The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
Civil Rights
Associated Archive Content : 862 results
Facing the Challenge of a New LifeDr. King uses Greek Philosophy, the Christian conception of agape love, and the need for nonviolent resistance as a guideline of "Facing the Challenge of a New Life" in America. Throughout the sermon, he encourages African Americans to remain committed to the nonviolent principles of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the precepts of Christian living to facilitate the birth of a new way of life in an America dealing with violent conflicts over social conditions. |
Fifty-five Facts about MorehouseThis pamphlet discusses fifty-five important facts about Morehouse College and its distinguished alumni. |
Flyer for SCLC Mass MeetingThis flyer advertises a 1958 Norfolk, VA SCLC mass meeting. |
Foreword to Neil Sullivan's Book by MLKDr. King submits a rough draft of his foreword for a text written by Berkeley County Public Schools Superintendent Neil Sullivan. |
Four Top Rights Leaders Considering Africa TripRoy Wilkins, Dr. King, Whitney Young, and A. Philip Randolph, four of America's top civil rights leaders, are considering making a trip to Africa to stop the war in Nigeria. These leaders also serve as members on the call committee of the American Negro Leadership Conference on Africa. |
Freedom RallyThis document is the program for the Freedom Rally held at Vermont Avenue Baptist in support of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. |
Freedom Walk Committee of IthacaThis form letter from the Freedom Walk Committee of Ithaca and the Cornell Committee Against Segregation announces both the guest appearance of Dr. King as well as a fundraising drive for the SCLC. |
Fumbling on the New FrontierThis article critiques the Kennedy Administration's civil rights agenda. Additionally, it outlines Dr. King's view that all presidents should play a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. |
Gandhi Society for Human Rights Address by MLKDr. King speaks at a luncheon launching the Gandhi Society on May 17, 1962, citing the great significance of the day: the anniversary of the US Supreme Court decision declaring school segregation unconstitutional, the 100th anniversary of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and the centennial of the death of Henry David Thoreau, whose essay on civil disobedience influenced Gandhi. He announces that earlier that day he sent President Kennedy a document seeking an executive order proclaiming all forms of segregation to be a violation of the US Constitution. |
Georgia Council on Human Relations: Program HighlightsThis newsletter informs readers of the upheaval in the state of Georgia by reporting a variety of incidents around the state. The program focuses on events around Atlanta, including an attack in the Dixie Hills community in which two Molotov cocktails were thrown and, during the ensuing chaos, one man one was killed by a shotgun blast and three others wounded. |
Give Decency A Chance in the South...The Southern Conference Educational Fund (SCEF) is working toward eliminating "all forms of racial segregation in the Southern and border States." This brochure highlights SCEF's accomplishments, supporters, programs and future. |
Goldwater's NominationDr. King expresses his disdain for Republican presidential candidate Senator Barry Goldwater. Dr. King believes that Senator Goldwater is not an adequate candidate, due to his lack of knowledge in foreign policy and philosophies about equality for all. |
Great ManGene Lyle writes the editor of a newspaper article entitled "Americans Need Some Discipline" to address unjustified criticism expressed against Dr. King. The author is certain that the article persuaded some readers that Dr. King "is to be feared and despised" for being a contributor to civil unrest. However, the writer predicts that "Dr. King will enter American history...as one of the great men of all time." |
Great Neck Declaration of RededicationThe citizens of Great Neck, New York rededicate themselves to the "struggle for equality and justice." |
Guidelines for a Constructive ChurchIn this sermon delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Dr. King spells out guidelines for the church: healing the broken-hearted, preaching deliverance to the captive (freeing people from everything that enslaves), and preaching the acceptable year of the Lord. The acceptable year of the Lord, he says, is every year the time is right to do right, stop lying and cheating, do justice, learn to live as brothers and beat swords into plowshares. |
Helen Meun Addresses the Arlington DemonstrationHelen Meun writes to members of the SCLC and explains that those involved in the Arlington demonstration were unaware to its purpose. Furthermore, she suggests that the children who were harmed during this demonstration be given an explanation. |
Help For NigeriaNigeria requests help from Negro civil rights leaders such as Dr. King, Randolph, and Roy Wilkins. Nigerians feel that the hate between the government and its people will result in war. |
Herbert Hill Statement Before the House Committee on Education and LaborHerbert Hill, National Labor Director for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, addresses the House Committee on Education and Labor regarding the questionable practices conducted by the leadership of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. |
Highlander Center Press ReleaseThis press release details the Highlander Center, an adult education center for people who come to learn how to deal with problems affecting their lives and communities, which was under investigation. The investigation was being conducted to determine if the Highland Center was integrated as stated in its charter. |
House Un-American Activities CommitteeThis article summarizes the consequences that derive from the House Un-American Activities Committee labeling Civil Rights leaders as communists. |
How Much Head Start for Mississippi's Children?Kay Longcope describes the current status of the Child Development Group of Mississippi following the decision to pull funding for the program made by the Office of Economic Opportunity. |
Hungry Club SpeechThis document is a draft copy of Dr. King's Hungry Club Speech, in which he speaks on the subject "America's Chief Moral Dilemma." He states that the dilemma is "the means by which we live have out distanced the ends for which we live." Dr. King thoroughly discusses the three major evils that contribute to this dilemma: the evil of racism, the evil poverty, and the evil of war. He also discusses the progress of the Civil Rights Movement as it enters a new phase of fighting for "genuine equality." |
I Have A DreamIn the most famous of his speeches, given from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Dr. King drew on themes from previous sermons and speeches, including an address he called The American Dream. Citing Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation, the US Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence, King calls upon the nation to fulfill its promise of freedom and justice for all of its citizens. Although he began by reading from a manuscript, he later abandoned it and spoke directly to the crowd of more than 200,000. |
I HAVE A DREAMText of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech delivered August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D. C. |
I Have A DreamDr. King delivered the "I Have A Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. Along with Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address," it is considered to be one of the greatest speeches of all time. |
I Marched on WashingtonKelly E. Miller composed this poem for Dr. King as a tribute to the March on Washington. |
Importance of the Public Accommodations Section of the Civil Rights BillThis document features a story of a white civil rights worker who was fined and sentence to jail because she sought to eat with her Negro friends in a restaurant in Atlanta. |
In the Battle for DesegregationFrancis Keppel, U.S. Commissioner of Education, expresses his thoughts on the solution for desegregation. Keppel believes the best way to end segregation is through education, providing children with an education and outstanding teachers. |
Insight Broward: Bullets, Backflips & Baby-TalkMoreland Smith forwarded a copy of Insight Broward Magazine for Dr. King to view. In this collection of articles, Jim Corvell expresses his disapproval of Alcee Hastings, a local NAACP lawyer, who was a candidate for the House of Representatives. Coryell heatedly describes his efforts to thwart what he called "the [N]egro racist's political plans. |
Institute on Nonviolent Resistance to SegregationThe SCLC publishes this manifesto declaring that all eyes are focused on the South as it confronts the controversial issues of freedom and equality for Negroes. In the quest for equality, the southern Negros' plan of defense is Christian love and non-violent resistance. The document not only reveals tragic conditions in the South, but also affirms five principles by which equality can be achieved for Negro citizens. |