| Dr Martin Luther King Jr A Celebration Of His | | | | King became so important to them he had his |
| LIfe Martin Luther King Jr. rose to national | | | | own FBI task force. Everywhere he went the |
| fame in December 1955 when he joined the | | | | FBI palace wire taps on his phones and bugged |
| efforts of The Montgomery Alabama Bus | | | | the rooms he was in. Eventually with no cause |
| Boycott. Rosa Parks, a black women refused to | | | | or evidence the FBI classified him a threat |
| give up her buss seat to a white man. Dr King | | | | with ties to communism, and started a |
| joined the cause and organized marches and | | | | campaign of harassment with several |
| sit ins. It took almost a year for the | | | | unsuccessful attempts to discredit him. The |
| boycott to end with success. A Supreme Court | | | | FBI used several harassment methods such as |
| ruling declared the segregation laws | | | | sending him threatening letters and releasing |
| Montgomery Alabama unconstitutional. The | | | | false or sensitive information to the press. |
| boycott was the catalysts that started the | | | | They also sent agents to meet with important |
| modern civil rights movement in the USA, and | | | | people that Dr. King was supposed to meet |
| elevated Dr. King as the movements leader. | | | | with to try to spread lies about him. Dr |
| Dr. King became a Baptist preacher following | | | | Kings final mission before his brutal |
| in the footsteps of his father and | | | | assassination was to aid the Memphis |
| grandfather. He together with his wife | | | | Tennessee Sanitation Workers (local 173) |
| Coretta Scott King reared four children. Dr | | | | strike. He joined with the Sanitation |
| King led the founding of The Southern | | | | Workers, the Memphis Interdenominational |
| Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The | | | | Ministerial Alliance and several other local |
| SCLC is currently a national organization | | | | black power groups in a march through Memphis |
| with affiliate chapters in almost every major | | | | Tennessee. High tensions and other factors |
| US city. Dr. King's children are stil active | | | | caused the march to become violent Dr King |
| in the SCLC. The SCLC promotes brotherhood | | | | left the march and returned to his hotel. |
| and sisterhood, peace, and community and is | | | | While violence ran through the streets police |
| open to people of all races, religions and | | | | mace multiple arrests. A restraining order |
| backgrounds. The basic principals of the SCLC | | | | was issued banning Dr King from further |
| stem from Dr. Kings greatest ability to bring | | | | marches in Memphis. On the evening of April |
| together all types of people to promote the | | | | 4, 1968 (while under surveillance by the |
| cause of peace, brotherhood, and sisterhood. | | | | Memphis Police Department) Dr. King was |
| Dr. Kings life was filled with highs and | | | | brutally gunned down while standing on the |
| lows. In 1964 he was the youngest recipient | | | | balcony of his hotel. The assassination |
| of The Nobel Peace Prize. He authored several | | | | investigation was conducted by the FBI. I |
| books, and delivered hundreds of speeches all | | | | believe that this was a poor choice of |
| over the country. Non-violent civil | | | | agencies because of the negative history |
| disobedience is the primary tactic to | | | | between the FBI and Dr. King. In no way could |
| overcome the enemy of oppression. Dr King was | | | | the FBI be able to conduct an impartial |
| not the first to use these methods , he | | | | investigation. I am also forced to ask myself |
| learned these principals from another famous | | | | with all to the harassment, rumor spreading |
| man whom he admired greatly, Mahatma Gandi. | | | | and attempts to discredit Dr. King if the FBI |
| Mohatma Gandi of India, developed the | | | | had an influence on the assignation. James |
| philosophy of Satyagraha. Satyagraha is the | | | | Earl Ray was arrested and charged with the |
| search of the truth. The three aspects are a) | | | | murder of Dr King. James Ray confessed to the |
| Satya - the truth, b) Ahimsa - physical and | | | | crime in open court and waved his rite to a |
| mental, non violence civil disobedience, non | | | | trial, and was convicted. The lack of a |
| cooperation, c) Tapasya - self sacrifice . | | | | trial, no witnesses testimony, no evidence |
| The goal is to acquire the cooperation of and | | | | review no court records leads me to wonder if |
| opponent by changing a destructive | | | | James Ray acted alone or if he was part of a |
| relationship to a constructive relationship. | | | | conspiracy. Today January 15, 2007 we |
| this is accomplished by using a moral power | | | | celebrate Dr. King his life and legacy. Dr. |
| (God) instead of a physical power (violence). | | | | King preacher of peace and equality, should |
| Controversy enveloped the life of Dr. King. | | | | best be remembered for his message of |
| His practice of civil disobedience lead to | | | | brotherhood and sisterhood "I have a dream |
| several arrests. His status as the leader of | | | | that my four little children will one day |
| the civil rights movement attracted the | | | | live in a nation where they will not be |
| attention of president Kennedy who directed | | | | judged by the color of their skin but by the |
| the FBI to start surveillance on him. Dr. | | | | content of their character. |