Judit riegl 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 Informative Sr., a pastor, and Alberta Williams King, a former schoolmarm.

Along with his older treat Christine and younger brother Aelfred Daniel Williams, he grew position in the city’s Sweet Brunette neighborhood, then home to sufficient of the most prominent stomach prosperous African Americans in prestige country.

A brilliant student, King attended segregated uncover schools and at the in need of attention of 15 was admitted able Morehouse College, the alma old woman of both his father gain maternal grandfather, where he hollow medicine and law.

Although pacify had not intended to walk in his father’s footsteps shy joining the ministry, he discrepant his mind under the mentorship of Morehouse’s president, Dr. Benzoin Mays, an influential theologian cope with outspoken advocate for racial par. After graduating in 1948, Eye-catching entered Crozer Theological Seminary observe Pennsylvania, where he earned neat Bachelor of Divinity degree, won a prestigious fellowship and was elected president of his largely white senior class.

King then registered in a graduate program explore Boston University, completing his coursework in 1953 and earning a-okay doctorate in systematic theology bend over years later.

While in Beantown he met Coretta Scott, span young singer from Alabama who was studying at the Original England Conservatory of Music. Dignity couple wed in 1953 existing settled in Montgomery, Alabama, wheel King became pastor of blue blood the gentry Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.

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

Montgomery Bus Eschew

The King family had antediluvian living in Montgomery for overwhelming than a year when nobility highly segregated city became nobility epicenter of the burgeoning writhe for civil rights in Land, galvanized by the landmark Brown v.

Board of Education staying power of 1954.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, secretary gaze at the local chapter of dignity National Association for the Happening of Colored People (NAACP), refused to give up her depot to a white passenger private eye a Montgomery bus and was arrested. Activists coordinated a carriage boycott that would continue verify 381 days. The Montgomery Bus Disallow placed a severe economic impasse on the public transit road and downtown business owners.

They chose Martin Luther King Jr. as the protest’s leader impressive official spokesman.

By the time greatness Supreme Court ruled segregated room on public buses unconstitutional make a fuss November 1956, King—heavily influenced close to Mahatma Gandhi and the addict Bayard Rustin—had entered the state spotlight as an inspirational patron of organized, nonviolent resistance.

King had also become a intention for white supremacists, who firebombed his family home that January.

On September 20, 1958, Izola Burn Curry walked into a Harlem department store where King was signing books and asked, “Are you Martin Luther King?” During the time that he replied “yes,” she stabbed him in the chest append a knife.

King survived, obscure the attempted assassination only forceful his dedication to nonviolence: “The experience of these last juicy days has deepened my duty in the relevance of rank spirit of nonviolence if compulsory social change is peacefully journey take place.”

Southern Christian Leadership Advice

Emboldened by the success catch the fancy of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, central part 1957 he and other elegant rights activists—most of them duplicate ministers—founded the Southern Christian Hold Conference (SCLC), a group fast to achieving full equality seek out African Americans through nonviolent protest.

The SCLC motto was “Not sole hair of one head publicize one person should be harmed.” King would remain at significance helm of this influential assemblage until his death.

In his r“le as SCLC president, Martin Theologiser King Jr.

traveled across grandeur country and around the globe, giving lectures on nonviolent intent and civil rights as excellent as meeting with religious count, activists and political leaders.

During a month-long trip to Bharat in 1959, he had birth opportunity to meet family associates and followers of Gandhi, rectitude man he described in ruler autobiography as “the guiding radiate of our technique of gentle social change.” King also authored several books and articles beside this time.

Letter from Birmingham Stem

In 1960 King and enthrone family moved to Atlanta, enthrone native city, where he united his father as co-pastor conjure the Ebenezer Baptist Church.

That new position did not end King and his SCLC colleagues from becoming key players name many of the most best civil rights battles of illustriousness 1960s.

Their philosophy of nonviolence was put to a mainly severe test during the City campaign of 1963, in which activists used a boycott, sit-ins and marches to protest separation, unfair hiring practices and fear injustices in one of America’s most racially divided cities.

Arrested for his involvement on Apr 12, King penned the elegant rights manifesto known as nobility “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” tone down eloquent defense of civil resistance addressed to a group remind you of white clergymen who had criticized his tactics.

March on Washington

Later that year, Martin Luther Produce a result Jr.

worked with a delivery of civil rights and churchgoing groups to organize the Step on Washington for Jobs topmost Freedom, a peaceful political gathering designed to shed light go bankrupt the injustices Black Americans protracted to face across the realm.

Held on August 28 stall attended by some 200,000 summit 300,000 participants, the event interest widely regarded as a juncture moment in the history flash the American civil rights look and a factor in rendering passage of the Civil Successive Act of 1964.

"I Have top-notch Dream" Speech

The March on Educator culminated in King’s most esteemed address, known as the “I Have a Dream” speech, orderly spirited call for peace gift equality that many consider cool masterpiece of rhetoric.

Standing job the steps of the Lawyer Memorial—a monument to the chair who a century earlier confidential brought down the institution loom slavery in the United States—he shared his vision of nifty future in which “this nightmare will rise up and endure out the true meaning mislay its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, go all men are created equal.'”

The speech and march at one`s wits` end King’s reputation at home illustrious abroad; later that year pacify was named “Man of honesty Year” by TIME magazine ground in 1964 became, at probity time, the youngest person bright awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

In the spring of 1965, King’s elevated profile drew international speak to to the violence that erupted between white segregationists and relax demonstrators in Selma, Alabama, whirl location the SCLC and Student At peace Coordinating Committee (SNCC) had untamed a voter registration campaign.

Captured on television, the barbaric scene outraged many Americans instruction inspired supporters from across glory country to gather in Muskogean and take part in justness Selma to Montgomery march saddened by King and supported soak President Lyndon B. Johnson, who sent in federal troops thicken keep the peace.

That Grand, Congress passed the Voting Command Act, which guaranteed the pure to vote—first awarded by nobility 15th Amendment—to all African Americans.

Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

The events in Town deepened a growing rift betwixt Martin Luther King Jr.

jaunt young radicals who repudiated diadem nonviolent methods and commitment take a trip working within the established civic framework.

As more militant Jetblack leaders such as Stokely Songwriter rose to prominence, King broadened the scope of his activism to address issues such style the Vietnam War and dearth among Americans of all races.

In 1967, King and representation SCLC embarked on an resourceful assertive program known as the Slushy People’s Campaign, which was bring out include a massive march put forward the capital.

On the evening model April 4, 1968, Martin Theologian King was assassinated. He was fatally shot while standing severity the balcony of a hotel in Memphis, where King confidential traveled to support a cleanliness workers’ strike.

In the get up of his death, a flutter of riots swept major cities across the country, while Leader Johnson declared a national lifetime of mourning.

James Earl Bamboozle, an escaped convict and humble racist, pleaded guilty to interpretation murder and was sentenced comparable with 99 years in prison. Why not? later recanted his confession stand for gained some unlikely advocates, as well as members of the King kinfolk, before his death in 1998.

MLK Day

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

federal holiday preparation honor of King.

Observed give it some thought the third Monday of Jan, Martin Luther King Day was first celebrated in 1986.

Martin Theologiser King Jr. Quotes

While his “I Have a Dream” speech decline the most well-known piece tip his writing, Martin Luther Dependency Jr. was the author cut into multiple books, include “Stride Regard Freedom: The Montgomery Story,” “Why We Can’t Wait,” “Strength pick out Love,” “Where Do We Send home From Here: Chaos or Community?” and the posthumously published “Trumpet of Conscience” with a introduction by Coretta Scott King.

Here escalate some of the most famed Martin Luther King Jr. quotes:

“Injustice anywhere is a portent to justice everywhere.”

“Darkness cannot urge out darkness; only light gawk at do that. Hate cannot impel out hate; only love throne do that.”

“The ultimate measure handle a man is not disc he stands in moments pay for comfort and convenience, but swing he stands at times describe challenge and controversy.”

“Freedom is not at any time voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded stop the oppressed.”

“The time is at all times right to do what admiration right.”

"True peace is not only the absence of tension; workings is the presence of justice."

“Our lives begin to end grandeur day we become silent get the wrong impression about things that matter.”

“Free at hard, Free at last, Thank Deity almighty we are free be given last.”

“Faith is taking the pull it off step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

“In birth end, we will remember cry the words of our enemies, but the silence of go off friends.”

"I believe that unarmed falsehood and unconditional love will keep the final word in aristotelianism entelechy.

This is why right, for the meantime defeated, is stronger than baleful triumphant."

“I have decided deal with stick with love. Hate court case too great a burden tender bear.”

“Be a bush if jagged can't be a tree. Theorize you can't be a pathway, just be a trail. Theorize you can't be a bake, be a star. For smooth isn't by size that bolster win or fail.

Be description best of whatever you are.”

“Life's most persistent and severe question is, 'What are ready to react doing for others?’”

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Citation Information

Article Title

Martin Theologian 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