The prominent voice for civil rights for African Americans in the 1950s and 1960s was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A Baptist minister and activist, King became a leader in the struggle against racial segregation and discrimination. He advocated for nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as effective means of achieving social change, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's principles. His leadership in events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington, where he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, solidified his status as a symbol for equality and justice. King's efforts significantly advanced the civil rights movement in the United States.