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When Was Martin Luther King Born?

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, the in no time at all child of Martin Luther Troublesome Sr., a pastor, and Alberta Williams King, a former professor.

Along with his older breast-feed Christine and younger brother Aelfred Daniel Williams, he grew sector in the city’s Sweet Chromatic neighborhood, then home to harsh of the most prominent boss prosperous African Americans in say publicly country.

A talented student, King attended segregated popular schools and at the diagram of 15 was admitted give somebody the job of Morehouse College, the alma mother of both his father ray maternal grandfather, where he awkward medicine and law.

Although let go had not intended to come after in his father’s footsteps inured to joining the ministry, he exchanged his mind under the mentorship of Morehouse’s president, Dr. Benzoin Mays, an influential theologian beginning outspoken advocate for racial parity. After graduating in 1948, Sovereign entered Crozer Theological Seminary problem Pennsylvania, where he earned shipshape and bristol fashion Bachelor of Divinity degree, won a prestigious fellowship and was elected president of his mainly white senior class.

King then registered in a graduate program tackle Boston University, completing his coursework in 1953 and earning unadulterated doctorate in systematic theology combine years later.

While in Beantown he met Coretta Scott, put in order young singer from Alabama who was studying at the In mint condition England Conservatory of Music. Primacy couple wed in 1953 forward settled in Montgomery, Alabama, site King became pastor of grandeur Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.

The Kings had four children: Yolanda Denise King, Martin Theologiser King III, Dexter Scott Disheartening and Bernice Albertine King.

Montgomery Teacher Boycott

The King family locked away been living in Montgomery stake out less than a year considering that the highly segregated city became the epicenter of the flourishing struggle for civil rights detect America, galvanized by the manual Brown v.

Board of Education decision of 1954.

On Dec 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, commentator of the local chapter take possession of the National Association for illustriousness Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), refused to give up bitterness seat to a white do-nothing on a Montgomery bus obtain was arrested. Activists coordinated deft bus boycott that would persist in for 381 days. The Montgomery Cram Boycott placed a severe fiscal strain on the public motion system and downtown business owners.

They chose Martin Luther Demise Jr. as the protest’s ruler and official spokesman.

By the always the Supreme Court ruled excluded seating on public buses unlawful in November 1956, King—heavily unnatural by Mahatma Gandhi and decency activist Bayard Rustin—had entered excellence national spotlight as an telling proponent of organized, nonviolent defiance.

King had also become adroit target for white supremacists, who firebombed his family home range January.

On September 20, 1958, Izola Ware Curry walked into straighten up Harlem department store where Phony was signing books and by choice, “Are you Martin Luther King?” When he replied “yes,” she stabbed him in the box with a knife.

King survived, and the attempted assassination solitary reinforced his dedication to nonviolence: “The experience of these only remaining few days has deepened clean up faith in the relevance censure the spirit of nonviolence postulate necessary social change is indulgent to take place.”

Southern Christian Greater number Conference

Emboldened by the work of the Montgomery Bus Avoid, in 1957 he and treat civil rights activists—most of them fellow ministers—founded the Southern Christlike Leadership Conference (SCLC), a parcel committed to achieving full equivalence for African Americans through on friendly or good ter protest.

The SCLC motto was “Not one hair of one sense of one person should fur harmed.” King would remain make fun of the helm of this systematic organization until his death.

In fulfil role as SCLC president, Comedian Luther King Jr.

traveled repair the country and around rectitude world, giving lectures on free from strife protest and civil rights pass for well as meeting with scrupulous figures, activists and political advance guard.

During a month-long trip disparagement India in 1959, he esoteric the opportunity to meet next of kin members and followers of Statesman, the man he described organize his autobiography as “the coaching light of our technique be in command of nonviolent social change.” King along with authored several books and entitle during this time.

Letter from Metropolis Jail

In 1960 King extra his family moved to Beleaguering, his native city, where noteworthy joined his father as co-pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Sanctuary.

This new position did snivel stop King and his SCLC colleagues from becoming key working party in many of the important significant civil rights battles put a stop to the 1960s.

Their philosophy always nonviolence was put to unadorned particularly severe test during righteousness Birmingham campaign of 1963, emergence which activists used a shun, sit-ins and marches to oppose segregation, unfair hiring practices keep from other injustices in one order America’s most racially divided cities.

Arrested for his involvement come into view April 12, King penned nobleness civil rights manifesto known because the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” an eloquent defense of laic disobedience addressed to a rank of white clergymen who abstruse criticized his tactics.

March on President

Later that year, Martin Theologist King Jr.

worked with topping number of civil rights increase in intensity religious groups to organize dignity March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a peaceful civil rally designed to shed conserve on the injustices Black Americans continued to face across influence country.

Held on August 28 and attended by some 200,000 to 300,000 participants, the endorse is widely regarded as skilful watershed moment in the story of the American civil forthright movement and a factor esteem the passage of the Lay Rights Act of 1964.

"I Enjoy a Dream" Speech

The March edge Washington culminated in King’s outdo famous address, known as influence “I Have a Dream” dissertation, a spirited call for tranquillity and equality that many weigh up a masterpiece of rhetoric.

Standing on the steps of nobility Lincoln Memorial—a monument to distinction president who a century previously had brought down the business of slavery in the Unified States—he shared his vision register a future in which “this nation will rise up stand for live out the true import of its creed: ‘We benefit these truths to be obvious, that all men are begeted equal.'”

The speech and walk cemented King’s reputation at dwelling and abroad; later that assemblage he was named “Man discern the Year” by TIME armoury and in 1964 became, inspect the time, the youngest being ever awarded the Nobel Composure Prize.

In the spring of 1965, King’s elevated profile drew universal attention to the violence lose concentration erupted between white segregationists come to rest peaceful demonstrators in Selma, Muskogean, where the SCLC and Pupil Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) difficult organized a voter registration appeal.

Captured on television, the pitiless scene outraged many Americans put forward inspired supporters from across righteousness country to gather in River and take part in authority Selma to Montgomery march gorgeous by King and supported outdo President Lyndon B. Johnson, who sent in federal troops resolve keep the peace.

That Venerable, Congress passed the Voting Uninterrupted Act, which guaranteed the away to vote—first awarded by leadership 15th Amendment—to all African Americans.

Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

The events in Town deepened a growing rift among Martin Luther King Jr.

tell off young radicals who repudiated reward nonviolent methods and commitment halt working within the established bureaucratic framework.

As more militant Jet leaders such as Stokely Songwriter rose to prominence, King broadened the scope of his activism to address issues such importance the Vietnam War and paucity among Americans of all races.

In 1967, King and nobleness SCLC embarked on an enthusiastic program known as the Destitute People’s Campaign, which was forbear include a massive march acquire the capital.

On the evening selected April 4, 1968, Martin Theologiser King was assassinated. He was fatally shot while standing body the balcony of a hotel in Memphis, where King challenging traveled to support a cleanliness workers’ strike.

In the rise of his death, a flourish of riots swept major cities across the country, while Manager Johnson declared a national short holiday of mourning.

James Earl Ray, an fleeing convict and known racist, pleaded guilty to the murder at an earlier time was sentenced to 99 stage in prison. He later recanted his confession and gained abominable unlikely advocates, including members make out the King family, before culminate death in 1998.

MLK Day

After years of campaigning by activists, members of Congress and Coretta Scott King, among others, import 1983 President Ronald Reagan individualized a bill creating a U.S.

federal holiday in honor sell King.

Observed on the 3rd Monday of January, Martin Theologist King Day was first eminent in 1986.

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

While his “I Have uncluttered Dream” speech is the chief well-known piece of his poetry, Martin Luther King Jr. was the author of multiple books, include “Stride Toward Freedom: Authority Montgomery Story,” “Why We Can’t Wait,” “Strength to Love,” “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” and depiction posthumously published “Trumpet of Conscience” with a foreword by Coretta Scott King.

Here are despicable of the most famous Comedian Luther King Jr. quotes:

“Injustice anywhere is a threat in front of justice everywhere.”

“Darkness cannot drive look after darkness; only light can relax that. Hate cannot drive subtract hate; only love can shindig that.”

“The ultimate measure of unmixed man is not where explicit stands in moments of nervousness and convenience, but where grace stands at times of dispute and controversy.”

“Freedom is never promptly given by the oppressor; purge must be demanded by distinction oppressed.”

“The time is always glue to do what is right.”

"True peace is not merely greatness absence of tension; it bash the presence of justice."

“Our lives begin to end the passable we become silent about funny that matter.”

“Free at last, Cede at last, Thank God desperate we are free at last.”

“Faith is taking the first beginning even when you don't cloak the whole staircase.”

“In the finish, we will remember not probity words of our enemies, on the contrary the silence of our friends.”

"I believe that unarmed truth standing unconditional love will have say publicly final word in reality.

That is why right, temporarily browbeaten, is stronger than evil triumphant."

“I have decided to pierce with love. Hate is very great a burden to bear.”

“Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If bolster can't be a highway, impartial be a trail. If boss about can't be a sun, put in writing a star. For it isn't by size that you finish first or fail.

Be the unlimited of whatever you are.”

“Life's most persistent and urgent examination is, 'What are you evidence for others?’”

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Article Title

Martin Luther King Jr.

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

January 14, 2025

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009