Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.?

Bader refers to King’s Nobel Peace Prize as another symbol of his powerful impact on humanity and his fight for peace. She notes that King “showed people all over the world the power of words” (73), thematically emphasizing The Role of Nonviolence in the Civil Rights Movement. Even though King was officially a celebrated and emblematic leader in the movement, he knew that the freedom struggle had not ended, and he remained devoted to the cause. Because Black people were still barred from voting throughout the South, King renewed his efforts as an organizer and continued pushing for voting registrations. Bader refers to the Selma demonstrations as the peak of King’s campaign in the South that culminated in the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the second landmark legislative victory of the civil rights movement. Despite this, racial tensions continued. Peaceful protests, which the march that King led from Selma to Montgomery exemplified, once again faced police violence. Bader reiterates the idea that even peaceful protest comes with danger and costs. She highlights that the reforms resulted from activists’ sacrifices for the cause, underscoring The Importance of Resilience and Perseverance in the Freedom Struggle. In addition, she alludes to both Black and white activists whom extremists killed for protesting racism. This indicates the backlash and renewed racism that the movement’s achievements faced, signaling the necessity of continuing the fight.

In this context, Bader explores developments within the movement and the later phase during the late 1960s, juxtaposing King’s nonviolent philosophy and Malcolm X’s approach to activism. Because of white society’s increasing backlash and resistance to change, many young Black activists became “frustrated” and angry. Malcolm X (of the Nation of Islam), who was killed in 1965, challenged King’s nonviolent philosophy, and groups like the Black Panthers carried on Malcom X’s approach of “fighting back with violence” (88). While Bader oversimplifies Malcolm X’s and the Black Panther’s ideologies, she illustrates a strategic shift in the movement and emphasizes King’s insistence on the power of nonviolence. Because Black people’s rage and hopelessness over slow social change and broken promises by the government led to riots in Northern cities, King insisted that violence “is not the answer” (88). Even after the movement’s historical wins, King faced new challenges as a civil rights leader. Though he lived even under increasing pressure and threats against his life, he continued to fight for equality.

In the late 1960s, King expanded his activism beyond the South to urban centers of the North, recognizing the economic discrimination and inequities that intensified racial tensions. Bader notes that King believed that “the root of the problem was poverty” (88). Even without segregation laws in the North, King saw the complex and insidious forms of racism that plagued Black people’s lives. King witnessed the reality of housing discrimination after moving his family to Chicago, where most Black urban neighborhoods consisted of “rundown” buildings. Discriminatory business policies prevented Black people from finding proper housing or employment; such practices guaranteed their second-class citizen status and, combined with increasing police violence, intensified their anger and despair. The Watts Riots in Los Angeles symbolized the racial tensions in Black urban neighborhoods at the time. King identified the class struggle as an inherent part of the civil rights cause and remained an exemplary leader of nonviolent protest, demanding economic equality from state officials.

King’s assassination dashed Black people’s hopes for social transformation and indicated white people’s resistance and lack of commitment to eradicating racism. However, his enduring legacy thematically symbolizes The Ongoing Hope for Social Change and Equality. King’s last activities before his assassination, such as his participation in the sanitation workers’ strike and his defiance to intimidation and threats, demonstrated his faith in humanity’s potential to change. As Bader notes, “Many people were threatening to hurt Martin. But Martin was not afraid. He still hoped to help the striking garbage workers” (93). King’s full devotion to justice and nonviolence is part of his lasting impact on humanity. Bader’s metaphor that “the dream lives on” illustrates the power of King’s influence (96). Quoting King, Bader emphasizes that he is remembered for devoting his life to serving others and for “loving people.” Therefore, King’s legacy extends beyond the civil rights movement: He made huge contributions to social progress, humanitarian rights, and peace.