Question

question 4 of 10

the murder of ___ was considered a catalyst for the civil rights movement.

a. martin luther king jr.
b. sarah keys
c. emmett till
d. rosa parks

Explanation:

Identify the historical context

The question asks for the individual whose murder served as a major catalyst for the modern American Civil Rights Movement. We need to evaluate the historical roles of each person listed in the options.

Analyze the options

• Martin Luther King Jr.: While his assassination in 1968 was a monumental tragedy, he was already the preeminent leader of the movement. His death occurred near the end of the traditional civil rights era rather than acting as its initial catalyst.
• Sarah Keys: She was a civil rights activist who refused to give up her bus seat in 1952, leading to a landmark court case (Sarah Keys v. Carolina Coach Company), but she was not murdered.
• Emmett Till: In August 1955, 14-year-old African American Emmett Till was brutally lynched in Mississippi. His mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, insisted on an open-casket funeral to show the world the horrors of racial violence. The widespread media coverage and outrage generated by his murder galvanized the Black community and is widely recognized by historians as a primary spark for the modern Civil Rights Movement, directly inspiring actions like the Montgomery Bus Boycott later that year.
• Rosa Parks: She became famous for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus in December 1955, which launched the Montgomery Bus Boycott. She was not murdered.

Determine the correct answer

Based on historical consensus, the brutal murder of Emmett Till in 1955 was the pivotal event that shocked the nation and acted as a powerful catalyst for the mobilization of the Civil Rights Movement.

Answer:

• (A) Martin Luther King Jr.
• (B) Sarah Keys
• (C) Emmett Till (Correct answer)
• (D) Rosa Parks