Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the great civil rights leaders in American history. Dr. King led civil rights protests and marches on behalf of African Americans who had been discriminated against and denied equal rights. In his own time, many people thought Dr. King was “moving too quickly” and “going too far.” Today, we have a national holiday named after him because he inspired Americans to do a better job of living up to America’s constitutional principles. Consider for a moment how the vision of Martin Luther King Jr. is relevant today and whether there are groups in American society today that are still discriminated against.
In this Assignment, you will draw upon the assigned speech of Dr. King to talk about the civil rights he worked to promote. You will also consider the relevance of the civil rights movement and the issues that face certain groups in the United States today.
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- Review the Interactive Units from this week’s Learning Resources.
- Watch the video and/or read the transcript of the “I Have A Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., delivered August 28, 1963.
- Consider Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement.
- How does the American government ensure civil liberties or civil rights for minority or special interest groups?
- How might an amendment ensure the validity and equality of a minority or special interest group?
- Choose a civil rights issue in current American society.
- Choose a group that still has unresolved civil rights issues.
To complete the Assignment:
Write a 1 – 2-page paper analyzing the civil rights movement and its effect on civil rights in the United States today. Be sure to include the following:
- Briefly describe whose civil rights Martin Luther King Jr. was working to promote and protect.
- Identify two of the tactics that Dr. King used to promote civil rights.
- Identify one group or issue in American society where the need to promote civil rights is still relevant.
- Give a brief explanation of the discrimination that you believe still exists with respect to this issue or group.
Include at least one reference from the course readings.