The Assassination of Martin Luther King, 1968 (AQA GCSE History)
Revision Note
Why did some Americans oppose Martin Luther King? - Summary
Opposition to Martin Luther King Jr. in America was rooted in political and racial concerns. Many politicians and American citizens viewed King's support for civil rights as a threat to the established social and political order. His calls for economic justice and his criticisms of capitalism alarmed those who feared that his vision of equality entailed radical changes to the American economic system.
Additionally, King's outspoken stance against the Vietnam War made many American citizens and political leaders angry. American citizens considered King’s view on the Vietnam War as unpatriotic and damaging to national unity. Whereas politicians believed his anti-war views undermined the government's efforts and contributed to social unrest.
Furthermore, some political figures were wary of King's increasing influence. He had the ability to mobilise large segments of the population. They perceived King’s actions as a challenge to their authority. This combination of fears about economic change, national security, and political power fueled significant opposition to King’s efforts and legacy.
How was Martin Luther King Assassinated?
Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4th, 1968
King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee
James Earl Ray was convicted of King's murder
Exam Tip
Martin Luther King is also known as MLK or Doctor King. Any version is acceptable in your exam answers. Whilst there are many abbreviations in this course, it may help in your exam answers to shorten King’s name. When writing an answer, write “Martin Luther King (MLK)” once. This will allow you to write “MLK” throughout the rest of your answer
Short-Term Impacts of Martin Luther King's Assassination
Immediately after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. riots broke out across the US which:
Lasted for a week
Occurred in 125 cities across America
Resulted in the death of 39 people
President Lyndon. B. Johnson responded to the riots by:
Sending 4,000 National Guard troops into Memphis, Tennessee
Declaring a state of emergency
Creating a national day of mourning for King, on April 7th, 1968
King’s assassination also helped to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1968
Johnson was able to pass the bill through Congress a week after King’s assassination
Many historians claim that this act would not have happened if it wasn’t for King’s assassination
Long-Term Impacts of Martin Luther King's Assassination
The assassination of Martin Luther King marked the end of an era for the Civil Rights movement
The Civil Rights movement had lost its most influential leader
Many people began to oppose further advancements in civil rights
Stokely Carmichael, the leader of the Black Panthers stated
“When [America] killed Dr. King last night she killed the one man of our race that this country's older generation, the militants and the revolutionaries, and the masses of black people would still listen to”
However, King’s assassination revitalised the Black Power Movement
African- Americans became more distrusting of white Americans
Membership of Black Power organisations increased
Worked Example
Describe two ways in which the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. had an impact on America.
[4 marks]
Answer:
One way in which the assassination of Martin Luther King had an impact on America was it led to the 1968 Civil Rights Act (1). The assassination of King encouraged Congress to pass the 1968 Act which included the Fair Housing Act and banned the discrimination of renting and selling houses based on race (1).
Another way in which the assassination of King had an impact on America was that it revitalised the Black Power Movement (1). Many African- Americans became distrustful of white Americans and were attracted to the Black Power Movement which increased the number of memberships to Black Power organisations, such as the Black Panthers (1).
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