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Martin Luther King
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What is Martin Luther King?

Martin Luther King Jr. stands as one of the most studied figures in American history, examined across disciplines including history, political science, rhetoric, literature, and philosophy. Students encounter him in courses on civil rights, African American studies, ethics, and persuasive writing because his life and work raise enduring questions about justice, freedom, nonviolence, and political change. His leadership during the Civil Rights Movement, his theology of nonviolence grounded in Natural Law, and his iconic texts make him a rich subject for academic analysis at virtually every level.

Papers on this topic approach King from several distinct angles. Rhetorical analysis is especially common, with close readings of the "I Have a Dream" speech and the "Letter from Birmingham Jail" examining how King constructed arguments, deployed emotional appeals, and addressed hostile audiences. Comparative essays place King alongside figures such as Malcolm X, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Marcus Garvey to explore competing strategies for achieving racial equality in America. Other papers take a broader historical view, situating King within the Civil Rights Movement as a whole, while some engage philosophical questions about nonviolence, love, and faith as frameworks for political action.

A strong essay on King stakes a specific, arguable claim rather than simply summarizing his biography or legacy. Evidence drawn from King's own writings and speeches carries the most weight, especially when passages are analyzed closely rather than quoted as decoration. The most common pitfall is treating King as a symbol rather than a thinker, which flattens the complexity of his arguments and produces essays that feel more like tributes than critical analysis.

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Paper Doctorate

The American Dream in Nickel and Dimed and King's rhetoric

This paper discussed the concept of the American Dream and how it was interpreted by Martin Luther King, Jr. in his speech "I Have a Dream" and author Barbara Ehrenreich in her book "Nickel and Dimed." Each person talks about how a group was denied the chance to achieve the American Dream. King discusses this in terms of African Americans and racial prejudice and Ehrenreich explains how the poor are denied the Dream.

Paper Undergraduate

Individuality and the social contract in American philosophy

The United States is a nation that has long existed in a balance between individual rights and a stable social order. But sometimes, individuality is the key to resisting the impulses of an unjust society. Using America's segregationist history as a backdrop, this discussion identifies the importance of individualism in achieving and ethical society.

Research Paper Doctorate

Racial and ethnic disparities in reading and math achievement

Race, Ethnicity, and Academic Achievement - Proposal of Research Design

Paper Doctorate

The night the crystals broke: family heritage and immigration

This is a ten page paper analyzing more than 7 poems that are all original and unique. There are haikus, sonnets and free verse poems. The questions that are answered include (1) Where did you get inspiration from? (2) Which author and poem did you refer to when writing this poem? (3) What did the poem mean to you personally? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not? How does this poem relate to your world and your life? (4) What techniques did you use for this poem and do you think your readers understand what you are trying to convey to them? (5) How effective do you think your poem was? How did you find the whole process of writing each poem? (6) How is the structure and voice of the poem?

Paper Doctorate

The Graduate and the ideology of the New Left movement

This paper discusses the film "The Graduate." The movie is a perfect example of the new psychology which was emerging in the United States during the 1960s. Young people began to reject the value system put in place by their parents following the Second World War. They wanted to rebel but were also unsure of what outright rebellion would mean.

Essay Doctorate

W.E.B. Du Bois and the sociology of racial inequality

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was a pioneer of sociology and a forerunner to civil rights activists later in the 20th century. DuBois used sociology as a tool or lens for viewing structural problems in the society,…

Paper Undergraduate

Racial disparity in the American criminal justice system

This essay examines the racial issues underlying the criminal justice system here in America. A compelling case is made that suggests that blacks are incarcerated at a much higher rate than other segments of the population. The essay continues by offering alternatives to the present situation and by discussing possible sources of cognitive dissonance on the subject.

Paper Doctorate

Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret: The Power" and the law of attraction

Rhonda Byrne's The Secret: The Power (2010) is truly an incredibly bad book, simplistic, repetitive and divorced from real history, politics or economics, yet it has sold 19 million copies. A cynic might say that the real secret to wealth is writing a bestselling book that millions will buy. Her 2006 book The Secret sold more over 19 million copies and was translated into 46 languages, and she was also a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show and many others on the daytime TV chat circuit. Like all self-help writers, she has a talent for publishing the same advice repeatedly in new books that claim to offer even greater insights than past philosophers and religious teachers and in 2007 Byrne wrote The Secret Gratitude Book, followed a year later by The Secret: Daily Teachings. Her latest offering is about 250 pages long and quickly appeared on the bestseller lists, which indicates the type of strong cult following that all publishers desire. Byrne's central thesis is that human beings can change their entire lives and have everything they want simply by wishing for it, including money, wealth, happiness, careers, and romantic relationships.

Research Paper Doctorate

Arguments against affirmative action and reverse discrimination

¶ … Symposium: College Admissions," by Deroy Murdoch. The article supports the view that to favor black persons entering college as part of an affirmative action program ultimately works to their disadvantage.

Paper Undergraduate

Cyclical reform and conservatism in American political history

In Hellfire Nation (2003) James Morone described U.S. history as cyclical, with alternating generational cycles of reform and conservatism that can be traced back to the colonial period.

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