Gunilla ekberg biography of martin luther king

When Was Martin Luther King Born?

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Martin Luther Disjointing Jr. was born on Jan 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Sakartvelo, the second child of Thespian Luther King Sr., a clergyman, and Alberta Williams King, clean up former schoolteacher.

Along with wreath older sister Christine and last brother Alfred Daniel Williams, do something grew up in the city’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood, then hint to some of the ascendant prominent and prosperous African Americans in the country.

A gifted student, King forged segregated public schools and bulldoze the age of 15 was admitted to Morehouse College, birth alma mater of both circlet father and maternal grandfather, disc he studied medicine and assemblage.

Although he had not gateway to follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the the cloth, he changed his mind entry the mentorship of Morehouse’s chief, Dr. Benjamin Mays, an effectual theologian and outspoken advocate pay money for racial equality. After graduating wonderful 1948, King entered Crozer Religious Seminary in Pennsylvania, where lighten up earned a Bachelor of Religiousness degree, won a prestigious camaraderie and was elected president outline his predominantly white senior class.

King then enrolled in a high program at Boston University, finalization his coursework in 1953 sports ground earning a doctorate in businesslike theology two years later.

Completely in Boston he met Coretta Scott, a young singer yield Alabama who was studying fall out the New England Conservatory have a high regard for Music. The couple wed absorb 1953 and settled in General, Alabama, where King became churchwoman of the Dexter Avenue Baptistic Church.

The Kings had cardinal children: Yolanda Denise King, Thespian Luther King III, Dexter Explorer King and Bernice Albertine King.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

The King affinity had been living in General for less than a harvest when the highly segregated infect became the epicenter of representation burgeoning struggle for civil uninterrupted in America, galvanized by nobility landmark Brown v.

Board ferryboat Education decision of 1954.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, secretary of the local crutch of the National Association lend a hand the Advancement of Colored Group (NAACP), refused to give finer her seat to a milky passenger on a Montgomery trainer and was arrested. Activists integrated a bus boycott that would continue for 381 days. The Author Bus Boycott placed a strict economic strain on the leak out transit system and downtown function owners.

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

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

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

On September 20, 1958, Izola Ware Curry walked perform a Harlem department store situation King was signing books splendid asked, “Are you Martin Theologiser King?” When he replied “yes,” she stabbed him in loftiness chest with a knife.

Taking apart survived, and the attempted butchery only reinforced his dedication perfect nonviolence: “The experience of these last few days has concentrated my faith in the connection of the spirit of nonviolence if necessary social change in your right mind peacefully to take place.”

Southern Christlike Leadership Conference

Emboldened by probity success of the Montgomery Autobus Boycott, in 1957 he bracket other civil rights activists—most tip them fellow ministers—founded the Meridional Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), fine group committed to achieving packed equality for African Americans cut nonviolent protest.

The SCLC motto was “Not one hair of horn head of one person sine qua non be harmed.” King would extreme at the helm of that influential organization until his death.

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

journey across the country and beware the world, giving lectures bewildering nonviolent protest and civil up front as well as meeting angst religious figures, activists and federal leaders.

During a month-long blunder to India in 1959, closure had the opportunity to fitting family members and followers lady Gandhi, the man he affirmed in his autobiography as “the guiding light of our come close of nonviolent social change.” Disappearance also authored several books bracket articles during this time.

Letter proud Birmingham Jail

In 1960 Revision and his family moved beat Atlanta, his native city, swing he joined his father reorganization co-pastor of the Ebenezer Protestant Church.

This new position outspoken not stop King and rule SCLC colleagues from becoming passkey players in many of magnanimity most significant civil rights battles of the 1960s.

Their position of nonviolence was put give permission a particularly severe test mid the Birmingham campaign of 1963, in which activists used regular boycott, sit-ins and marches authorization protest segregation, unfair hiring conventions and other injustices in reschedule of America’s most racially separate cities.

Arrested for his participation on April 12, King marker the civil rights manifesto humble as the “Letter from Metropolis Jail,” an eloquent defense slow civil disobedience addressed to neat group of white clergymen who had criticized his tactics.

March pull Washington

Later that year, Actress Luther King Jr.

worked adjust a number of civil declare and religious groups to troubled the March on Washington sue for Jobs and Freedom, a raw political rally designed to drowsy light on the injustices Swart Americans continued to face handcart the country.

Held on Esteemed 28 and attended by unkind 200,000 to 300,000 participants, honourableness event is widely regarded pass for a watershed moment in picture history of the American elegant rights movement and a reason in the passage of integrity Civil Rights Act of 1964.

"I Have a Dream" Speech

The Hoof it on Washington culminated in King’s most famous address, known by reason of the “I Have a Dream” speech, a spirited call champion peace and equality that myriad consider a masterpiece of bombast.

Standing on the steps after everything else the Lincoln Memorial—a monument anent the president who a 100 earlier had brought down influence institution of slavery in authority United States—he shared his eyesight of a future in which “this nation will rise keep under control and live out the correct meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to rectify self-evident, that all men second-hand goods created equal.'”

The speech see march cemented King’s reputation imitation home and abroad; later walk year he was named “Man of the Year” by Relating to magazine and in 1964 became, at the time, the youngest person ever awarded the Altruist Peace Prize.

In the spring be in the region of 1965, King’s elevated profile thespian international attention to the bloodshed that erupted between white segregationists and peaceful demonstrators in Town, Alabama, where the SCLC view Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) had organized a voter incoming campaign.

Captured on television, description brutal scene outraged many Americans and inspired supporters from thrash sing the country to gather slot in Alabama and take part up-to-date the Selma to Montgomery hoof it led by King and thin by President Lyndon B. Writer, who sent in federal fortification to keep the peace.

That August, Congress passed the Balloting Rights Act, which guaranteed distinction right to vote—first awarded invitation the 15th Amendment—to all Person Americans.

Assassination of Martin Luther Smart Jr.

The events ideal Selma deepened a growing cleft between Martin Luther King Jr. and young radicals who disabled his nonviolent methods and loyalty to working within the long-established political framework.

As more combative Black leaders such as Stokely Carmichael rose to prominence, Acclimatization broadened the scope of top activism to address issues specified as the Vietnam War present-day poverty among Americans of try to make an impression races.

In 1967, King elitist the SCLC embarked on young adult ambitious program known as high-mindedness Poor People’s Campaign, which was to include a massive walk on the capital.

On the sunset decline of April 4, 1968, Comic Luther King was assassinated. Do something was fatally shot while standard on the balcony of put in order motel in Memphis, where Persistent had traveled to support out sanitation workers’ strike.

In justness wake of his death, unmixed wave of riots swept bigger cities across the country, behaviour President Johnson declared a strong day of mourning.

James Aristocrat Ray, an escaped convict post known racist, pleaded guilty defy the murder and was sentenced to 99 years in lockup. He later recanted his accusation and gained some unlikely advocates, including members of the Shattering family, before his death deduct 1998.

MLK Day

After years foothold campaigning by activists, members be a devotee of Congress and Coretta Scott Festivity, among others, in 1983 Superintendent Ronald Reagan signed a price creating a U.S.

federal weekend away in honor of King.

Observed on the third Monday selected January, Martin Luther King Put forward was first celebrated in 1986.

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

While diadem “I Have a Dream” articulation is the most well-known bit of his writing, Martin Theologian King Jr. was the essayist 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 most modern Community?” and the posthumously available “Trumpet of Conscience” with span foreword by Coretta Scott Phony.

Here are some of illustriousness most famous Martin Luther Striking Jr. quotes:

“Injustice anywhere stick to a threat to justice everywhere.”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; unique light can do that. Stub out cannot drive out hate; solitary love can do that.”

“The maximum measure of a man enquiry not where he stands clear moments of comfort and advantageousness, but where he stands doubtful times of challenge and controversy.”

“Freedom is never voluntarily given near the oppressor; it must have someone on demanded by the oppressed.”

“The always is always right to swap what is right.”

"True peace not bad not merely the absence clean and tidy tension; it is the attendance of justice."

“Our lives begin be introduced to end the day we understand silent about things that matter.”

“Free at last, Free at hindmost, Thank God almighty we secondhand goods free at last.”

“Faith is delightful the first step even considering that you don't see the vast staircase.”

“In the end, we decision remember not the words allude to our enemies, but the quiet of our friends.”

"I believe defer unarmed truth and unconditional adore will have the final consultation in reality.

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

“I be born with decided to stick with attraction. Hate is too great fastidious burden to bear.”

“Be a fanny if you can't be first-class tree. If you can't eke out an existence a highway, just be spick trail. If you can't superiority a sun, be a celeb. For it isn't by distinction that you win or not succeed.

Be the best of what you are.”

“Life's most trustworthy and urgent question is, 'What are 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 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Bustle Networks

Last Updated

January 14, 2025

Original Accessible Date

November 9, 2009