1
MARTIN LUTHER KING, HIS RELEVANCE AND
CONTRIBUTION TO THE AMERICAN HISTORY
Karan Agrawal
History -15
San Jose State University
Leslie Corona
10/11/2021
2
This paper discusses Martin Luther King as a figure who had a great impact on the
American history. He used nonviolent approach on leading protests against racial injustice in the
United States. The study discusses him with a comparison to his peers in close relation to the
pillars of the American Culture and the impact he caused in the history of America. The rise of
the tension and fear in the anti-apartheid movement in the US through the analysis of various
past organizations of activists and their effort towards presenting apartheid in the famous culture
of America is discussed in the paper. The racial discrimination in America comprises of the
several committees, individuals, campaigns, and coalitions with their themes understood only by
revisiting the US culture and the national groups. Looking at the records from the movements
will give an insight of the decisions, debate records and the trajectory concerning the operations
of the movements and as well the significance and relevance of Martin Luther King in the
American history.
For several decades, the activists of civil rights, Martin Luther King being at the forefront
has been fighting the rules and the customs put in place in order to attain equality among all
Americans. The activists through several ways have attempted to win the anti-racism battles
either through legal means or protests. However, the victories achieved by the activists, could not
get rid of the racism that had affected the nation at large. These settings that do not treat the
Americans and Africans equally saw Martin Luther King join the struggle for civil rights of the
black Americans by championing the war against racism (Counts, 1984).
The American activism against racial discrimination generated a foreign policy movement
that was a success, and which was a reflection of the struggles against racial discrimination in the
3
social, political and cultural life of America (Theodore, 1997). During mid 1980s, there were
some signs of the regime being led by the black in America represented by the groups against
racial discrimination in America. This was a sign that the foreign policy of America and the civil
rights coalition act could be affected by this group. This however, achieved a lot upon defining
apartheid in South Africa in the terms popular to American people. The growth of the
transnational advocacy against racial discrimination was a great inspiration to several global
movements in 1980s. The long-lasting outcome of the anti-racial discrimination found in the
civil religion of America was backed up by the representation of the anti-racial efforts of Martin
Luther and peers who were familiar to the Americans. It’s also important to note that the usage
of African American term to mean Americans with the descendants from Africa was an outcome
of the Pan Africanists (Borstelmann, 2000). The importance of the American efforts against
racial discrimination can be attributed to the end of the apartheid era and the promotion of
relationships between the races of the United States.
For a period of 4 decades, the anti-racial discrimination activism has been trying to foster
the vision of Martin Luther King about the worldwide union of people in all countries against
racism. Those American people who conjoined themselves with the efforts against racism joined
their hands together with the victims of the global terrifying racism with a view that the race
connections of America might also enter a similar circumstance. The United States’ dimension
across nations resulted into a multicultural politics in America which came from the struggle of
Martin Luther King’s fight against racism. It was also a combination of the debate on the
responsibilities of the reconciliation and the race in the period after the civil rights period in
United States.
4
The declaration of conscience campaign by ACOA which is a human right organization in
the 1957 attracted the attention of the people about the apartheid state in other countries. Martin
Luther King Jr, Robinson Jackie, Roosevelt, Reuther, and Bishop pike were joined with quite
several liberals to declare their stand against racism. The campaigns against racism conducted by
ACOA caused a lot of events in America about the Africa continent and as a result the Human
Rights Day was declared an annual event.
During mid 1962 ACOA came up with the proposal to seek leaders in the already formed
civil rights organizations to come up with an organization that could raise the voices and
concerns of the black people. The Conference of American and Negro leaders was comprised of
the reputable personalities such as Martin Luther King, Wilkins, and Dorothy Height. This
formed organization was to champion the voices of the African people and immediately after its
formation, Randolph was elected the executive director and on the first meeting of the
organization, the resolution to sanction the United States and later organized the meet up with
President Kennedy of the United States in 1962 on the need to impose sanctions on some country
in the African continent.
The closing of ACOA in 1965 had a large gathering attend its conference at Hunter College
located in New York City. The purpose of the gathering was to celebrate the Human Rights Day.
Several singers such as Seeger and Makeba were the entertainers of the event with Martin Luther
King being the speaker of the event. The expectations of the event organizer Hooper did not
materialize after Martin Luther king chose to speak on the contrary. He was eloquent about the
evils that bedevil the races through racism and the duties of the black Americans in the United
States and the globe at large. Martin Luther King could relate racism with Nazism with the view
that some policies set up by the nations are barbaric.
5
The anti-racism movement of the United States is very significant since it greatly
contributes of the apartheid movements in several parts of the world and as matter of fact, to also
lead to the unraveling of the apartheid in America. Martin Luther king as a reputable figure who
championed the fight against racism and his words of the alliance of the people from all
countries against apartheid have been adopted in the United States. The transnational dimension
that resulted from the antiapartheid activism of the United States gave a way for the multicultural
politics which is an outcome of the zeal and the synergy of the people of America in the
realization of the Martin Luther King’s philosophy against racism.
Anti-racism organizations in the United States had significant roles during the ant-apartheid
era. They were like non-governmental organizations tasked with a responsibility of influencing
policies and worldwide opinions. They acted as the organizations in America and as well-
arranged audience mobilization in restructuring the race based politics in the nation. The civil
religion of America rose from the ant-racism activities and movements. The airing out of their
views and ideological opinions in the political vocabulary of America saw them grow to success.
The importance of the struggles by the activists in transforming debate terms cannot and should
not be undermined.
The long-lasting impact of the anti-racism struggles was recorded in the American civil
religion terms. The differences that occurred between Jackson Jesse and Farwell Jerry were a
symbol for the American struggles about the policy of America concerning South Africa.
Transnational importance matter was referred to by the ant-racism movement using symbols,
methods and the vocabulary that were used during the United States Civil rights struggles
(Stultz, 1991). Through the extension of the logic within the civil rights movements, the anti-
racism activists were able to raise freedom and equality themes relevant in the political arena of
6
the United States. The involvement of the whites and the black in the ant-racism movement was
very important in the integration of the rites and practices that require civic involvement and
protests Participation of blacks and whites in the antiapartheid movement helped to integrate the
rites and practices of civic participation and protests. This has led to the exportation of the ideals
of the United States while retaining the domestic benefits of the civil rights movements through
the transformation of the civil religion of the United States.
Civil rights movements gave rise to the civil rights that were foreseen by Robert Bellah. The
creation of direct actions for instance, those actions performed by the great anti-racism
organizations and the activists present in the nation was a great vehicle that supported the anti-
racism policies and also influenced the activities of the Civil Religion of the United States
(Doug, 1998). The anti-racism movement led by Martin Luther King was of great relevance in
influencing the political culture of America which was as a result of the traditions and the trends
created by the civil societies and movements and the ascending to power by the African
Americans through the defeat of segregation. The usage of the African American term to refer to
the residents of America with a descendant from African nations was as a result of apartheid.
The anti-racism activism provided a pivotal element to understand the multiculturalism
perception as the platform on which the civil region of the United States could build on in 1990s.
As the racism discussed by several peers of Martin Luther King such as Du Bois of South
Africa and Nkrumah of Ghana continue to thrive in the United States and the globe at large
(Borstelmann, 2000). In absence of the racism the ideas and the political legacy of such leaders
remains alive and well (Stultz, 1991). The division of the globe based on the skin color is still a
challenge that ought to be addressed. The integration of civil religion of the United States
through multiculturalism provides a perception that there will be a greater debate in the future
7
that will require great solutions than the question of racism that Martin Luther King championed
before.
References
Borstelmann, Thomas. "Hedging Our Bets and Buying Time: John Kennedy and Racial
Revolutions in the American South and Southern Africa." Diplomatic History 24, No. III (2000):
435-63.
Counts, Cecelie, Sylvia Hill, & Sandra Hill. "Notes on Building International Solidarity in the
Us." The Black Scholar 15, no. 6 (1984): 44-52.
Doug Rossinow, the Politics of Authenticity: Liberalism, Christianity, and the New Left in
America (New York, Columbia University Press, 1998)
Stultz, Newell M. "Evolution of the United Nations Anti-Apartheid Regime." Human Rights
Quarterly Volume 13, no. 1 (1991): 1-23
Theodore E. Brown Howard University, CRD and Project." Civil Rights Documentation
Project:” (1997)
Empowering Action
Dr. Timothy Gandee
MMSL-6125 Initiating and Managing Change
Walden University
October 2, 2021
Empowering Action
It can be stated that the passivity demonstrated by the sales department is attributed to the numerous structural barriers present within the company. From a personal perspective, the core of the issue is the lack of a recognition and reward system. The result is a cascading effect that breaks down communication as previously mentioned, further deteriorating collaborations, teamwork, and employee empowerment. By exploiting the data and arguments presented by Kundu et al. (2019), imposing a recognition system regardless of scale is highly impactful in motivating employees. The researcher stated that recognition is a critical aspect of employee empowerment and motivation, thus, by exploiting it, team management, and communication can be augmented improving overall corporate performance (Kundu et al., 2019). By also incorporating training sessions, it increases their competency in the industry limiting the effects of the current situation.
The training tool that would have the most impact on the employees would be the “bucket list program.’ According to Jung et al. (2020), approaching employee recognition from a personal perspective is highly effective. In other words, each employee is assessed with the program designed to recognize them based on their improvements. The strategy would allow each employee to develop independently thereby bolstering their skill (Jung et al., 2020). Its implementation would require support from the general manager, the finance director, and cooperation from the staff. The tool of wages can be exploited to motivate employees to enforce payment expectations (Jung et al., 2020). By recognizing employees with wage bonuses, it empowers them to perform better. However, it is critical to appreciate the notion that the monetary approach would be exploited in numerous other approaches to diversify employee job satisfaction.
To ensure that the empowerment strategy aligns with the objectives of the new company vision, they would receive training on the proper approach to agreements thereby limiting payment methods complications (Darma & Supriyanto, 2017). Other resultant effects would be a reduction in time wastage as well as greater efficacy from each department. However, it is essential to note that the plan may face potentially troublesome stakeholders (Schweiger et al., 2018). Change is a process that is not openly accepted by everyone, thus to mitigate its effects, some strategies would be implemented.
The most impactful would be the exploitation of communication and education, whereby upfront communication with the resisting stakeholders allows for issues to be clarified. For those unable to comprehend the value of the change, educative techniques would be employed to ensure they understand (Schweiger et al., 2018). Each of the strategies would exploit effective communication and listening skills whereby the position of the resisting party is understood before the response. Moreover, by exploiting a feedback system, the comprehension of the hesitant stakeholders is assessed to affirm their awareness (Schweiger et al., 2018).
Overall, when the previously mentioned change plan is assessed, it is noteworthy that it first approached the issue by attempting to understand the cause and dynamics of the problem. The results are then evaluated before a change strategy is developed. Understanding the problem is essential for having an effective change strategy. Nonetheless, the developed strategy is executed with top management as well as supervisory teams assessing the impact on organizational performance. During the strategy evaluation process, resistance to change is identified and addressed immediately to limit the impact on the efficacy of the plan. It would exploit direct communication and education thereby imparting them with the needed knowledge necessary to understand the value of the changes made. The comprehension of the needs of the employees plays an essential role in empowering them thereby increasing rates of job satisfaction and efficiency.
References
Darma, P., & Supriyanto, A. (2017). The Effect of Compensation on Satisfaction and Employee Performance. Management And Economics Journal (MEC-J), 1(1), 66. https://doi.org/10.18860/mec-j.v1i1.4524
Jung, K., Kang, S., & Choi, S. (2020). Empowering Leadership, Risk-Taking Behavior, and Employees’ Commitment to Organizational Change: The Mediated Moderating Role of Task Complexity. Sustainability, 12(6), 2340. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12062340
Kundu, S., Kumar, S., & Gahlawat, N. (2019). Empowering leadership and job performance: mediating role of psychological empowerment. Management Research Review, 42(5), 605-624. https://doi.org/10.1108/mrr-04-2018-0183
Schweiger, S., Stouten, H., & Bleijenbergh, I. (2018). A System Dynamics Model of Resistance to Organizational Change: The Role of Participatory Strategies. Systems Research And Behavioral Science, 35(6), 658-674. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2509
W6Discussion 1: Organizational Change Plan/Creating Small Victories
The process of true transformational change is usually lengthy and complicated. Quick and credible short-term wins can keep momentum going for the entire change process. In addition, short-term victories create “breathing room” and allow for time to re-evaluate the feasibility of the change vision at different intervals. Managers or leaders can then make any necessary adjustments so the lasting success of the vision can be ensured.
Short-term wins need to be visible and measurable in order to be credible. This requires strong management and leadership skills. In addition, quick wins should be “collective”—everyone involved in the change process should have contributed to the win and be recognized for their contribution. These types of collective wins require strong management skills, such as team building and performance development. This week, you will explore the concept of short-term wins as you develop strategies to support and execute these types of small victories.
Now that your knowledge of Kotter’s 8 Steps for Change is solidified, it is time to look at other change scenarios that may not be as linear and take into account more of the unexpected and unplanned aspects of change. Assess the proposed change in your organization in the context of different types of change. Analyze and decide if Kotter’s approach is the best for the change that you desire to see. If not, apply a different change strategy as an alternative to Kotter.
In the change process, leadership characteristics such as vision creation, communication, and empowerment are necessities. Additionally, management skills such as budgeting and project management are needed to facilitate concrete and meaningful short-term wins that keep the change momentum going. Consider the idea that it is not enough to be just a charismatic leader or an efficient manager, but that a combination of these skillsets is necessary to lead and manage lasting change. You cannot be just a good leader or just a good manager; you have to be a combination of both in order to produce short-term wins along the path to major change.
To prepare for this Discussion:
· Review this week’s Learning Resources, especially:
· Generating Short-term Wins (synergetics.com)
· HT Whiteboard: Creating Short-Term Wins (Step 6) - Bing video
Assignment:
Post a cohesive response based on your analysis of the Learning Resources and your professional experience. Be sure to discuss the following:
· Explain your Organizational Change Plan Assignments and defend the major reason for making the change or for not making the change.
· Assume that you have been asked to develop a collective quick win that will begin to bring together the stakeholders who buy-in to the change and the stakeholders who do not. Outline what you would do as a change agent to accomplish this quick win.
· Summarize what you would consider to be the top priorities in creating a quick win.
· Compare the relationship among leadership, management, quick wins, and positive change. Evaluate how these relationships help you bring the stakeholders together.
· As a manager or leader, outline what you would do to “rally the troops” for positive change.
· Outline the steps you would need to take to help your quick win plan succeed.
· 3 – 4 paragraphs
· No plagiarism
· APA citing
HIST15 Essay Instructions
This essay won’t be like your typical essay-- YOU get to decide what you focus on and research, and YOU get to decide what direction you take your argument. All you have to do is answer the following historical question as convincingly as possible: how did your topic/subject contribute to American history? What made your topic/subject historically relevant? Historians pick topics to study based on personal interest and historical relevance. Prove in your essay that your topic is historically significant by approaching it in an objective yet interesting way. That means that your argument should be well thought out and well-researched without excessive amounts of personal opinion. Your essay should be persuasive and analytical.
We live and breathe history every day, and the point of this essay is (1) to allow you to step into the shoes of a historian, (2) to effectively argue a point using historical evidence, and (3) to develop an understanding and appreciation of history’s place in American society. Everything around us has a history, and we all play a role in how things are remembered.
Potential Topics You can pick whatever you’re interested in as your essay topic. Literally, anything you’d like. I must approve of your topic beforehand, however, and this is why you’re letting me know of your topic before you start writing. Your topic is due SEPTEMBER 6TH via Canvas.
Please submit an explanation of what you would like to write about and how you’ll be answering the prompt questions above. Do you know what direction you’d like to go with your topic? Do you already have potential sources in mind to use? What attracted you to this particular subject/topic? Do you maybe have a vague idea of what you would like to write about, but are unsure of where to start researching? Include all of these ideas and notions and questions in your essay topic submission! The more detail you give me, the more points and advice I can give you. Therefore this assignment shouldn’t be less than a sizable paragraph. A sentence or two is not enough!
To help you decide on a topic, ask yourself what you’re passionate about and/or if there’s anything you’d like to know more about. I’ve compiled a list of potential topic ideas that I’ve received in the past to help guide you. Please note that you are certainly NOT limited to the following topics:
● Sports (popular, obscure, specific athletes, the Olympics, etc.) ● Fashion (types, styles, development, promotion, distribution, trends, designers, etc.) ● Film (specific genres, actors/actresses, development, distribution, Hollywood, etc.) ● Music (specific genres, music videos, artists, performers, performance, technology, etc.) ● Dance (types, styles, development, popularity, artists, performance, etc.)
● Television (specific genres, development, popularity, relevance, shows, etc.) ● LGBTQ+ culture ● Feminism and masculinity ● Sex and/or Gender ● Medicine/Health ● Environmental issues ● Food (I’ve gotten essays on TV dinners, Hostess products, and the Coke v. Pepsi debate!) ● Pop Culture (video games, comic books, anime, fandom, etc.)
As you can see, you have free reign to pick whatever you’d like. Keep in mind that you must answer the prompt question(s) and your topic must have an effect on or take place within American history. I’ll give my advice on your topics via Canvas so make sure that once you receive a grade on this assignment, check back and see what comment(s) I left for you. Once we’ve expanded on or narrowed your topic down, you can begin writing!
As always, I’m available for any further development or discussion of your topic. Simply email me and we can schedule a one-on-one office hour!
Essay Outline/Draft Once we’ve settled on a topic, start writing as soon as you’re able. Your essay outline or draft is due OCTOBER 11TH via Canvas. You have the option to submit an essay outline in whatever format you choose. The point of this assignment is to get you going on your essay-- I can tell when you write a final essay the night before it’s due, so don’t stress yourself out and be sure to write an outline/draft ahead of time! Simply show me how you’re going to organize your essay by using subject headings or topic sentences or certain sources/quotes that you plan on using. The more you give me, the more I can grade and the better I can guide you.
Unlike your essay topic assignment, you’ll have to turn this in as an upload instead of copying and pasting it into Canvas. That way I can make edits and post comments directly on your assignment. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
If you’ve written more than an outline by this point, that’s wonderful! You also have the option to submit an essay draft. I won’t focus on structure or length or anything of that nature; give me any amount of the essay you currently have and I’ll use that to grade and guide you. Again, the more you give me, the better I can help!
Requirements for the Final Essay ● Title page with your full name, the course subject and number, date and title ● Title your essay in a way that lets me know what your topic is ● Double spaced, 12pt font
● At least three legitimate sources ○ These include but are not limited to primary sources (newspaper articles,
interviews, autobiographies, first-person accounts, etc.) or secondary sources (history books, anthologies, biographies, etc.), along with film documentaries (PBS, History channel, BBC, etc.)
○ These DO NOT include blog posts, YouTube videos, social media posts, etc. ○ If you come across a source you’d like to use but are unsure if it’s credible, let me
know before you use it ● Final essays should be between 5-10 pages in length
○ Because topics vary, some can be thoroughly argued within five pages while others might take longer. Please DO NOT exceed 10 pages. This page count does not include any photos/images used within the essay or the bibliography page.
● Bibliography/Sources Page ● Consistent format
○ You may use MLA, APA, Chicago, or any other format you’re comfortable with. However, make sure that it stays consistent throughout.
● College-level writing ○ The tone of your essay should be formal and professional
● Proofread ○ Grammatically correct, no spelling errors, flows nicely from one idea to the next
Fun Side Note If you’d like to include pictures, go for it! Visual aids always help! But remember that including pictures does not increase your page number.
Need Help? If you’re wondering about getting sources for your topic, the history department has its own library liaison! Send an email to Nyle Monday telling him of your assignment and your topic, and he can find the perfect sources for you. Here’s his email: [email protected].
And I can’t recommend the Writing Center highly enough. They have people who can help you structure your essay and proofread it for you, and all you have to do is book an online appointment based on your schedule. They’re incredibly accommodating and helpful and trust me-- they’re a valuable resource to have for the rest of your college career, not just for this class.
Head on over to this link to create an account and make an appointment!: https://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/tutoring/online-tutoring.php
Your final essay is due DECEMBER 6TH via upload to Canvas. Have fun with this-- I hope you pick a topic that inspires you!
Get help from top-rated tutors in any subject.
Efficiently complete your homework and academic assignments by getting help from the experts at homeworkarchive.com