What effect did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination have on US society in 1968? Question 20 options:
the Civil Rights movement died with MLK’s assassination
his assassination encouraged Rosa Parks to refuse to give up her seat to a white man on a bus in Montgomery
the Supreme Court of the US realized that racial tensions were running high and attempted to ease tensions by integrating US schools with the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education decision
King’s death further encouraged Black Power movement support and riots

After the assassination of one of the main leaders of the Civil Right Movement, Martin Luther King Jr, in 1968, the anger in the movement grew, and together with it, the strenght of the protests and actions carried out. Luther King had never promoted violence, on the contrary, he had always conducted civil disobedience and nonviolence actions.

After the assassination, many voices inside the movement claimed that it was the moment to change the nonviolence format. Others believe that the manner to honour Luther King was to perpetuate his legacy and protest peacefully. Despite many leaders claimed for calm, a wave of riots emerged in more than 100 US cities.

Moreover, the Black Power movement increased its influence. This movement promoted the empowerement of the US black citizens by creating social and political institutions to pursue the collective interests of black people and to put their values and convictions over those from other communities. It aimed to end oppresion by creating a self-sufficent network just for black people. In some sense it was said that this movement promoted segregation and black supremacy.