Martin Luther King Jr. was an extraordinary man who devoted his life for the cause of freedom. Dr. King's charismatic leadership inspired men and women, young and old, in this nation and around the world. Without King, the Civil Rights Movement probably wouldn't have been what it was. Martin Luther King's assassination was a devastating blow to the Civil Rights Movement.
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. As he stood on the balcony of his motel room a sniper's bullet hit him at 6:01p.m. Dr. King died shortly after at St. Joseph's hospital. He was in Memphis to lead a march of sanitation workers protesting against low wages and poor working conditions. The killer was unknown and still is today.
Martin Luther King's death affected his followers in various ways. For example, some of his followers chose to continue to protest with non-violence. Others were so angry that they did resort to violent methods of protest. After King's death, the Civil Rights Movement almost came to a stop and other people had to step up as leaders. When King died his followers were like fish out of water. They didn't know what to do.
If Dr. King had not been assassinated, the Civil Rights Movement would have been different. If he had not been killed, full equality for African Americans may have been reached and urban poverty might not have been such a huge problem. Although desegregation of public education was achieved it might have happened more quickly with Dr. King alive. Finally African Americans may have secured the right to vote earlier than they did.
Although the Civil Rights Movement did not die with King, it has taken a long time to regain its strength. For many activists and some scholars, the Civil Rights Movement ended in 1968 with the death of Martin Luther King Jr. Some people especially African Americans argue that the movement is not over yet because the goal of full equality has not yet been reached. Lastly, some people believe that the Civil Rights Movement will never be what it could have been. Martin Luther King's assassination was a dreadful blow to the Civil Rights Movement and his followers.
