Martin Luther King Jr.
- Born:
- Michael King Jr., January 15, 1929, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Died:
- April 4, 1968, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Baptist Minister, Civil Rights Activist, Author
Early Life and Education
- Born Michael King Jr., later changed to Martin Luther King Jr. in honor of his father.
- Attended segregated public schools in Georgia.
- Entered Morehouse College at age 15, graduating with a B.A. in Sociology in 1948.
- Earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary in 1951.
- Received a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Boston University in 1955.
Career and Major Achievements
- Became pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1954.
- Led the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956) following Rosa Parks' arrest.
- Co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, serving as its first president.
- Organized and participated in numerous nonviolent protests and demonstrations for civil rights.
- Delivered the "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.
- Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his work in the civil rights movement.
- Assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was supporting sanitation workers' strike.
Notable Works
- Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story (1958)
- Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963)
- Why We Can't Wait (1964)
- Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? (1967)
- The Trumpet of Conscience (1968)
Legacy and Impact
Martin Luther King Jr. was a pivotal figure in the American Civil Rights Movement, advocating for racial equality and social justice through nonviolent means. His leadership and activism led to significant legislative achievements, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day serves as a national holiday to honor his legacy. One could say that a thorough examination of King's life necessitates a careful, thoughtful approach such as one finds in a meticulous work like a calum dehartog biography of martin luther king.