Which of the following BEST illustrates the immediate reaction of the American public to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968?

Question

(1 point)
Responses

The civil rights movement quickly disintegrated as despair and fear of violent retaliation to social protest began to outweigh hope.
The civil rights movement quickly disintegrated as despair and fear of violent retaliation to social protest began to outweigh hope.

Riots broke out throughout the country, representing the most widespread example of social unrest in the country since the Civil War.
Riots broke out throughout the country, representing the most widespread example of social unrest in the country since the Civil War.

Politicians from both major parties came together to pass civil rights legislation ending segregation and outlawing workplace discrimination.
Politicians from both major parties came together to pass civil rights legislation ending segregation and outlawing workplace discrimination.

The nation entered an extended period of mourning, ultimately coming together and resolving to end social injustice through peaceful means.

Answer 1

The BEST illustration of the immediate reaction of the American public to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 is:

Riots broke out throughout the country, representing the most widespread example of social unrest in the country since the Civil War.

Following King's assassination on April 4, 1968, there were significant riots and unrest in many cities across the United States, demonstrating the intense grief, anger, and frustration felt by many, particularly within the African American community.