Epilogue

Abstract

Martin Luther King, Jr., apostle of militant nonviolence, has left an enduring legacy. As an eloquent spokesman for the conscience of humanity, King’s significance is recognized throughout the world. He is remembered for his inspirational leadership of a nonviolent black freedom struggle that shook the foundations of racism in America, overthrew legal segregation in the South, and guaranteed the basic democratic right to vote. During the 12 years that King dedicated his life to the civil rights movement, blacks made more progress than in any other period in American history, overcoming the damaging psychological effects of generations of oppression, and acquiring a sense of unity and dignity.