/Assessment: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which is an organization operating in every Southern state with its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. He came to Birmingham, Alabama because injustice lies there and helped protest about it in a nonviolent demonstration against racial discrimination. The eight clergymen of the South did not approve of these demonstrations happening which caused Dr. King to be confined in Birmingham Jail cell, writing a letter to them men explaining on why he was in Birmingham and what his reasons were for these protests. He begins to talk about and explain the four basic steps that needed to be followed for any nonviolent campaign. He also gives the audience a better understanding by giving a visual glimpse of what the black community had to endure.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a strong leader in the Civil Rights movement, the son and grandson of a minister, and one heck of a letter writer. As he sits in a cell of Birmingham Jail in 1963, he responds to criticism from eight white clergymen. Though this letter was intended for the judgemental and condescending men of high faith, his response touched the hearts and minds of the entire U.S. population, then, and for years to come. In his tear-jerking, mind-opening letter, King manages to completely discredit every claim made by the clergymen while keeping a polite and formal tone. Metaphors, allusions, and rhetorical questions are used in the most skillful way to support his argument and ultimately convince his audience of the credibility behind his emotional, yet factual, claims.
Dr. Martin Luther King is a character of “Selma” human characteristics of humor, exhaustion and frustration. The story tells us about the actions and efforts of the King. It tells us that King was bestowed on a person no different than any of us. Moreover, we have no excuse not to as
In terms of legacies, Martin Luther King Jr. is an example of someone whose legacy has left an impact on a great many fields. The first to come to mind for most would be civil rights activism, as he was an instrumental figure in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. However, Martin Luther King Jr is an extremely influential figure in the field of oration and rhetoric. His Letter from Birmingham Jail is a work that he wrote while incarcerated in the Birmingham City Jail in response to criticism from Alabama clergymen. This letter is a prime example of King’s expertise in constructing persuasive rhetoric that appealed to the masses at large.
The most important decision of a leader is the style of leading they decide to use when inspiring others, or providing a vision for the future. By looking at the past, it is proven that some leadership styles are guaranteed to be more effective than others. The leadership style of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X during the Civil Rights provides significant evidence of how different styles of leading can turn out to be a major success or defeat. Malcolm X’s leadership style included using violence to protest against violence and unequal rights, as well as supporting the segregation of African Americans and the whites. Martin Luther King’s style included nonviolent marches and protests against violence, and peacefully fighting for integrating