Read the Martin Luther King, Jr. passage set, and then respond to the following writing prompt: Martin Luther King, Jr. was a well-known civil rights activist who greatly impacted American society through his boycotts, sit-ins, and marches. Think about which type of protest had the greatest impact. Then, write a four to five paragraph essay giving your opinion on which type of protest had the greatest impact on the civil rights movement. Use evidence from the three sources to support your opinion.

Which method of protest (boycotts, sit-ins, or marches) had the greatest impact on the civil rights movement? Why?

Source 1: An American Leader: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Bus Boycott

On December 1, 1955, 42-year-old Rosa Parks took a bus home from her workplace in Montgomery, Alabama. She sat in the first row of the "colored" section. When the bus filled up, the driver demanded that Parks give her seat to one of the white men who was standing. Parks refused and was arrested. That same night, Martin Luther King, Jr. met with other local civil rights leaders and planned a citywide bus boycott. King was elected to lead the boycott. He was seen as an upstanding citizen who could make a real difference.

The bus boycott lasted for 382 days. Most of Montgomery's African American community walked, rode bicycles, or carpooled to avoid taking the bus. They often faced harassment and violence from angry fellow citizens. King's home was fire-bombed during the boycott, but he did not give up. He launched a legal campaign against racial segregation laws. On June 4, 1956, the laws were overturned. African Americans would now be allowed to sit where they liked, like all other Americans. The Montgomery Bus Boycott propelled Martin Luther King to the forefront of the national civil rights movement.

Peaceful Protests

In 1957, Martin Luther King, Jr. founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference so that he could continue to help organize and conduct more nonviolent protests for civil rights. He traveled around the country speaking about race relations and joined in many peaceful protests. He was arrested a number of times during these years. King was arrested once for joining students at a sit-in protest at a department store that refused to serve lunch to African Americans. In the spring of 1963, King was arrested again during a demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama. King had been peacefully protesting alongside many families.

March to Make a Difference

In August of 1963, King helped to organize the March on Washington. There, he spoke to over 200,000 people from the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial. His delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech where he declared his hope that all Americans would one day be seen as equals. King's speech helped to bring about change to America's laws. In 1964, King was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against racial inequality.

Leaving a Legacy

Martin Luther King, Jr. continued to work for social justice through the 1960s. He visited many cities to speak about how ordinary people could bring about important social change through peaceful protesting. Sadly, after one such speech, King was assassinated while standing on a balcony outside of his hotel room. This terrible event occurred on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

King's life had a vast impact on civil rights in the United States. He is still known as one of the most important leaders in American history. His life and work are honored in many ways, including a national holiday, and many schools and public buildings are named after him. In fact, more than 900 cities have a street named after Martin Luther King, Jr. His inspiring legacy continues.