Actions of an assembly are often inspired by the beliefs and values of a significant individual. As an individual’s ideas are spread to common knowledge, many commence to voice opinions, often in support, of his or her values. As followers of the ideas increase, actions of the majority opinion become a common, everyday occurrence, and the beliefs of those against the majority start to diminish. As time passes, this one belief from a significant individual shapes the mindset of large populations, altering contemporary societies into those that only push for the one action of the majority, no matter how unearthly. However, when certain individuals that have the minority’s opinion make known the unethical actions of the majority, true change starts to occur. The lives of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Elie Wiesel affected the speeches that they wrote as both of their experiences, reflected in each speech, brought acknowledgement to the unjustified actions of their respective contemporary societies and therefore brought about change in both the actions and values of individuals in each society.
The early 1960s brought about multiple debates on the issue of equality among citizens of color and status. The American white man believed that his race was superior to all others within his nation; therefore, he believed, similar to the majority of the white race, that he had greater opportunity than those of color in all aspects of society. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man that
During the early 1960s there were many examples of inequality pertaining to gender, race, and economic background. Just like Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson
The 1960’s were a rough, yet progressive stage in American history. African Americans were finally labeled as equal to white men and women after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. However, that bill was
To be reliable means to be dependable. For a website to be reliable, it needs to present facts or issues in an unbiased manner; we need to be able to depend on the information found on the site. Some websites are better at that than others. Martin Luther King, Jr.: A True Historical Examination looks like a reliable resource for students researching Martin Luther King, Jr., but the site lacks the objectivity of a similar site, the Seattle Times’ website, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, making it unreliable.
On the 12th of April, in the year 1999, Elie Wiesel gave a speech at the White House. Several members of congress, President Clinton, and the First Lady, Hillary Clinton, were present to listen to him. His speech became a powerful testament to the pitfalls and dangers of being indifferent to the sufferings of others. However, Wiesel’s speech was also a very skillful exercise in using rhetoric for persuasion. By using certain wording and striking the right balance of facts and emotions, he was moving the audience in the direction of understanding his point of view. He was moving the audience to not feel sympathy, but actual empathy to the events he was speaking about. To feel the as closely as he felt for these events in history. He acted as judge, jury, disappointed parent and as vengeful deity. In this paper, I will examine key elements of his speech to show that by instilling deep feelings of shame, fear, and even pride at the right moments can inspire people to open their minds to the dangers of ignoring the pleads of help from their fellow man.
Many African Americans in the 1960's were facing a rough time because they were being treated differently than non-colored Americans. African Americans did not have equal privileges as whites and many took a stand about it. Martin Luther King Jr was one of many who stood out about it and who made a difference in history. In his speech named Why We Cant Wait, he describes the attitudes and social conditions towards African Americans. Martin Luther King also uses rhetorical questions, examples of what Black Americans face everyday, and uses examples in history of how African Americans have done more than their fair share of part to earn their freedom.
In the last century, race was a big issue in the American society. Apparently, it used to be one of the most important factors used to measure and define someone’s worth and identity. In fact, it was thought to be a measurement for intelligence, character, wealth, and morals. The whiter, the better. That was the belief. This ideology later on built an oppressive system against non-white people. Specially, African-Americans. Martin Luther King, an African-American leader, tried to defeat this system. He fought against racism and defended their basic human rights, reason hwy so many black people followed and supported him. The philosophy of MLK was the best for the 1960’s because he had good goals as a leader, better ideas for African-Americans,
Throughout history, civil right movements express different approaches to strive toward a just society. The approaches alter the effectiveness and outcome of the resistance, but major ethical questions arise when analyzing the reasoning behind Socrates decision to accept the death penalty. As a society, the consensus of how one views making changes matters. It is these choices that affect everyone's lives under the ruling of a just or unjust government. And the outcome of movement showcases the effectiveness of tactics. Creating a society where every individual has the ability to act despite social, economic, racial, or any other factor starts with considering the success of movements in the past. Authors such as Howard Zinn, Martin Luther
We live in a world of over seven billion people, how can one person even make a dent? It may not always be the action itself, but the impact that it has on a person. Never forget, never again, the words that resound in one’s head when thinking of Elie Wiesel's speech for the Nobel Peace Prize. We can never forget the stories of the lost, gone, and the survivors, so that we do not repeat their mistakes. Elie Wiesel is a survivor of the Holocaust, World War II, and life’s brutalities. In his lifetime Elie Wiesel experienced discrimination because he was Jewish. He was sent to labor camps because he practiced a different religion. However, many people of the world today are discriminated against because they act or look a little different. The
During the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1950s and 1960s, two prominent African-American men fought for economical, political and social equality for their race. Even though they were fighting for the same thing, their ideas to attain equality were unusually different. Martin Luther King wanted to a non-violently integrate society; on the other hand Malcolm X thought complete separation was the solution to inequality. Either way both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were some of the most influencing leaders of the Civil Rights period . With their entrancing passion they were able to bring about change in the black community; their voices rose above many other people and left both whites and blacks in awe. At the time, Martin Luther King’s approach towards education and communication between both races made more sense; however when it came to philosophy, Malcolm X’s path toward philosophy made more sense for America in the 1960’s and created broader support for the Civil Rights Movement.
During the past century, the United States of America has wresled with the problem of inequality between black and white people. Two influential people who helped to combat racism and the inequality of man were Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X had two differentiated approaches to accomplish the same things for black. Both King and Malcolm X started their own organizations, organized rallies, and both gave speeches, but, their beliefs and
Throughout history, speakers have attempted to appeal to their audiences by encouraging them to feel compassion for the topics they discuss, or by appealing to ultimate authorities on the matter. In “On Women's Right to Vote”, Susan B. Anthony quotes the Constitution to demonstrate that women should have the ability to vote in all elections. In “The Perils of Indifference” Elie Wiesel describes the importance of people remaining politically involved to encourage progress in their country. In both of these speeches, Anthony and Wiesel provide the audience with information they would use to help promote equality in their nation. However, they do so in the context of different historical events and social movements to help the audience understand
By 1963, racial injustice in America was a central issue. The struggle for equal rights of African Americans has reached its peak in the 1960s. Two famous people for fighting against racism
Two men of faith who had tremendous power in what they said and believed could move and motivate the masses with their words. Martin Luther King Jr’s, “I Have a Dream” Speech which will be remembered history as one of the most memorable speeches in American that called for the urgency in the lack of equality and broken promises of African Americans by the American government. Malcolm X’s, God’s Judgment of White America (The Chickens Come Home to Roost) released later the same year of 1963, continued to respond on the inequality of African Americans, but also explained the end of White America was coming. “How the enslavement of millions of black people in this country is now bringing White America to her hour of Judgment.” (X) Both trying to raise awareness of the struggles of African American population and that things needed to change since nothing had really changed since the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. “One hundred years later, the life of the negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.” (King) My goal in this essay is to explain the similarities and differences of these two speeches and the two perspectives of these men during the Civil rights movement in the 1960’s.
America in the 1960s was not the finest time for African Americans, especially in the South. There was racism, injustice and inequality. However, the ‘devotees’ of the civil rights movement were dedicated and passionate about making a difference. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of those pioneers that remained true in what he believed in no matter what the circumstance.
The issue of racism in the mid twentieth century played a huge role in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Throughout the 1960’s he gradually became a civil rights activist, participating in multiple boycotts and riots against