2008 civics test · Question 85 · Recent American History

What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?

One of the 20 questions for the 65/20 special consideration

Any one of these answers is accepted

  • fought for civil rights
  • worked for equality for all Americans

What this means

Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for civil rights and worked for equality for all Americans.

He was a Baptist minister who led the movement to end racial segregation and discrimination in the United States, insisting throughout on nonviolent protest. His 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C. is among the most famous in American history, the speech where he hoped people would “not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

He was assassinated in 1968. The third Monday in January is a federal holiday in his honor.

A short answer is enough: “he fought for civil rights.”

Why this is on the test

Dr. King is the figure the test uses to represent the civil rights movement, and the accepted answers are broad. You do not need specific dates or events.

How this question is asked

On the 2008 civics test, the officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions out loud and you pass by answering 6 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion.

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