LEADERS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD One of the most loved and most hated men in America at the time of his death in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. is known as one of the greatest leaders of civil rights movement today. He faced segregation and racism in early childhood. Inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ and the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi, King formed his own philosophies regarding a nonviolent lifestyle. Even when faced with insults, beatings and jail time, he remained resolute in his efforts to eradicate injustice, poverty and war. His critics felt he was destroying peace in their community through protests and marches. The nonviolent movement also drew ire from sections of society which believed violence was a necessary form of self-defense. Even today, his powerful speeches inspire people to fight for equality and justice as can be seen in the Black Lives Matter Movement that is reverberating through the United States.