Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and leadership profoundly affected the civil rights movement. His commitment to nonviolent protest and passionate oratory inspired countless individuals and mobilized masses for social justice. King’s pivotal role in monumental events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington galvanized public opinion against racial segregation and discrimination. His famous "I Have a Dream" speech articulated a vision of a racially integrated and equitable America, becoming a defining moment in American history and encouraging sustained activism for civil rights.