MLK-Dabeach

On the evening of December 5, 1955, a meeting was held at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where Dr, King was the pastor. In the deep, resonant tones and powerful phrases that characterized his speaking style, King encouraged the people to continue their protest. But cautioned that they should only go on with nonviolence. King had earned a Ph.D. in theology from Boston University. He believed that the only way to end segregation and racism was through nonviolent passive resistance. He told his followers, "We must use the weapon of love. We must realize that so many people are taught to hate us that they are not totally responsible for their hate." African Americans, he urged, must say to racists: "We will soon wear you down by our capacity to suffer, and in winning our freedom we will so appeal to your heart and conscience that we will win you in the process." In March of 1968, Dr. King went to Memphis, Tennessee, to support a strike of African American sanitation workers. The purpose of this campaign, the most ambitious one that King would ever lead, was to lobby the federal government to commit billions of dollars to end poverty and unemployment in the United States. On April 4, 1968, as he stood on his hotel balcony in Memphis, Dr. King was assassinated by a sniper. his death touched off both national mourning and riots in more than 100 cities, including washinton D.C. Dr. King's death marked the end of an era in American history. Although the civil rights movement continued, it lacked the unity of purpose and vision that Dr. King had given it. Under his leadership, and with the help of tens of thousands dedicated African Americans, many of whom were students, the civil rights movement transformed American society.

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