20 important facts about Martin Luther King Jr. (2023)

dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister turned civil rights leader who promoted nonviolent activities to achieve equal rights for African Americans. His legacy relates to his ability to motivate state and local legislatures to end racial discrimination and provide economic justice for poor Americans in all aspects of their lives, including housing, employment, and property. education. He discovers some important facts about Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, the son of Michael Luther King, Sr. and Alberta King. Martin's first name at birth was Michael, like his father's. His father changed their names to Martin after a visit to Germany in honor of the Protestant leader.Martin Luther.

King's father and grandfather were pastors, all pastors inEbenezer Baptist Churchin atlanta Young Martin followed in his family's footsteps and chose service as his vocation. At age 19 he became an ordained Baptist reverend. He served with his father as a co-pastor at Ebenezer before continuing his education.

Martin Luther King, Jr. attended public schools in Atlanta and received Advanced Placement at Morehouse College when he was just 15 years old. His father and his grandfather had also attended Morehouse College. He earned a B.A. degree in sociology from Morehouse College in 1948.

In 1951, Martin Luther King received a Bachelor of Divinity from Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. He then went to Boston University to do his Ph.D. In 1955 he received his Ph.D. from Boston University in systematic theology.

While attending Boston University, he met Coretta Scott, a singer and civil rights activist studying at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. They were married on June 18, 1953, at her parents' home in Heiberger, Alabama.

In 1954, Martin Luther King accepted a call to pastor Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Alabama, his new girlfriend's home state. The church was located in the city of Montgomery, a highly segregated city where almost half of the citizens were African-American. As a civil rights activist, he was very active in the community, including serving on the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

In 1955, King, along with other executive members and officers of the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP, founded the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). The MIA, a group of local black ministers and community leaders formed to improve race relations in Montgomery.

In 1955, as MIA president, King led the nonviolent Montgomery bus boycott that eventually became theDesegregation of city buses. The bus boycott resulted from therose parksbus incident Rosa, the local NAACP secretary, is known to have refused to give up her seat to a white woman. King's participation in the 381-day boycott led to thisSupreme Court of the United Statesrule that segregation on buses was unconstitutional.

Coretta Scott King gave birth to Yolanda Denise King on November 17, 1955. Yolanda, the first of four children, was joined by her brother Martin Luther King III on October 23, 1957. Both were born in Montgomery; The two youngest children were born in Atlanta. Dexter Scott King joined the family on January 30, 1961, followed by Bernice Albertine King on March 28, 1963.

In 1957, Martin Luther King, Jr. collaboratedRalf Abernathyand many other civil rights leaders, activists, and pastors to found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in Atlanta. This organization was formed to fight segregation and promote the civil rights of African Americans in the United States through civil disobedience, such as sit-ins and demonstrations. King was elected president of the SCLC.

In 1960, King left his pastoral position in Alabama to return to his hometown of Atlanta. While continuing to serve as co-pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, he began campaigning for civil rights full-time through nonviolent means such as sit-ins and demonstrations. The goals of the civil rights movement focused on eliminating racial discrimination in many areas, including public transportation, employment, elections, and education.

In April 1963, King organized and participated in nonviolent protests in Birmingham to end segregation in Alabama's largest city. This protest led to a brutal police response with dogs and high-pressure water hoses, which was widely reported on the national network news. Television cameras showed King and other peaceful protesters being attacked by police dogs and fire hoses and later arrested. King refused bail and later paid hisLetter from a Birmingham prison.

King worked with other civil rights activists to organize the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which took place on August 28, 1963. The purpose of the march was to protest against racial discrimination in employment and racial segregation in schools, demanding fair wages for all workers. The march was the largest gathering in the history of Washington, DC. In this march, King delivered his famousI have a dreamRed am Lincoln Memorial.

In the spring of 1965, King helped organize campaign marches from Selma to Montgomery. During the March 7 event, King and many other nonviolent protesters were brutalized by police officers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Many protesters were seriously injured during the march; One person was killed by members of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). Dozens more, including King, were arrested. The day became known as Bloody Sunday. A few days later, on March 21, the protesters met again and were able to finish their multi-day march toward the state capital in Montgomery.

In early 1968, King participated in a growing civil rights demonstration in Memphis, Tennessee. On February 12, 1968, 1,300 black sanitation workers in Memphis began protesting their terrible working conditions, discrimination, and low pay. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the workers demanded union recognition, higher wages and an end to discrimination. King made three trips to Memphis to support healthcare workers. The strike lasted 64 days, ending on April 12, 1968. King was assassinated in Memphis on April 3, the day after his last speech in support of the striking workers.

King was in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968, staying at the Lorraine Motel in room 306. That night, King was standing on his balcony when he was struck by a bullet. King was taken to Saint Joseph Hospital. Although doctors tried to save his life, he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival. Martin Luther King was only 39 years oldat the time of his death. The motel where he was shot now houses the National Civil Rights Museum.

The ShepherdDr. Martin Luther King jr.he lived a life of impact. The facts shared here about Martin Luther King, Jr. reflect just a few of his notable accomplishments. His life is proof that a person can do it.Change the world. Although it hasn't been around since 1968, it continues to inspire leaders in the constant fight for equality. A monument to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial stands on the southwestern part of the National Mall in Washington DCChronology of Martin Luther King, Jr.to get more perspective on the life of this great man. Keep learning about great black leaders by exploring themThe Kamala Harris Historic Trailbecome the first black female vice president of the United States