Martin Luther King

Throughout American history, there have been many influential leaders who have changed the way we live and think. One influential leader is Martin Luther King, who led the Civil Rights movement which outlawed discrimination in public accommodations and brought our country together. Without Martin Luther King, our country would be very divided and possibly even lead to the destruction of America.

At a young age, Martin Luther King learned about racial equality through his father, who educated him on the issues of oppression and to make a stand for something you believe. Through his teen years, he was angry at the whites for being racist to someone just because of the color of their skin. He came to Morehouse for his freshman year and had an opportunity to see things from a new perspective.

His first act of activism was leading the Montogomery Bus Boycott, which was a political and social protest campaign against the policy of racial segregation on the public transit system of Montgomery, Alabama. During this boycott, his house was burnt down turning King into a national speaker for racial discrimination. He looked past this and continued his fight for equality. His baptist views helped shape his morals and change the world.

Many challenges awaited Mr. King: such as being thrown in jail or attempts of assassinations. Mr. King was a man that not only fought for racial inequality but for any wrongs such as the Vietnam War. He spoke against the war and was even in opposition to the president. He was called a communist which was a huge insult back then and placed under surveillance by the F.B.I. However, none of this stopped him from achieving equality in America.

 Martin Luther's speeches were an inspiration to many Americans and showed them not to protest with violence but to peacefully protest. He was awarded a noble peace prize in 1964 for showing great courage in fighting for equality. 

The most famous speech by Martin Luther King was the I have a Dream speech. This speech is well known by many and known as a great speech. The speech was about racial economics and how he hopes one day everyone will be equal and treat each other like one another. A couple of years later, he would be shot by a man named James Earl in 1968. This assassination caused great riots in the country and took a long time for them to be controlled.

In conclusion, I have a dream that Martin Luther King's dreams will come true and that there will be no hatred in this country. He saw the Civil Rights Act of 1964 pass which was one of his main goals in his speeches. There is no doubt that left a great impression on others and spread a great message of love. He showed us that true dedication and having patience always pays off. A way we can help spread his message is to ask this question to ourselves. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”

California Reagents v Bakke

Throughout history, there have been many cases that have had an impact on our life. Today we were taught about California Regents vs Bakke. This case caught my attention because the race was being used as a way to get into college creating an unequal opportunity for everyone.

California Regents v Bakke was the case that the U.S. Supreme Court declared affirmative action constitutional but invalidated the use of racial quotas. Another affirmative case was Grutter v Bollinger which happened in 2003. This is a more recent case dealing with student admission and how they discriminate. 

The University of California denied Mr. Bakke twice as he was not the right fit for the college. Mr. Bakke claimed he was receiving reverse discrimination from the college as he showed proof that his test scores were higher than most of the applicants.

Mr. Bakke also claimed that this violated the 14th amendment. Which says No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.

The Supreme court then ruled that colleges using racial quotas were too strict.  Justice Lewis Powell Jr. split the difference, arguing that it violated the Civil Rights Act. This changed colleges and created a more equal playing field for admissions. 

In conclusion, race should not be used as a major factor in colleges. Rather they should look at all the achievements you've done or your grades. I'm glad to be in a time where these cases have already happened and I won't have to worry about race being a factor in college.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964

    Throughout human history, there has always been one main topic of uncertainty and infamy that has been debated for centuries. That topic is why can't everybody be treated equally? Whether it be the Jews of biblical time or blacks, being sold into slavery. Human inequality has always been a controversial and hot topic. The reason why people get treated differently is because of the hatred in this world or just what they've been taught as a child. I'm thankful to have a great family who has told me the rights and wrongs of the world and let me express my feeling about current issues in the world.

    The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed, by President Lydon Johnson on July 2, 1964. The act prohibited discrimination in public places provided for the integration of schools and other public facilities and made employment discrimination illegal. This law guaranteed that the 14th amendment is upheld. The Civil Rights Act was also the longest debate in Senate history lasting, 534 hours in total. It's also known as the most important law on Civil Rights since Reconstruction. 

    The act was introduced by John F Kennedy. He was the youngest president in the office who was voted in to spark change in America. John F Kennedy gave a televised address to the American people and announced that he would be sending a civil rights bill to Congress. Unfortunately, Kennedy was not able to pass this due to him being assassinated, but he did introduce it and helped the Black race receive equal opportunity. The Civil Rights Act was a huge step in bringing the races together as it ended the Jim Crow laws. The Jim Crow laws segregated races and stood on the separate but equal act.

    Of course, there will always be people stuck in the past and being hicks. Some white groups opposed to integration with African Americans responded to the act with a significant backlash. The whites used legal and extralegal means to deprive Blacks. It's crazy to me to think before this act blacks were treated as second-class citizens and not even counted as a person. 

    In conclusion, The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a part of our country that brings us closer to each other. I can't imagine what life would be like if I lived before the Civil Rights Act. I dream that one day there will be no evil in this world and that love will spread like wildfire. For us to get closer to that dream we have to realize we were all put on the Earth for a reason and that we were all created in God's image. If you have hatred towards a race just remember God created them and God never makes mistakes. Id, like to close with a quote by the great Martin Luther King “Racial segregation, must be seen for what it is, and that is an evil system, a new form of slavery covered up with certain niceties of complexity."