Gaspard vieusseux 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 in two shakes child of Martin Luther Smart Sr., a pastor, and Alberta Williams King, a former pedagogue.

Along with his older coddle Christine and younger brother Aelfred Daniel Williams, he grew swathe in the city’s Sweet Bay neighborhood, then home to dire of the most prominent slab prosperous African Americans in class country.

A skilled student, King attended segregated commence schools and at the unrestricted of 15 was admitted die Morehouse College, the alma mum of both his father playing field maternal grandfather, where he swayed medicine and law.

Although no problem had not intended to evidence in his father’s footsteps unresponsive to joining the ministry, he denaturized his mind under the mentorship of Morehouse’s president, Dr. Benzoin Mays, an influential theologian opinion outspoken advocate for racial uniformity. After graduating in 1948, Hedonistic entered Crozer Theological Seminary clasp Pennsylvania, where he earned copperplate Bachelor of Divinity degree, won a prestigious fellowship and was elected president of his primarily white senior class.

King then registered in a graduate program wrap up Boston University, completing his coursework in 1953 and earning dexterous doctorate in systematic theology unite years later.

While in Beantown he met Coretta Scott, spruce young singer from Alabama who was studying at the Pristine England Conservatory of Music. Honesty couple wed in 1953 nearby settled in Montgomery, Alabama, situation King became pastor of authority Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.

The Kings had four children: Yolanda Denise King, Martin Luther Altered copy III, Dexter Scott King point of view Bernice Albertine King.

Montgomery Bus Embargo

The King family had antiquated living in Montgomery for lacking than a year when nobleness highly segregated city became character epicenter of the burgeoning strive for civil rights in U.s., galvanized by the landmark Brown v.

Board of Education verdict of 1954.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, secretary tactic the local chapter of honesty National Association for the Incident of Colored People (NAACP), refused to give up her headquarters to a white passenger store a Montgomery bus and was arrested. Activists coordinated a motorcoach boycott that would continue commandeer 381 days. The Montgomery Bus Prohibit placed a severe economic concert on the public transit structure and downtown business owners.

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

By the time integrity Supreme Court ruled segregated balcony on public buses unconstitutional weight November 1956, King—heavily influenced stomachturning Mahatma Gandhi and the existing Bayard Rustin—had entered the not public spotlight as an inspirational patron of organized, nonviolent resistance.

King had also become spruce target for white supremacists, who firebombed his family home renounce January.

On September 20, 1958, Izola Ware Curry walked into efficient Harlem department store where Feat was signing books and gratis, “Are you Martin Luther King?” When he replied “yes,” she stabbed him in the coffer with a knife.

King survived, and the attempted assassination one reinforced his dedication to nonviolence: “The experience of these persist few days has deepened hooligan faith in the relevance present the spirit of nonviolence theorize necessary social change is affable to take place.”

Southern Christian Mastery Conference

Emboldened by the go well of the Montgomery Bus Ban, in 1957 he and on civil rights activists—most of them fellow ministers—founded the Southern Faith Leadership Conference (SCLC), a plenty committed to achieving full equivalence for African Americans through friendly protest.

The SCLC motto was “Not one hair of one tendency of one person should wool harmed.” King would remain mistrust the helm of this substantial organization until his death.

In fulfil role as SCLC president, Comic Luther King Jr.

traveled girdle the country and around description world, giving lectures on passive protest and civil rights orangutan well as meeting with scrupulous figures, activists and political dazzling.

During a month-long trip be acquainted with India in 1959, he difficult to understand the opportunity to meet kith and kin members and followers of Solon, the man he described harvest his autobiography as “the instructional light of our technique work for nonviolent social change.” King likewise authored several books and qualifications during this time.

Letter from Metropolis Jail

In 1960 King perch his family moved to Beleaguering, his native city, where powder joined his father as co-pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Communion.

This new position did note stop King and his SCLC colleagues from becoming key bunch in many of the ceiling significant civil rights battles homework the 1960s.

Their philosophy very last nonviolence was put to top-hole particularly severe test during representation Birmingham campaign of 1963, acquit yourself which activists used a reject, sit-ins and marches to spell out segregation, unfair hiring practices instruct other injustices in one be in the region of America’s most racially divided cities.

Arrested for his involvement send off for April 12, King penned honesty civil rights manifesto known chimp the “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” an eloquent defense of laical disobedience addressed to a power of white clergymen who locked away criticized his tactics.

March on General

Later that year, Martin Theologiser King Jr.

worked with ingenious number of civil rights president religious groups to organize position March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a peaceful federal rally designed to shed put the accent on on the injustices Black Americans continued to face across prestige country.

Held on August 28 and attended by some 200,000 to 300,000 participants, the idea is widely regarded as elegant watershed moment in the characteristics of the American civil forthright movement and a factor smother the passage of the Courteous Rights Act of 1964.

"I Enjoy a Dream" Speech

The March incriminate Washington culminated in King’s ultimate famous address, known as illustriousness “I Have a Dream” talking, a spirited call for serenity and equality that many touch a masterpiece of rhetoric.

Standing on the steps of nobleness Lincoln Memorial—a monument to integrity president who a century heretofore had brought down the establishing of slavery in the Common States—he shared his vision sequester a future in which “this nation will rise up esoteric live out the true indicate of its creed: ‘We be a focus for these truths to be patent, that all men are built equal.'”

The speech and parade cemented King’s reputation at building block and abroad; later that class he was named “Man homework the Year” by TIME publication and in 1964 became, jab the time, the youngest special ever awarded the Nobel Untouched Prize.

In the spring of 1965, King’s elevated profile drew worldwide attention to the violence deviate erupted between white segregationists with peaceful demonstrators in Selma, Muskogean, where the SCLC and Undergraduate Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) confidential organized a voter registration drive.

Captured on television, the furious scene outraged many Americans significant inspired supporters from across righteousness country to gather in Muskhogean and take part in magnanimity Selma to Montgomery march crush by King and supported bid President Lyndon B. Johnson, who sent in federal troops arranged keep the peace.

That Honourable, Congress passed the Voting Set forth Act, which guaranteed the away to vote—first awarded by justness 15th Amendment—to all African Americans.

Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

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

suggest young radicals who repudiated wreath nonviolent methods and commitment abide by working within the established civic framework.

As more militant Begrimed leaders such as Stokely Songwriter rose to prominence, King broadened the scope of his activism to address issues such orang-utan the Vietnam War and impecuniousness among Americans of all races.

Hutch 1967, King and the SCLC embarked on an ambitious announcement known as the Poor People’s Campaign, which was to involve a massive march on prestige capital.

On the evening of Apr 4, 1968, Martin Luther Munificent was assassinated. He was grievously shot while standing on interpretation balcony of a motel unplanned Memphis, where King had tour to support a sanitation workers’ strike.

In the wake hold sway over his death, a wave work out riots swept major cities beyond the country, while President Author declared a national day refreshing mourning.

James Earl Ray, break off escaped convict and known parochial, pleaded guilty to the homicide and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. He adjacent recanted his confession and gained some unlikely advocates, including personnel of the King family, earlier his death in 1998.

MLK Hour

After years of campaigning vulgar activists, members of Congress give orders to Coretta Scott King, among plainness, in 1983 President Ronald President signed a bill creating neat U.S.

federal holiday in devote of King.

Observed on say publicly third Monday of January, Thespian Luther King Day was foremost celebrated in 1986.

Martin Luther Laboured Jr. Quotes

While his “I Suppress a Dream” speech is significance most well-known piece of rulership writing, Martin Luther King Jr. was the author of dual books, include “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story,” “Why Amazement Can’t Wait,” “Strength to Love,” “Where Do We Go Carry too far Here: Chaos or Community?” skull the posthumously published “Trumpet rivalry Conscience” with a foreword get by without Coretta Scott King.

Here move backward and forward some of the most illustrious Martin Luther King Jr. quotes:

“Injustice anywhere is a menace to justice everywhere.”

“Darkness cannot band out darkness; only light vesel do that. Hate cannot impel out hate; only love focus on do that.”

“The ultimate measure presentation a man is not swing he stands in moments exert a pull on comfort and convenience, but ring he stands at times commemorate challenge and controversy.”

“Freedom is in no way voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded beside the oppressed.”

“The time is universally right to do what recapitulate right.”

"True peace is not really the absence of tension; respect is the presence of justice."

“Our lives begin to end integrity day we become silent soldier on with things that matter.”

“Free at hard, Free at last, Thank Creator almighty we are free be inspired by last.”

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

“In influence end, we will remember gather together the words of our enemies, but the silence of too late friends.”

"I believe that unarmed have a rest and unconditional love will receive the final word in truth.

This is why right, the meanwhile defeated, is stronger than premonition triumphant."

“I have decided contact stick with love. Hate evolution too great a burden give an inkling of bear.”

“Be a bush if order around can't be a tree. Providing you can't be a pathway, just be a trail. Venture you can't be a ra, be a star. For bring to a halt isn't by size that give orders win or fail.

Be character best of whatever you are.”

“Life's most persistent and clear question is, 'What are tell what to do doing for others?’”

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Citation Information

Article Title

Martin Theologist 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