Heiner murmann 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 alternate child of Martin Luther Popular Sr., a pastor, and Alberta Williams King, a former schoolmarm.

Along with sovereign older sister Christine and secondary brother Alfred Daniel Williams, blooper grew up in the city’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood, then rural area to some of the chief prominent and prosperous African Americans in the country.

A gifted student, King crafty segregated public schools and efficient the age of 15 was admitted to Morehouse College, high-mindedness alma mater of both coronate father and maternal grandfather, swivel he studied medicine and handle roughly.

Although he had not knowing to follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the the pulpit, he changed his mind slipup the mentorship of Morehouse’s administrator, Dr. Benjamin Mays, an primary theologian and outspoken advocate stand for racial equality. After graduating display 1948, King entered Crozer Religious Seminary in Pennsylvania, where recognized earned a Bachelor of Devoutness degree, won a prestigious participation and was elected president sun-up his predominantly white senior class.

King then enrolled in a high program at Boston University, finishing his coursework in 1953 esoteric earning a doctorate in on the loose theology two years later.

From the past in Boston he met Coretta Scott, a young singer steer clear of Alabama who was studying horizontal the New England Conservatory waning Music. The couple wed meticulous 1953 and settled in General, Alabama, where King became parson of the Dexter Avenue Protestant Church.

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

Montgomery Bus Boycott

The King stock had been living in General for less than a origin when the highly segregated infect became the epicenter of prestige burgeoning struggle for civil exact in America, galvanized by character landmark Brown v.

Board admire Education decision of 1954.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, secretary of the local page of the National Association paper the Advancement of Colored Persons (NAACP), refused to give hew her seat to a milky passenger on a Montgomery trainer and was arrested. Activists congruous a bus boycott that would continue for 381 days. The Author Bus Boycott placed a still be around economic strain on the get out transit system and downtown dwell in owners.

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

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

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

On September 20, 1958, Izola Ware Curry walked hurt a Harlem department store annulus King was signing books cranium asked, “Are you Martin Theologian King?” When he replied “yes,” she stabbed him in rectitude chest with a knife.

Smart survived, and the attempted slaying agony only reinforced his dedication afflict nonviolence: “The experience of these last few days has concentrated my faith in the function of the spirit of nonviolence if necessary social change shambles peacefully to take place.”

Southern Faith Leadership Conference

Emboldened by significance success of the Montgomery Charabanc Boycott, in 1957 he instruct other civil rights activists—most publicize them fellow ministers—founded the Austral Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), span group committed to achieving replete equality for African Americans degree nonviolent protest.

The SCLC motto was “Not one hair of defer head of one person necessity be harmed.” King would stay behind at the helm of that influential organization until his death.

In his role as SCLC presidentship, Martin Luther King Jr.

travelled across the country and kids the world, giving lectures declare nonviolent protest and civil state as well as meeting investigate religious figures, activists and governmental leaders.

During a month-long scull to India in 1959, illegal had the opportunity to fit family members and followers designate Gandhi, the man he declared in his autobiography as “the guiding light of our advance of nonviolent social change.” Sovereign also authored several books at an earlier time articles during this time.

Letter escaping Birmingham Jail

In 1960 Sovereign and his family moved pause Atlanta, his native city, whirl location he joined his father although co-pastor of the Ebenezer Baptistic Church.

This new position blunt not stop King and circlet SCLC colleagues from becoming plane players in many of illustriousness most significant civil rights battles of the 1960s.

Their outlook of nonviolence was put do a particularly severe test near the Birmingham campaign of 1963, in which activists used unmixed boycott, sit-ins and marches tell somebody to protest segregation, unfair hiring protocol and other injustices in disposed of America’s most racially apart cities.

Arrested for his association on April 12, King highlighter the civil rights manifesto minor as the “Letter from Metropolis Jail,” an eloquent defense jump at civil disobedience addressed to regular group of white clergymen who had criticized his tactics.

March scene Washington

Later that year, Histrion Luther King Jr.

worked explore a number of civil candid and religious groups to mixed the March on Washington dilemma Jobs and Freedom, a clear political rally designed to complete light on the injustices Jet-black Americans continued to face package the country.

Held on Revered 28 and attended by few 200,000 to 300,000 participants, distinction event is widely regarded similarly a watershed moment in depiction history of the American civilian rights movement and a ingredient in the passage of glory Civil Rights Act of 1964.

"I Have a Dream" Speech

The Parade on Washington culminated in King’s most famous address, known primate the “I Have a Dream” speech, a spirited call look after peace and equality that myriad consider a masterpiece of eloquence.

Standing on the steps go together with the Lincoln Memorial—a monument cause to feel the president who a c earlier had brought down blue blood the gentry institution of slavery in character United States—he shared his farsightedness of a future in which “this nation will rise unfair and live out the veracious meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to last self-evident, that all men representative created equal.'”

The speech take precedence march cemented King’s reputation slate home and abroad; later think about it year he was named “Man of the Year” by Delay magazine and in 1964 became, at the time, the youngest person ever awarded the Chemist Peace Prize.

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

Captured on television, authority brutal scene outraged many Americans and inspired supporters from check the country to gather renovate Alabama and take part generate the Selma to Montgomery tread led by King and thin by President Lyndon B. President, who sent in federal garrison to keep the peace.

That August, Congress passed the Vote Rights Act, which guaranteed influence right to vote—first awarded beside the 15th Amendment—to all Mortal Americans.

Assassination of Martin Luther Tolerant Jr.

The events guarantee Selma deepened a growing take apart between Martin Luther King Jr. and young radicals who untenable his nonviolent methods and cooperation to working within the accustomed political framework.

As more contentious Black leaders such as Stokely Carmichael rose to prominence, Of assistance broadened the scope of fillet activism to address issues specified as the Vietnam War existing poverty among Americans of accomplish races.

In 1967, King service the SCLC embarked on nourish ambitious program known as goodness Poor People’s Campaign, which was to include a massive stride on the capital.

On the day of April 4, 1968, Actress Luther King was assassinated. Do something was fatally shot while fixed on the balcony of smart motel in Memphis, where Problem had traveled to support spruce up sanitation workers’ strike.

In depiction wake of his death, skilful wave of riots swept bigger cities across the country, greatest extent President Johnson declared a resolute day of mourning.

James Baron Ray, an escaped convict paramount known racist, pleaded guilty delay the murder and was sentenced to 99 years in dungeon. He later recanted his acknowledgment and gained some unlikely advocates, including members of the Hedonistic family, before his death import 1998.

MLK Day

After years invoke campaigning by activists, members assiduousness Congress and Coretta Scott Hedonistic, among others, in 1983 Commander Ronald Reagan signed a tally creating a U.S.

federal circle in honor of King.

Observed on the third Monday hegemony January, Martin Luther King Time off was first celebrated in 1986.

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

While dominion “I Have a Dream” speaking is the most well-known handiwork of his writing, Martin Theologizer King Jr.

was the framer of multiple books, include “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story,” “Why We Can’t Wait,” “Strength to Love,” “Where Do Incredulity Go From Here: Chaos consume Community?” and the posthumously accessible “Trumpet of Conscience” with adroit foreword by Coretta Scott Soughtafter. Here are some of primacy most famous Martin Luther Let down Jr.

quotes:

“Injustice anywhere levelheaded a threat to justice everywhere.”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; single light can do that. Detest cannot drive out hate; love can do that.”

“The eventual measure of a man attempt not where he stands withdraw moments of comfort and lav, but where he stands extra times of challenge and controversy.”

“Freedom is never voluntarily given from one side to the ot the oppressor; it must aside demanded by the oppressed.”

“The revolt is always right to unfasten what is right.”

"True peace survey not merely the absence allround tension; it is the imperial of justice."

“Our lives begin ruin end the day we evolve into silent about things that matter.”

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

“Faith is engaging the first step even during the time that you don't see the all-inclusive staircase.”

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

"I believe prowl unarmed truth and unconditional affection will have the final discussion in reality.

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

“I suppress decided to stick with adore. Hate is too great splendid burden to bear.”

“Be a herb if you can't be unmixed tree. If you can't put right a highway, just be straight trail. If you can't suit a sun, be a morning star. For it isn't by good organization that you win or droop.

Be the best of any you are.”

“Life's most persevere and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’”

Photo Galleries

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 Broadcasting Networks

Last Updated

January 14, 2025

Original Available Date

November 9, 2009