The significance of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 was immense and far-reaching. King, a prominent leader in the American civil rights movement, was shot on April 4, galvanizing national and international outrage. His death sparked riots and protests across the United States, underscoring the intense racial tensions of the era. King's commitment to nonviolent resistance and his vision for a racially integrated society had already mobilized millions; his assassination intensified the urgency of the civil rights agenda. It led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, highlighting his lasting influence on American society.