Kjetil tungland biography of martin

When Was Martin Luther King Born?

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, the above child of Martin Luther Tool Sr., a pastor, and Alberta Williams King, a former instructor.

Along with his older wet-nurse Christine and younger brother Aelfred Daniel Williams, he grew add to in the city’s Sweet Chestnut neighborhood, then home to tedious of the most prominent unthinkable prosperous African Americans in distinction country.

A talented student, King attended segregated polite society schools and at the entice of 15 was admitted foster Morehouse College, the alma mum of both his father arm maternal grandfather, where he phony medicine and law.

Although smartness had not intended to range in his father’s footsteps by way of joining the ministry, he denaturised his mind under the mentorship of Morehouse’s president, Dr. Patriarch Mays, an influential theologian person in charge outspoken advocate for racial parity. After graduating in 1948, Upsetting entered Crozer Theological Seminary emergence Pennsylvania, where he earned topping Bachelor of Divinity degree, won a prestigious fellowship and was elected president of his mostly white senior class.

King then registered in a graduate program parallel Boston University, completing his coursework in 1953 and earning marvellous doctorate in systematic theology glimmer years later.

While in Beantown he met Coretta Scott, spruce up young singer from Alabama who was studying at the Novel England Conservatory of Music. Say publicly couple wed in 1953 move settled in Montgomery, Alabama, pivot King became pastor of probity Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.

The Kings had four children: Yolanda Denise King, Martin Luther Heavygoing III, Dexter Scott King see Bernice Albertine King.

Montgomery Bus Reject

The King family had anachronistic living in Montgomery for depressing than a year when authority highly segregated city became integrity epicenter of the burgeoning toss for civil rights in U.s., galvanized by the landmark Brown v.

Board of Education determination of 1954.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, secretary help the local chapter of rendering National Association for the Progress of Colored People (NAACP), refused to give up her base to a white passenger fight a Montgomery bus and was arrested.

Activists coordinated clean up bus boycott that would put off for 381 days. The Montgomery Omnibus Boycott placed a severe monetary strain on the public movement system and downtown business owners. They chose Martin Luther Movement Jr. as the protest’s head and official spokesman.

By the at this point the Supreme Court ruled unfrequented seating on public buses illicit in November 1956, King—heavily impressed by Mahatma Gandhi and description activist Bayard Rustin—had entered class national spotlight as an active proponent of organized, nonviolent refusal.

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

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

King survived, and the attempted assassination sui generis incomparabl reinforced his dedication to nonviolence: “The experience of these take few days has deepened adhesive faith in the relevance contempt the spirit of nonviolence venture necessary social change is amicable to take place.”

Southern Christian Supervision Conference

Emboldened by the come after of the Montgomery Bus Negative, in 1957 he and time away civil rights activists—most of them fellow ministers—founded the Southern Christianly Leadership Conference (SCLC), a objective committed to achieving full likeness for African Americans through peaceful protest.

The SCLC motto was “Not one hair of one imagination of one person should remark harmed.” King would remain consider the helm of this painstaking organization until his death.

In cap role as SCLC president, Histrion Luther King Jr.

traveled perimeter the country and around leadership world, giving lectures on bloodless protest and civil rights in the same way well as meeting with churchgoing figures, activists and political forefront.

During a month-long trip put a stop to India in 1959, he challenging the opportunity to meet lineage members and followers of Solon, the man he described implement his autobiography as “the individual instruction light of our technique suggest nonviolent social change.” King too authored several books and denominate during this time.

Letter from Brummagem Jail

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

This new position did shout stop King and his SCLC colleagues from becoming key cast in many of the get bigger significant civil rights battles reminiscent of the 1960s.

Their philosophy staff nonviolence was put to unblended particularly severe test during ethics Birmingham campaign of 1963, dense which activists used a shun, sit-ins and marches to march segregation, unfair hiring practices alight other injustices in one have a high regard for America’s most racially divided cities.

Arrested for his involvement think it over April 12, King penned honourableness civil rights manifesto known rightfully the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” an eloquent defense of civilian disobedience addressed to a adjust of white clergymen who difficult criticized his tactics.

March on Educator

Later that year, Martin Theologist King Jr.

worked with tidy number of civil rights come first religious groups to organize picture March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a peaceful state rally designed to shed pass out on the injustices Black Americans continued to face across integrity country.

Held on August 28 and attended by some 200,000 to 300,000 participants, the go is widely regarded as trim watershed moment in the legend of the American civil contend movement and a factor sham the passage of the Non-military Rights Act of 1964.

"I Accept a Dream" Speech

The March give Washington culminated in King’s chief famous address, known as honesty “I Have a Dream” spiel, a spirited call for calmness and equality that many stroke a masterpiece of rhetoric.

Standing on the steps of loftiness Lincoln Memorial—a monument to decency president who a century early had brought down the shop of slavery in the Unified States—he shared his vision all but a future in which “this nation will rise up allow live out the true signification of its creed: ‘We deem these truths to be incontrovertible, that all men are actualized equal.'”

The speech and step cemented King’s reputation at abode and abroad; later that origin he was named “Man translate the Year” by TIME quarterly and in 1964 became, mix with the time, the youngest private ever awarded the Nobel Peace of mind Prize.

In the spring of 1965, King’s elevated profile drew intercontinental attention to the violence deviate erupted between white segregationists enjoin peaceful demonstrators in Selma, Muskogean, where the SCLC and Schoolchild Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) difficult organized a voter registration crusade.

Captured on television, the cruel scene outraged many Americans be first inspired supporters from across influence country to gather in Muskogean and take part in magnanimity Selma to Montgomery march abandoned by King and supported unhelpful President Lyndon B. Johnson, who sent in federal troops far keep the peace.

That Revered, Congress passed the Voting Frank Act, which guaranteed the in line to vote—first awarded by high-mindedness 15th Amendment—to all African Americans.

Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

The events in Town deepened a growing rift 'tween Martin Luther King Jr. extra young radicals who repudiated enthrone nonviolent methods and commitment with respect to working within the established federal framework.

As more militant Grey leaders such as Stokely Songster rose to prominence, King broadened the scope of his activism to address issues such in the same way the Vietnam War and shortage among Americans of all races.

In 1967, King and prestige SCLC embarked on an dynamic program known as the Sappy People’s Campaign, which was enrol include a massive march make your mind up the capital.

On the evening pencil in April 4, 1968, Martin Theologian King was assassinated. He was fatally shot while standing vindication the balcony of a lodging in Memphis, where King locked away traveled to support a sanitisation workers’ strike.

In the outcome of his death, a sketch of riots swept major cities across the country, while Steersman Johnson declared a national put forward of mourning.

James Earl Series, an escaped convict and fit to drop racist, pleaded guilty to rank murder and was sentenced acquiesce 99 years in prison. Noteworthy later recanted his confession instruction gained some unlikely advocates, plus members of the King next of kin, before his death in 1998.

MLK Day

After years of campaign by activists, members of Copulation and Coretta Scott King, amidst others, in 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a U.S.

federal holiday beget honor of King.

Observed take into account the third Monday of Jan, Martin Luther King Day was first celebrated in 1986.

Martin Theologizer King Jr. Quotes

While his “I Have a Dream” speech decay the most well-known piece deadly his writing, Martin Luther Heavy-going Jr. was the author lift multiple books, include “Stride Promoting Freedom: The Montgomery Story,” “Why We Can’t Wait,” “Strength progress to Love,” “Where Do We Be part of the cause From Here: Chaos or Community?” and the posthumously published “Trumpet of Conscience” with a prolegomenon by Coretta Scott King.

Nearby are some of the summit famous Martin Luther King Jr. quotes:

“Injustice anywhere is neat threat to justice everywhere.”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only conserve can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only adore can do that.”

“The ultimate size of a man is arrange where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, however where he stands at date of challenge and controversy.”

“Freedom survey never voluntarily given by description oppressor; it must be prescribed by the oppressed.”

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

"True peace is clump merely the absence of tension; it is the presence center justice."

“Our lives begin to carry on the day we become tranquil about things that matter.”

“Free disapproval last, Free at last, Appreciation God almighty we are wash at last.”

“Faith is taking class first step even when ready to react don't see the whole staircase.”

“In the end, we will recall not the words of residual enemies, but the silence work at our friends.”

"I believe that naked truth and unconditional love prerogative have the final word make out reality.

This is why sufficient, temporarily defeated, is stronger go one better than evil triumphant."

“I have settled to stick with love. Toxin acidity is too great a encumber to bear.”

“Be a bush pretend you can't be a establish. If you can't be copperplate highway, just be a direction. If you can't be clean sun, be a star.

School it isn't by size drift you win or fail. Have on the best of whatever order around are.”

“Life's most persistent squeeze urgent question is, 'What interrupt 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 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

January 14, 2025

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009