Mlk

Martin Luther King

By vdrossou

  • Birth

    Michael King Jr. was born in Atlanta. He was the second of three children born to Michael King Sr. and Alberta King.

  • First public speech

    In his junior year, King gave his first public speech during an oratorical contest.

  • Marriage

    Marriage
    King married Coretta Scott on the lawn of her parents' house, in Heiberger, Alabama. They had four children.

  • Doctorate

    Doctorate
    King received his Ph. D. in systematic theology from Boston University.

  • Southern Christian Leadership Conference

    Martin Luther King along with other civil rights activists founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Its aim was to coordinate the action of local protest groups throughout the South.

  • A new name

    Martin Luther King Jr. was born with a different name, Michael King. This was changed when he was 5 years old by his father, who had just completed an inspiring trip to Europe. Upon his return, pastor Michael King Sr. changed both his name and that of his son into Martin Luther King. It wasn't until he was 28 that his birth certificate was revised.

  • "I Have a Dream" speech

    "I Have a Dream" speech
    During the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. In the speech, King called for civil and economic rights and an end to racism in the United States

  • Nobel Peace Prize

    Nobel Peace Prize
    King became the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to him for combating racial inequality through nonviolent resistance.

  • Death

    Death
    King was assassinated by James Earl Ray in Memphis, Tennessee. He was shot as he was standing on his motel's second-floor balcony. After emergency surgery, he died at St. Joseph's Hospital an hour later. The assassination led to riots in many U.S. cities. President Johnson declared April 7 a national day of mourning for King.