--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because when we look at the modern civil…" description: "\"Because when we look at the modern civil rights movement under the leadership of my father and the team that he developed, it was at the federal level ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/martin-luther-king-iii-5061_civil-rights_because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil_2548257.jpg" --- # Because when we look at the modern civil rights movement… ![“Because when we look at the modern civil rights movement under the leadership of my father and the team that he developed, it was at the federal level that we were able to appeal to bring about justice, whether it was in relationship to voting rights - just a number of issues.” quote by Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/martin-luther-king-iii-5061_civil-rights_because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil_2548257.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/martin-luther-king-iii-5061_civil-rights_because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil_2548257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/martin-luther-king-iii-5061_civil-rights_because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil_2548257.jpg) > “Because when we look at the modern civil rights movement under the leadership of my father and the team that he developed, it was at the federal level that we were able to appeal to bring about justice, whether it was in relationship to voting rights - just a number of issues.” [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership at the federal level enabled legal advances for voting and other civil rights. **In simple terms:** Federal action helped secure voting and civil rights. Key Takeaway Use legal channels to protect rights. Themes civil rights leadership federal action justice Mood determined hopeful Type inspirational political When to use this quote - voting rights campaigns - legislative advocacy - community organizing Key Concepts policy activism institutional change Questions to Reflect On - How can we strengthen federal protections? - What role do local actions play? A Different Perspective Legal progress can be slow and face backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Civil rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights-movement/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-movement/) [Voting rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting-rights/) ## Related quotes > [The seminal right of the modern civil rights movement was the right to vote. My father fought so diligently for it. Certainly Congressman John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/the-seminal-right-of-the-modern-civil-rights-movement-was-the-right/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [The quality of ideas seems to play a minor role in mass movement leadership. What counts is the arrogant gesture, the complete disregard of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-quality-of-ideas-seems-to-play-a-minor-role-in-mass-movement/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Leadership is about movement. Leadership moves people from the known to the unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-munroe/leadership-is-about-movement-leadership-moves-people-from-the-known/) [Myles Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-munroe/) > [“While the Reconstruction Era was fraught with corruption and arguably doomed by the lack of land reform, the sweeping economic and political developments in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/while-the-reconstruction-era-was-fraught-with-corruption-and-arguably/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [What is needed in the world today is a Civil Rights Movement for the Soul, freeing humanity at last from the oppression of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/what-is-needed-in-the-world-today-is-a-civil-rights-movement-for-the/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [There's no problem on the planet that can't be solved without violence. That's the lesson of the civil rights movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/there-s-no-problem-on-the-planet-that-can-t-be-solved-without/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I have loved the Department of Justice ever since, as a young boy, I watched Robert Kennedy prove during the Civil Rights Movement how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-have-loved-the-department-of-justice-ever-since-as-a-young-boy-i/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Covering the civil-rights movement was a mind- and eye-opener for me. Houston was a segregated society, as was Texas as a whole - some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/covering-the-civil-rights-movement-was-a-mind-and-eye-opener-for-me/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [“A new civil rights movement cannot be organized around the relics of the earlier system of control if it is to address meaningfully the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/a-new-civil-rights-movement-cannot-be-organized-around-the-relics-of/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [I took an interest in the Civil Rights Movement. I listened to Martin Luther King. The Vietnam War was raging. When I was 18,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/i-took-an-interest-in-the-civil-rights-movement-i-listened-to-martin/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [LISTEN: If you ever wondered what you would do if you were alive in the Civil Rights Movement, NOW IS THE TIME to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/listen-if-you-ever-wondered-what-you-would-do-if-you-were-alive-in/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [I don't think the riots derailed the civil rights movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/i-don-t-think-the-riots-derailed-the-civil-rights-movement/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [As a southerner born after the epic events of the civil rights movement, I've always wondered how on earth people of good will could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/as-a-southerner-born-after-the-epic-events-of-the-civil-rights/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [The mainstream sort of presentation of the civil rights movement was not something that I directly inherited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/the-mainstream-sort-of-presentation-of-the-civil-rights-movement-was/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [Most students graduate from high school knowing nine words about the civil rights movement: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and "I Have a Dream."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-aydin/most-students-graduate-from-high-school-knowing-nine-words-about-the/) [Andrew Aydin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-aydin/) ## More by Martin Luther King III > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [And I think that, at some point, I am, as John Lewis and many others, are a bridge-builder. The goal is to bring America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/and-i-think-that-at-some-point-i-am-as-john-lewis-and-many-others-are/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [If I woke up every day attempting to be my father, I would fail miserably. I think he was anointed. He was chosen by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/if-i-woke-up-every-day-attempting-to-be-my-father-i-would-fail/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [I just think we have to create the climate so that people will come out on election day and vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/i-just-think-we-have-to-create-the-climate-so-that-people-will-come/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [I think we have got to do a better job explaining to people why their vote does count. I think people feel disconnected from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/i-think-we-have-got-to-do-a-better-job-explaining-to-people-why-their/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [There is more racial integration in American life and many more people of color serving as elected officials and corporate leaders than there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/there-is-more-racial-integration-in-american-life-and-many-more/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Our family has always drawn on the power from above to comfort us in times of despair and stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/our-family-has-always-drawn-on-the-power-from-above-to-comfort-us-in/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [I was told that Daddy was murdered by a white man. I could have adopted an attitude of hating whites. But then in 1974…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/i-was-told-that-daddy-was-murdered-by-a-white-man-i-could-have/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Many feel that in today's climate some of those in authority are exercising, in effect, a self-serving, 'ends justify the means' mindset as well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/many-feel-that-in-today-s-climate-some-of-those-in-authority-are/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [African Americans are not going to be fooled by any group supported by industrial polluters. They know climate change is real and that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/african-americans-are-not-going-to-be-fooled-by-any-group-supported/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [There's something wrong in a nation where six million black men are not allowed to vote because they were convicted of felonies. They've paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/there-s-something-wrong-in-a-nation-where-six-million-black-men-are/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Our challenge is to mobilize a new coalition of conscience to restore the Voting Rights Act, strengthen voting rights and broaden voter access in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/our-challenge-is-to-mobilize-a-new-coalition-of-conscience-to-restore/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [You know, when you've idolized something, you put it on a shelf, lift it up, and when King Day comes out, you pull it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/you-know-when-you-ve-idolized-something-you-put-it-on-a-shelf-lift-it/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [The March on Washington was a defining moment in the history of this country and a great example of our nation truly living up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/the-march-on-washington-was-a-defining-moment-in-the-history-of-this/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [On March 7, 1965, some 600 civil rights activists marched in Selma, Alabama, demanding an end to racial discrimination. The demonstration was led by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/on-march-7-1965-some-600-civil-rights-activists-marched-in-selma/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) [Explore all 103 Martin Luther King III quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) ## More Civil rights quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The notion of women being written out of history is as old as the Bible, but it always seems more galling when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-notion-of-women-being-written-out-of-history-is-as-old-as-the/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) [Browse all 1,552 Civil rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Because when we look at the modern civil rights movement under the leadership of my father and the team that he developed, it was at the federal level that we were able to appeal to bring about justice, whether it was in relationship to voting rights - just a number of issues.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King III" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil-rights-movement-under-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civil rights" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil-rights-movement-under-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/martin-luther-king-iii-5061_civil-rights_because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil_2548257.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/martin-luther-king-iii-5061_civil-rights_because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil_2548257.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d1/martin-luther-king-iii-5061_civil-rights_because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil_2548257.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Because when we look at the modern civil rights movement under the leadership of my father and the team that…” — Martin Luther King III", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Martin Luther King III", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Because when we look at the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil-rights-movement-under-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/because-when-we-look-at-the-modern-civil-rights-movement-under-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```