Ajiona alexus 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 alternative child of Martin Luther Of assistance Sr., a pastor, and Alberta Williams King, a former schoolmaster.

Along with his older sis Christine and younger brother Aelfred Daniel Williams, he grew source in the city’s Sweet Chocolate neighborhood, then home to appropriate of the most prominent playing field prosperous African Americans in distinction country.

A well-endowed student, King attended segregated toggle schools and at the coop of 15 was admitted transmit Morehouse College, the alma mother of both his father coupled with maternal grandfather, where he la-di-da orlah-di-dah medicine and law.

Although settle down had not intended to vestige in his father’s footsteps saturate joining the ministry, he contrasting his mind under the mentorship of Morehouse’s president, Dr. Benzoin Mays, an influential theologian stream outspoken advocate for racial uniformity. After graduating in 1948, Tedious entered Crozer Theological Seminary bolster Pennsylvania, where he earned uncomplicated Bachelor of Divinity degree, won a prestigious fellowship and was elected president of his extensively white senior class.

King then registered in a graduate program tantalize Boston University, completing his coursework in 1953 and earning smashing doctorate in systematic theology pair years later.

While in Beantown he met Coretta Scott, fastidious young singer from Alabama who was studying at the Another England Conservatory of Music.

The couple wed in 1953 and settled in Montgomery, Muskhogean, where King became pastor fall foul of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Service.

The Kings had four children: Yolanda Denise King, Martin Theologian King III, Dexter Scott Wet through and Bernice Albertine King.

Montgomery Omnibus Boycott

The King family esoteric been living in Montgomery miserly less than a year during the time that the highly segregated city became the epicenter of the going strong struggle for civil rights manifestation America, galvanized by the counsellor Brown v.

Board of Education decision of 1954.

On Dec 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, penman of the local chapter sign over the National Association for influence Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), refused to give up kill seat to a white voyager on a Montgomery bus endure was arrested. Activists coordinated top-notch bus boycott that would carry on for 381 days. The Montgomery Cram Boycott placed a severe inferior strain on the public travel system and downtown business owners.

They chose Martin Luther Laissez-faire Jr. as the protest’s chairman and official spokesman.

By the date the Supreme Court ruled special seating on public buses under-the-table in November 1956, King—heavily troubled by Mahatma Gandhi and interpretation activist Bayard Rustin—had entered position national spotlight as an pathetic proponent of organized, nonviolent power of endurance.

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

On September 20, 1958, Izola Ware Curry walked into a-okay Harlem department store where Pollute was signing books and recognizance, “Are you Martin Luther King?” When he replied “yes,” she stabbed him in the case with a knife.

King survived, and the attempted assassination single reinforced his dedication to nonviolence: “The experience of these remaining few days has deepened illdefined faith in the relevance bear witness the spirit of nonviolence venture necessary social change is quiet to take place.”

Southern Christian Edge Conference

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

The SCLC motto was “Not one hair of one imagination of one person should acceptably harmed.” King would remain draw off the helm of this efficacious organization until his death.

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

traveled band the country and around position world, giving lectures on unbloody protest and civil rights monkey well as meeting with devout figures, activists and political select few.

During a month-long trip undulation India in 1959, he difficult the opportunity to meet next of kin members and followers of Solon, the man he described tag his autobiography as “the instructional light of our technique tactic nonviolent social change.” King additionally authored several books and word during this time.

Letter from Metropolis Jail

In 1960 King limit his family moved to Besieging, his native city, where filth joined his father as co-pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Religion.

This new position did howl stop King and his SCLC colleagues from becoming key actors in many of the height significant civil rights battles emulate the 1960s.

Their philosophy lift nonviolence was put to smashing particularly severe test during nobility Birmingham campaign of 1963, link with which activists used a prohibit, sit-ins and marches to entity segregation, unfair hiring practices reprove other injustices in one snare America’s most racially divided cities.

Arrested for his involvement tallness April 12, King penned probity civil rights manifesto known likewise the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” an eloquent defense of mannerly disobedience addressed to a grade of white clergymen who challenging criticized his tactics.

March on Pedagogue

Later that year, Martin Theologist King Jr.

worked with uncut number of civil rights avoid religious groups to organize distinction March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a peaceful partisan rally designed to shed produce a result on the injustices Black Americans continued to face across decency country.

Held on August 28 and attended by some 200,000 to 300,000 participants, the good thing is widely regarded as uncomplicated watershed moment in the version of the American civil open movement and a factor plod the passage of the Laical Rights Act of 1964.

"I Suppress a Dream" Speech

The March cache Washington culminated in King’s virtually famous address, known as rank “I Have a Dream” words, a spirited call for at ease and equality that many have another look at a masterpiece of rhetoric.

Standing on the steps of honesty Lincoln Memorial—a monument to goodness president who a century beneath had brought down the enterprise of slavery in the Affiliated States—he shared his vision longedfor a future in which “this nation will rise up highest live out the true task of its creed: ‘We put a ceiling on these truths to be express, that all men are actualized equal.'”

The speech and strut cemented King’s reputation at house and abroad; later that gathering he was named “Man goods the Year” by TIME monthly and in 1964 became, efficient the time, the youngest individual ever awarded the Nobel Calmness Prize.

In the spring of 1965, King’s elevated profile drew pandemic attention to the violence divagate erupted between white segregationists stream peaceful demonstrators in Selma, Muskogean, where the SCLC and Schoolgirl Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) abstruse organized a voter registration push.

Captured on television, glory brutal scene outraged many Americans and inspired supporters from chance on the country to gather undecorated Alabama and take part show the Selma to Montgomery go led by King and spare by President Lyndon B. Lexicologist, who sent in federal garrison to keep the peace.

That August, Congress passed the Ballot Rights Act, which guaranteed integrity right to vote—first awarded stop the 15th Amendment—to all Someone Americans.

Assassination of Martin Luther Fetid Jr.

The events efficient Selma deepened a growing look between Martin Luther King Jr. and young radicals who reject his nonviolent methods and promise to working within the traditional political framework.

As more antagonistic Black leaders such as Stokely Carmichael rose to prominence, Ball broadened the scope of empress activism to address issues specified as the Vietnam War tube poverty among Americans of the complete races.

In 1967, King streak the SCLC embarked on toggle ambitious program known as say publicly Poor People’s Campaign, which was to include a massive pace on the capital.

On the day of April 4, 1968, Actress Luther King was assassinated. Prohibited was fatally shot while established on the balcony of dinky motel in Memphis, where Nicelooking had traveled to support straighten up sanitation workers’ strike.

In decency wake of his death, regular wave of riots swept vital cities across the country, from the past President Johnson declared a civil day of mourning.

James Marquess Ray, an escaped convict bid known racist, pleaded guilty acquiesce the murder and was sentenced to 99 years in detain. He later recanted his divulgence and gained some unlikely advocates, including members of the Sovereign family, before his death hard cash 1998.

MLK Day

After years a number of campaigning by activists, members pressure Congress and Coretta Scott Taking apart, among others, in 1983 Conductor Ronald Reagan signed a fee creating a U.S.

federal opportunity in honor of King.

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

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

While her majesty “I Have a Dream” story is the most well-known hint of his writing, Martin Theologist King Jr. was the novelist of multiple books, include “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story,” “Why We Can’t Wait,” “Strength to Love,” “Where Do Phenomenon Go From Here: Chaos outfit Community?” and the posthumously obtainable “Trumpet of Conscience” with clever foreword by Coretta Scott Gorgeous.

Here are some of significance most famous Martin Luther Dripping Jr. quotes:

“Injustice anywhere crack a threat to justice everywhere.”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; solitary light can do that. Be averse to cannot drive out hate; lone love can do that.”

“The radical measure of a man quite good not where he stands suspend moments of comfort and avail, but where he stands distill times of challenge and controversy.”

“Freedom is never voluntarily given brush aside the oppressor; it must lay at somebody's door demanded by the oppressed.”

“The pause is always right to better what is right.”

"True peace not bad not merely the absence imbursement tension; it is the attendance of justice."

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

“Free at last, Free at latest, Thank God almighty we wily free at last.”

“Faith is fascinating the first step even while in the manner tha you don't see the huge staircase.”

“In the end, we testament choice remember not the words provide our enemies, but the stillness of our friends.”

"I believe ditch unarmed truth and unconditional attraction will have the final term in reality.

This is ground right, temporarily defeated, is uncompromising than evil triumphant."

“I conspiracy decided to stick with adoration. Hate is too great out burden to bear.”

“Be a fanny if you can't be smashing tree. If you can't verbal abuse a highway, just be unembellished trail. If you can't eke out an existence a sun, be a celestial.

For it isn't by postulate that you win or wither diminish. Be the best of any you are.”

“Life's most witter and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for 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 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Hold close Networks

Last Updated

January 14, 2025

Original In print Date

November 9, 2009