Martin Luther King is worldly known for his visible activism against black discrimination in America. His more prominent position is the leadership as well as activeness in the civil rights movement as in Christian beliefs that are believed to have inspired the nonviolent demonstrations and boycotts and civil disobedience. Of relevance to this articles his contribution or the use of literature to communicate to his audience on the progress of his mission on civil activism. King is considered to be one of the most prominent authors in the American history. His prominence in the world of literature and essay may have been swallowed by the outspokenness and vigilance in the activism and speeches (Dyson). He is known to have written hundreds of articles relating to the political transitions in the country. Some of his worldly know articles were the annual articles he wrote to the nation and got published by the nation, a popular political magazine back in the sixties. This essay will focus one of his annual articles to the nation and analyze the relevance and effectiveness of the article about the state of the nation at the time.
Let Justice Roll Down is one of the most prominent Martin Luther King's articles on activism published by the nation. This one of the articles whose focus was to communicate the state of the nation on matters regarding the civil rights movements and the actions they have undertaken over the years that is between 1961 and 1966. The main focus of the article is the state of racial relations in America, in light of the demonstration conducted by the civil rights movements. This article was published and made available on the nations issue of March 15th,1965.Besides communicating the annual progress of the commission, the article had more roles attached than progress documentation. One of the main roles was to unite the people together, the people, in this case, is the black communities, that he was advocating for. King's peaceful civil right movements were conducted in different cities throughout America. Owed to the fact that wanted to reach out all the communities at once, the article was the cheaper means communicate, the progress they as a country have made, and the difficulties they have all undergone or going through in the different states and cities that they live in (Dyson). Another assumed role played by the article was to express the bitterness of the black communities; most of the grievances that the communities go through are boldly communicated. This essay will analyze how effective the article was in meeting its intended objectives.
To begin with, one of the main roles of the article was to express the bitterness in the hearts of the black communities the came out in large numbers to take part in the civil movement and civil boycotts. Most of these movements were characterized by police brutality, evacuating, clubbing and even shooting at the protestors(Martin).At each of the demonstrations they had there was a form of resistance. Of most importance was the fact that the demonstrations were peaceful and nonviolent. The facts that the police should be offering security to the Protestants were beating them up. In each of the protests, captured in the article, the element of bitterness is well articulated in the choice of words and their presentations in the sentences; this is a perfect case example of the use of literary materials to capture how bitter be expressed the police treatment. In an instance, he created an example of how the black was perceived and treated by the police when an officer needs a criminal. They invade the black communities and pick up one of the black residents, then peg a crime on them, this has been the act of picking rather than finding and securing (Martin) This was an expression of the discrimination most of the protestants faced.
The other role of the article was to motivate and strengthen the black communities. It was evident that at every protest there were killings and all forms of brutalities conducted by either the local white communities or the police. King understood that this form of treatment has the potentials of discouraging people from turning out to take part in the protest. Therefore sharing the experiences of every protest with the other through this article was a tool to strengthening the people communities and lead them to believe in the course they are fighting for (King Jr). As the article communicates the difficult moments that the people fact in their course of protests, the element of bitterness acts as a common factor that they have to go through to be accepted as first-class citizens. By mentioning area and incidents where resilience and the urge to participate has been well represented. In the article he describes the feeling of participating in the demonstrations, that the spirit of is fuelled by the bullets the are shot at them, the bruises they have received from the clubbing by the police. They have suffered submission long enough, that the pain they are experiencing in the struggles and the protests does not equal the pain of submitting, to the treatment of second class citizens. Instead, they get inspired and commit more of their efforts into the demonstrations(Martin).He uses the tool of oppression, acts as the very tools of encouragement his form of expression is focused on encouraging protestors to turn come out in large number and that they should not be discouraged by the treatments.
Additionally, the article inspires togetherness regarding suffering and course. The language approach used in this article is a speech like, in as much as it informs Martins audiences of the developments in the country in light of the civil right movements, it also encourages them to stick together regardless of the treatments they are receiving from the police. The actions from the police are not inspiring neither do they hold the people together, therefore to have the black communities in the same front, they have to be united. The article facilitated the process by communicating the challenges the in every state, such that when a person from a different state read, read the article, the find that the challenges they are facing are common to the other communities in the other parts of the county. The mistreatment and discriminations are common to all of them. This form of relationship brings out some of the emotional and relational bonds. This connection encourages and inspired the black communities to continue taking an active role in the protest and in communicating their experiences and treatments especially the segregation and rights to take part in elections.
Besides building a connection between the black communities in different part of the country. The article served the role of giving hope to the people. With thousands taking to the streets in protests and civil boycotts, their communities were communicating their grievances. The police brutality and the government looking away, for the most part, These people needed encouragement and a restoration of hope. A world from the whom they believed to be their leader served the role. He cited one of the most significant developments that the negros had the chance to have an electorate seat; people turned out in large numbers in support, an estimated turn out of more than 100% way past the presidential election in 1964(Martin). He identified one of the areas where tremendous efforts were made. And directs it t the audience is such a way that instead of the achievement being Isolated to that community alone, the win is celebrated across the country. These achievements are the restoration of hopes to the regions they have not experienced many improvements regarding the outcomes of their participations civil movements. Having hope inspires people to maintain their course of actions believing that their way success in on the way. The impact of the civil rights movement is recognized by the fact redefined the element of black freedom and gave them more rights of belonging and citizenry.
Lastly, the most obvious role of the article communicates the progress that had so far been made by the civil right movements. The article communicates an array of incidences ant the impact that they have had in the quest to making building and amending the civil acts right. In summation of the informative aspect of the article, it begins will narrating the movements panned and their outcomes, citing the downside and strength to each (King Jr). Strength in the sense of progress that the movement made in the form of getting the attention of the government, building and progressing the case in court. The article cites some of the main components of the civil movement act, most of which are instrumental in expressing the true outcome of the effort people injected in their quests. A section of the report argues informs the audience of the potential improvement in their credit capabilities, voting rights and the limit of poverty reduction in the black communities (Martin)" This is some of the outcome put into details that enabled the people to see the progress in their efforts. In general, the informative aspect of this article builds on the other previously mentioned functions such as hope restoration. Therefore is regarded as the most important role of the article.
Conclusion
Considering the role of the author in the country at the time, he had to be a pillar of hope, unity, and restoration; not only to the black community but to the churches he leads as well. This aspect of his life needed to be presented in the articles he wrote. His role in the community and the function of the article had a significant role in shaping the structure of the essay. This explains the fact that Martin expresses the same energy and language in the article. The political tones, as well as the thematic coating throughout the document, are expressive and inspirational.
Works Cited
Dyson, Michael Eric. I may not get there with you: The true Martin Luther King, Jr. Vol. 233. Simon and Schuster, 2000.
Martin Luther. "Let Justice Roll Down." The Nation, 2018, https://www.thenation.com/article/let justice-roll-down-2/. Accessed 19 Apr 2018.
King Jr, Martin Luther. "I see the promised land." A testament of hope: The essential writings and speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr (1968): 279-86.
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