Martin Luther King Essay

Martin Luther King Essay Martin Luther King Essay Martin Luther King Jr`s impact on the civil rights movement Maya Angelou Interview achievement.org/autodoc/page/ang0int-1 Poet and Historian January 22, 1997 High Point, North Carolina oDr. Angelou, you worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. What was Dr. King really like, personally? oMaya Angelou: Dr. King was a human being. He had a sense of humor which was wonderful. It is very dangerous to make a person larger than life because, then, young men and women are tempted to believe, well, if he was that great, he's inaccessible, and I can never try to be that or emulate that or achieve that. The truth is, Martin Luther King was a human being with a brilliant mind, a powerful heart, and insight, and courage and also with a sense of humor. So he was accessible. I mentioned courage, and I would like to say something else about that, finding courage in the leaders and in you who will become leaders. Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtues consistently. You see? You can't be consistently kind or fair or humane or generous, not without courage, because if you do n't have it, sooner or later you will stop and say, "Eh, the threat is too much. The difficulty is too high. The challenge is too great." So I would like to say that Dr. King, while we know from all the publicity that he was brilliant, and he was powerful, and he was passionate and right, he was also a funny man, and that's nice to know. John Lewis Interview bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23845194 Transcript from January 14, 1999 MLK's Legacy with Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) Congressman_John_Lewis: Good evening. It's great to be here. npr_host: Can you tell us a bit about your first hand experience with the Civil Rights Movement? Congressman_John_Lewis: I was born in Alabama, 50 miles from Montgomery, in southeast Alabama, in a the little town of about 13,000 people just outside of Troy. When I would visit the cities of Montgomery or Birmingham, I saw the signs that said white men and white women, I saw the signs that said colored lady, colored men. In 1950 when I was 10 years old I tried to check a book out of the local library, I tried to get a library card and I was told that the library was only for white people and not people of color. It had an unbelievable impact on me. I couldn't understand it. But in 1955 when I was 15 years old I heard about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. And, 3 years later I met MLK and a year later I got involved in the civil rights movement. Congressman_John_Lewis: Dr. King was one of the most inspiring human beings I ever met. He was such a warm, compassionate and loving human being. npr_host: How was Dr. King inspiring on a personal level, as much as in public? Congressman_John_Lewis: MLK Jr. taught me how to say no to segregation and I can hear him saying now ... when you straighten up your back no man can ride you. He said stand up straight and say no to racial discrimination. The Greatest Speech Ever - Robert F Kennedy Announcing The Death Of Martin Luther King April 4th, 1968 Martin Luther King was shot and killed. On that night, Robert F Kennedy, New York's senator back then, wanted to deliver the news to the people of Indianapolis, IN Local police warned him, they won't be able to provide protection if the people wold riot because he was in the heart of the African-American ghetto. He wrote his notes on his ride and started the speech without any drafts or prewritten words before his assistance would give him their proposed draft. This speech was delivered on a back of a Flatbed truck. Although all major cities had riots, Indianapolis remained calm after RFK's speech 63 days after this speech, RFK got assassinated. I reproduced the video, creating this version after adding the above mentioned details to it, so the speech can be put into context for everyone who watches

THE AUDIENCE YOU LOVE

THE AUDIENCE YOU LOVE Promotion, my current nemesis, is a hungry, all-consuming animal, demanding every waking moment of your life. As a result of its commanding character, we often tend to turn reactive, appearing before anyone wholl let us pitch a table and flash our book. But soon youll be running harem-scarem, marketing like a snake-oil salesman, telling everyone your book will change their world. You dont want to go there. What an education Ive gained since Lowcountry Bribe came in early February. Ive spoken to a room of three and others of a hundred. Ive guest blogged on tiny sites and nationally known. My articles appeared in start-up magazines and the infamous The Writer Magazine. People have promised to buy and not followed through. Others bought several copies for gifts. Bookstore owners have loved me and tossed me on my ear. Even Barnes Noble said the book was available then forgot to order it. The list goes on. My husband ordered me to stop and slow down a week ago. My publisher shot me an email full of harsh realities of the business as who to trust and who isnt worth my time. Then I spoke to a small group in Greenville, SC. Then again in Pittsboro, NC. My 10th grade English teacher invited me to her book club for June, and another lovely lady is trying to schedule her book club to read Lowcountry Bribe and invite me to Myrtle Beach. My parents sold at least 50 copies to tax clients. A girlfriend lined up a newspaper interview, a reading and sales to several friends. Another friend hosted a party and sold 20 books. Here I was, running around like a chicken with its head cut off (not any of MY chickens, BTW), when I should have slowed down and really focused on who I want to reach and how to reach them. So . . . while Ill continue to do conferences here and there, becauseFundsforWriters commands it, I think Ill enjoy the camaraderie of smaller groups for Carolina Slades mystery series. I want people to chat about Slade, the characters, the setting and the twists of the plot. I want feedback on what they loved and would like to see done differently. I think reachable is the term Im seeking. A FundsforWriters reader told me last week that she liked the fact I was reachable. Id like to take that further and say likeable and personable. I attended a conference this year where the highly awarded guest author came and went with the wind, not staying for any of the event other than her talk and a brief moment when she said, Thank you. Ill now entertain questions. Since I get to know most of the conference organizers, I already knew the author was not happy to be there because she liked larger audiences. Dont ever let that be me. I just came off several small group events on the way to The Oklahoma Writers Federation Conference in Oklahoma City, where I am as you are reading this. A well organized event like this is a joy to behold, but I have to admit . . . I love the evening sessions or the small groups in the bar the most. When we are all writers and just enjoying the fact we are.