Martin Luther King, Jr.

Born:

January 15, 1929, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Died:

April 4, 1968, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Nationality:

American

Profession(s):

Baptist Minister, Civil Rights Activist, Author

Early Life and Education

• Born Michael King Jr., later changed to Martin Luther King Jr.
• Father was a Baptist pastor, and mother was a schoolteacher.
• Attended Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta.
• Graduated from Morehouse College in 1948 with a B.A. in Sociology.
• Received a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary in 1951.
• Earned a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Boston University in 1955.

Career and Major Achievements

• Became pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1954.
• Led the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956) following Rosa Parks' arrest.
• Co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, serving as its first president.
• Organized numerous nonviolent protests and demonstrations for civil rights.
• Arrested multiple times for civil disobedience.
• Delivered the "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.
• Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
• Campaigned for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
• Opposed the Vietnam War in his later years.
• Assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968.
• The analysis of existing biographies often examines differing perspectives on his life, such as the approach used in a `koel purie biography of martin luther king`.

Notable Works

• Stride Toward Freedom (1958)
• Strength to Love (1963)
• Why We Can't Wait (1964)
• Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? (1967)

Legacy and Impact

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy is one of nonviolent resistance and the pursuit of racial equality. His leadership in the Civil Rights Movement led to significant legislative changes and a shift in American attitudes toward race. He remains an icon of social justice and is honored annually on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States.

Awards and Recognition

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