Martin Luther King the story of a hero
LIFE
Martin Luther King was born on 15th January 1929 in Atlanta. His family was not poor and he had a joyful childhood until he experienced racial discriminations which concerned black people.
In 1954 he became a minister and he decided to settle in Montgomery ( Alabama). Here Martin started his protest activities inspired by Ghandi's principles of non-violence, creating a peaceful movement against racism and segregation, which were affecting especially the Southern States.
In 1957 he established the Southern Christian Leadership Conference ( SCLC ). In 1963 M.L.K organized an event in Washington D.C whose aim was to express black people's outrage and desire to change their Country.
Here Martin Luther King gave a memorable speech which gave voice to the repressed feelings of all black people's feeling.
"I HAVE A DREAM"
So King described the circumstance: "I started to speak reading my speech, and I kept reading up to a certain point. That day I heard in the audience an extraordinary responsiveness, and all of a sudden it occurred to me this thing. The previous June I gave a talk in the Cobo Hall, where I had used the expression "I have a dream". I've already used it in the past, and it just occured to me to use it in Washington. I don't know why: before delivering the speech, I had not thought at all. I said the phrase and since then I left the manuscript aside and I didn't resumed it even more"
During the 60s Martin Luther King understood that things were changing because many blacks preferred using violence to fight instead of peace protest. On 3rd April 1968, he gave his last speech in Memphis. At the motel where he was staying, he was killed by a sniper while he was in the terrace of his room. Martin Luther King was only 39 years old.
"if you love your enemies, you can beat them"
Martin Luther King faced may difficulties following Gandhi's philosophy. He used different ways to stop racial discriminations: speeches, boycotts, sit-ins.
Why is he a hero for us?
- He always faced with courage all difficulties both in the small and in the big
- He used a powerful tool: his voice
- He was a dreamer
What would we ask him, if we could meet him face to face?
- Where did you find the strenght and courage to face the ostacles ahead you and win your battles? Did you have this strenght also in your private life?
- Looking at the world as it is now, do you see your dream fulfilled or do you consider it a utopia?
Created by Rachele and Laura