Transcript Ansley Wunderlich How Did Martin Luther King Jr.*s Death Impact

The Civil Rights Movement was a protest to provide African
Americans with equal access and opportunities to the basic privileges
and rights of U.S. citizenship. African American men and women, along
with whites, organized and led the movement at national and local levels.
They pursued their goals through protest demonstrations all under the
leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. who used the nonviolent tactics of
Mahatma Gandhi to organize this protest.
Martin Luther King Jr. had a huge impact on the desegregation of
the United States and the civil rights of African American people. He was
killed on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. King was shot while on the
balcony of the Lorraine Motel. The people of the Unites States were
shocked by this horrendous event, especially the African American
people and King’s supporters. King had opened up many new
opportunities for black people, and the movement was making great
headway towards equality, until his death.
King inspired many civil rights activists over the years.
Unfortunately, while acquiring supporters he also made many
enemies. On April 4, 1968 King was shot and killed by a man
named James Earl Ray.
King’s followers were outraged, and King’s nonviolent
protests quickly evolved into riots and violence surrounding
Civil Rights Activists.
The death of Martin Luther King Jr. impacted not only
the South, but the entire United States. Without their leader,
King’s supporters had no one to believe in. The Civil Rights
Movement protests were less frequent, and the Movement
eventually lost much of the momentum King inspired.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 and Civil Rights Act
were both signed as a result of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Civil Rights Movement resulted in many new
opportunities for blacks, but ultimately fell short of its long
term goal. Martin Luther King’s death was a huge setback for
the Civil Rights Movement, but his legacy will always be
remembered.
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