Public figures that participated in changing the course of the history of nations deserve admiration and respect. One of the leaders that I chose as an exemplar hero is Martin Luther King Jr., an activist who inspired and was actively engaged in the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. Although the Thirteens Amendment to the U.S. Constitution banned slavery in 1865 after the Civil War, African Americans had to experience the consequences of segregation and denial (Ramanathan & Jacobs, 2018). King, who grew up in a middle-class Baptist family, believed that his generation is destined to seek equality for black people in modern American society (Ramanathan & Jacobs, 2018). Indeed, he acquired this mindset from his father, Martin Luther King Sr., a pastor, who was also resistant to racial discrimination legitimized in some states. Martin Luther King Jr. altered American society due to his background and education that allowed him to develop a growth mindset to overcome the obstacles in his activity, leading to acceptance of inclusivity and diversity.
King’s leadership skills and excellent education helped him start a peaceful movement against the oppression of African Americans. His actions were mainly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of nonviolence in marches against inequality (Ramanathan & Jacobs, 2018). King believed that anger and violence are exhaustive and destructive. Envisioning the future and maintaining the neutral nature of demonstrations, King embodied critical thinking. Specifically, he aimed at future peaceful coexistence of different races in one country, and peace was possible only if the civil rights movement would be bloodless (Ramanathan & Jacobs, 2018). Indeed, King appealed to his followers in his famous 1963 speech: “We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence” (“I have a dream speech,” 2021). Moreover, he highlighted the irony that black and white Americans had to fight in Vietnam together, but they could not study in the same school in the United States (Ramanathan & Jacobs, 2018). King’s critical thinking allowed him to avoid conflicts in this movement, increasing awareness of the problem worldwide. The outcome of this man’s work was the transformation of the U.S. into a country loyal to inclusivity and diversity.
Martin Luther King Jr. also embodied a growth mindset by acquiring new knowledge and ideas that were helpful for his life’s work. Although he was skeptical about unity between white and black people in his childhood, King’s worldview changed after becoming familiar with Gandhi’s approach and achievement. Indeed, he later claimed: “I have a dream that one day…the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood” (“I have a dream speech,” 2021). King’s background allowed him to develop an aversion to inequality and discrimination. His growth mindset played an essential role in acquiring Gandhi’s nonviolent ideas and generating the movement that solved the issue that existed since the American Civil War.
Overall, Martin Luther King Jr. became an iconic figure in U.S. history. He led and maintained a peaceful nature of the civil rights movement to end the silent conflict between white and African Americans. King was inspired by Gandhi’s ideas of nonviolence to battle injustice and inequality. I chose him as an exemplar hero because I admire his leadership qualities and bravery. Moreover, his 1963 speech had an enormous influence on me since my early adolescence, when my parents presented me my first laptop with the audio record of “I have a dream” on it. King’s activity illustrates how a dream can be realized with effort and a correct approach.
References
”I have a dream” speech. (2021). Web.
Ramanathan, J., & Jacobs, G. (2018). The significant individual, values and social evolution: How one man changed the world. Cadmus, 3(5), 27-43.