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Martin Luther King JR is born
On January 5th, 1929, Martin Luther King JR is born in Atlanta. -
King is Ordained
Martin Luther King is ordained and appointed assistant pastor at ebeneezer baptist church -
King Marries Coretta Scott
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Montgomery Bus Boycotts
After Rosa Parks’ protest and arrest, the 381 day Montgomery Bus Boycotts began, with King emerging as a leader in organizing the boycotts. -
Letter From Birmingham Jail
After being arrested for protesting, King writes “Letter From Birmingham Jail” which defended civil disobedience and nonviolent protesting -
March On Washington
King leads 200,000-300,000 people in the march on Washington, culminating in King’s famous “I have a Dream” speech. Later that year and the next, many new legislations are passed granting civil rights to all
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” -MLK -
Nobel Prize
At the youngest ever age to win of 35, King is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, for both his “I Have A Dream” speech and the changes the speech brought about. -
MLK is Assasinated
While supporting a sanitation workers strike, King is assassinated on a motel balcony in Memphis by James Earl Ray, an escaped convict and known racist. -
MLK day is celebrated
Ronald Reagan passes a bill decreeing the third Monday of every January as MLK day. 17 States adopted it immediately, with the rest adopting it soon thereafter.