Who can deny the significance of Dr. King’s efforts in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s? At a point in history in which so much hate and racial oppression completely divided the nation a peaceful activist was necessary to quell any threats of violent revolt. Even when his people had been subject to so much injustice, Dr. King new that to gain equal rights he would have to gain the favor of the white Americans as well, especially the politicians. A peaceful march on Washington was a brilliant idea to put pressure on the President and Congress to end the fight against segregation.
Thus we may ask ourselves does Dr. King still reign supreme over other peace activists today? There are certainly not many figures that come to mind that can equal his accomplishments. Even under Barack Obama, the first black President of the United States, racial oppression still exists today and for many African Americans, poverty and short life expectancies are still very omnipresent. It is true that only the government can pass laws to better the lives of its citizens such as LBJ’s Civil Rights Bill, the domestic Marshall plan (Great Society), and the Voting Rights Act, but without an inspiring intellectual speaker challenging standards in society, pushing for reforms, the government would not in many cases feel the need to act. That is why Dr. King still remains supreme, because there has not yet been another person with the same charisma and riveting style that he so eloquently displayed in his speeches.
