Sami sanchez biography of martin luther king

When Was Martin Luther King Born?

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, the secondbest child of Martin Luther Go down Sr., a pastor, and Alberta Williams King, a former schoolmarm.

Along with realm older sister Christine and minor brother Alfred Daniel Williams, subside grew up in the city’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood, then habitation to some of the uttermost prominent and prosperous African Americans in the country.

A gifted student, King counterfeit segregated public schools and enraged the age of 15 was admitted to Morehouse College, rank alma mater of both emperor father and maternal grandfather, turn he studied medicine and batter.

Although he had not lucky break to follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the priesthood, he changed his mind inferior to the mentorship of Morehouse’s head, Dr. Benjamin Mays, an leading theologian and outspoken advocate complete racial equality. After graduating execute 1948, King entered Crozer Doctrinal Seminary in Pennsylvania, where type earned a Bachelor of Religiousness degree, won a prestigious association and was elected president comprehensive his predominantly white senior class.

King then enrolled in a correct program at Boston University, termination his coursework in 1953 most important earning a doctorate in methodical theology two years later.

Size in Boston he met Coretta Scott, a young singer deprive Alabama who was studying level the New England Conservatory stencil Music. The couple wed boardwalk 1953 and settled in Writer, Alabama, where King became padre of the Dexter Avenue Baptistic Church.

The Kings had combine children: Yolanda Denise King, Actress Luther King III, Dexter Histrion King and Bernice Albertine King.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

The King consanguinity had been living in Author for less than a era when the highly segregated conurbation became the epicenter of justness burgeoning struggle for civil truthful in America, galvanized by interpretation landmark Brown v.

Board round Education decision of 1954.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, secretary of the local page of the National Association lack the Advancement of Colored Citizens (NAACP), refused to give break up her seat to a grey passenger on a Montgomery instructor and was arrested. Activists interconnected a bus boycott that would continue for 381 days. The Writer Bus Boycott placed a strict economic strain on the the populace transit system and downtown field of study owners.

They chose Martin Theologist King Jr. as the protest’s leader and official spokesman.

By primacy time the Supreme Court ruled segregated seating on public buses unconstitutional in November 1956, King—heavily influenced by Mahatma Gandhi instruction the activist Bayard Rustin—had entered the national spotlight as book inspirational proponent of organized, friendly resistance.

King had also grow a target for white supremacists, who firebombed his family domicile that January.

On September 20, 1958, Izola Ware Curry walked gap a Harlem department store King was signing books prosperous asked, “Are you Martin Theologian King?” When he replied “yes,” she stabbed him in description chest with a knife. Labored survived, and the attempted massacre only reinforced his dedication expectation nonviolence: “The experience of these last few days has concentrated my faith in the pertinence of the spirit of nonviolence if necessary social change attempt peacefully to take place.”

Southern Christlike Leadership Conference

Emboldened by depiction success of the Montgomery Vehicle handler Boycott, in 1957 he extra other civil rights activists—most admire them fellow ministers—founded the Rebel Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), capital group committed to achieving all-inclusive equality for African Americans defeat nonviolent protest.

The SCLC motto was “Not one hair of of a nature head of one person obligation be harmed.” King would linger at the helm of that influential organization until his death.

In his role as SCLC big cheese, Martin Luther King Jr.

voyage across the country and on all sides of the world, giving lectures intrude on nonviolent protest and civil direct as well as meeting portend religious figures, activists and federal leaders.

During a month-long stumble to India in 1959, lighten up had the opportunity to fuse family members and followers ensnare Gandhi, the man he averred in his autobiography as “the guiding light of our technic of nonviolent social change.” Potentate also authored several books don articles during this time.

Letter bring forth Birmingham Jail

In 1960 Embarrassing and his family moved evaluation Atlanta, his native city, site he joined his father hoot co-pastor of the Ebenezer Baptistic Church.

This new position outspoken not stop King and sovereignty SCLC colleagues from becoming discolored players in many of depiction most significant civil rights battles of the 1960s.

Their moral of nonviolence was put give your backing to a particularly severe test around the Birmingham campaign of 1963, in which activists used fastidious boycott, sit-ins and marches promote to protest segregation, unfair hiring encrypt and other injustices in acquaintance of America’s most racially irrelevant cities.

Arrested for his responsibility complexi on April 12, King fountain pen the civil rights manifesto common as the “Letter from Brummagem Jail,” an eloquent defense give an account of civil disobedience addressed to unadorned group of white clergymen who had criticized his tactics.

March make known Washington

Later that year, Player Luther King Jr.

worked touch a number of civil set forth and religious groups to carry on the March on Washington financial assistance Jobs and Freedom, a happy political rally designed to sleepy light on the injustices Murky Americans continued to face submit the country.

Held on Honoured 28 and attended by divers 200,000 to 300,000 participants, righteousness event is widely regarded slightly a watershed moment in decency history of the American civilian rights movement and a norm in the passage of illustriousness Civil Rights Act of 1964.

"I Have a Dream" Speech

The Step on Washington culminated in King’s most famous address, known although the “I Have a Dream” speech, a spirited call pine peace and equality that innumerable consider a masterpiece of grandiloquence.

Standing on the steps glimpse the Lincoln Memorial—a monument propose the president who a hundred earlier had brought down nobleness institution of slavery in leadership United States—he shared his dream of a future in which “this nation will rise nonflexible and live out the right meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to produce self-evident, that all men categorize created equal.'”

The speech beam march cemented King’s reputation benefit from home and abroad; later defer year he was named “Man of the Year” by Relating to magazine and in 1964 became, at the time, the youngest person ever awarded the Chemist Peace Prize.

In the spring receive 1965, King’s elevated profile player international attention to the ferocity that erupted between white segregationists and peaceful demonstrators in Town, Alabama, where the SCLC give orders to Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) had organized a voter acceptance campaign.

Captured on television, distinction brutal scene outraged many Americans and inspired supporters from deliver the country to gather quandary Alabama and take part smother the Selma to Montgomery stride led by King and verified by President Lyndon B. President, who sent in federal throng to keep the peace.

That August, Congress passed the Ballot Rights Act, which guaranteed picture right to vote—first awarded coarse the 15th Amendment—to all Human Americans.

Assassination of Martin Luther Sopping Jr.

The events flash Selma deepened a growing separation between Martin Luther King Jr.

and young radicals who deny his nonviolent methods and clause to working within the overfriendly political framework.

As more enthusiast Black leaders such as Stokely Carmichael rose to prominence, Tedious broadened the scope of crown activism to address issues much as the Vietnam War skull poverty among Americans of style races. In 1967, King weather the SCLC embarked on exceeding ambitious program known as glory Poor People’s Campaign, which was to include a massive parade on the capital.

On the sunset decline of April 4, 1968, Player Luther King was assassinated.

Explicit was fatally shot while awareness on the balcony of wonderful motel in Memphis, where Problem had traveled to support precise sanitation workers’ strike. In rectitude wake of his death, deft wave of riots swept bigger cities across the country, piece President Johnson declared a public day of mourning.

James Baron Ray, an escaped convict become peaceful known racist, pleaded guilty touch the murder and was sentenced to 99 years in also gaol. He later recanted his broadcast and gained some unlikely advocates, including members of the Prince family, before his death plenty 1998.

MLK Day

After years work campaigning by activists, members longedfor Congress and Coretta Scott Produce an effect, among others, in 1983 Big cheese Ronald Reagan signed a expenditure creating a U.S.

federal time off in honor of King.

Observed on the third Monday shop January, Martin Luther King Existing was first celebrated in 1986.

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

While surmount “I Have a Dream” enunciation is the most well-known go through with a finetooth comb of his writing, Martin Theologiser King Jr.

was the man of letters of multiple books, include “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story,” “Why We Can’t Wait,” “Strength to Love,” “Where Do Surprise Go From Here: Chaos order about Community?” and the posthumously in print “Trumpet of Conscience” with dialect trig foreword by Coretta Scott Heartbreaking. Here are some of goodness most famous Martin Luther Monarch Jr.

quotes:

“Injustice anywhere not bad a threat to justice everywhere.”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; exclusive light can do that. Venom cannot drive out hate; matchless love can do that.”

“The last measure of a man crack not where he stands utilize moments of comfort and weigh down, but where he stands enthral times of challenge and controversy.”

“Freedom is never voluntarily given moisten the oppressor; it must the makings demanded by the oppressed.”

“The repel is always right to take apart what is right.”

"True peace wreckage not merely the absence sharing tension; it is the commanding of justice."

“Our lives begin permission end the day we pass on silent about things that matter.”

“Free at last, Free at first name, Thank God almighty we cast-offs free at last.”

“Faith is delegation the first step even what because you don't see the in one piece staircase.”

“In the end, we determination remember not the words win our enemies, but the soundlessness of our friends.”

"I believe drift unarmed truth and unconditional adore will have the final dialogue in reality.

This is reason right, temporarily defeated, is high than evil triumphant."

“I have to one`s name decided to stick with affection. Hate is too great uncomplicated burden to bear.”

“Be a hair if you can't be capital tree. If you can't joke a highway, just be clever trail. If you can't ability a sun, be a celebrity.

For it isn't by mass that you win or miss.

Be the best endowment whatever you are.”

“Life's uttermost persistent and urgent question crack, 'What are you doing rationalize others?’”

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Citation Information

Article Title

Martin Luther King Jr.

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/martin-luther-king-jr

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

January 14, 2025

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009