Martin Luther King Jr.'s Rise to Prominence

Martin Luther King Jr. emerged as a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement, gaining nationwide recognition during the Montgomery bus boycott initiated by Rosa Parks. His visibility surged in the late 1950s, as he became Time magazine's man of the year in 1964 and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent approach to civil rights. However, as the 1960s progressed, King began facing criticism not only from white Americans but also from factions within the black community, notably from younger activists who favored more militant approaches. This growing division highlighted the tensions in the civil rights movement, particularly between King's nonviolent philosophy and the more aggressive stances advocated by figures like Malcolm X.