After the North's victory over the South in the Civil War, black Americans were granted independence. This led to rulings such as the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which guaranteed all citizens equality before the law and stated that “the right to vote shall not be denied…on account of race.” However, in practice these amendments were not respected, there were no measures in place to implement these rulings, and no prevention of the mistreatment of black Americans. Due to these new sentences, de facto segregation increased especially with the founding of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Furthermore, in the South, although the 15th Amendment gave everyone the right to vote, Jim Crow laws were enacted to deliberately prevent black Americans from voting. Black Americans had different opinions on how to approach their situation, while some felt it was best to accept the status quo, others wanted to fight for equal rights but disagreed on whether they should integrate with whites or remain separate. Overall, Martin Luther King was not the most successful civil rights leader, as the groundwork was laid by earlier activists. While he made some contributions, it was no more significant or laudable than that of other black rights activists or organizations. Martin Luther King believed in integration, he believed that everyone, black and white, should live and work together as equals. “I have a dream that… one day right there in Alabama little black boys and girls will be able to join little white boys and girls as sisters and brothers.” He hoped that one day black and white Americans would be united as one nation. This approach was key to engaging the white community. King was able to express the best...... middle of paper ......n, and this may be due to his use of media coverage, but he was not the most successful. Some claimed he was a glory-seeker who used the civil rights movement to gain publicity. He was a vital part of the civil rights movement and this is demonstrated by his death, after which the civil rights movement faded away. King led several successful campaigns such as the March on Washington, which brought together many civil rights organizations. The emotional impact of the March on Washington is believed to have helped pass civil rights legislation. Overall, while King and the SCLC made some contributions, they were no more than others, such as the NAACP, which received less publicity but were equally if not more effective. For example, the NAACP won a unanimous victory with the Brown V Board Of Education, which held that segregated education was unconstitutional..