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Martin Luther King Jr.

By AGED 3033

  • Birth

    Birth
    Martin Luther King Jr. was born as Michael King Jr. in Atlanta, Georgia, to Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. He later changed his name to Martin Luther in honor of the German Protestant reformer, Martin Luther.

  • Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955 - 1956)

    Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955 - 1956)
    King emerged as a national leader during the Montgomery Bus Boycott after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus. The boycott lasted for over a year, leading to a Supreme Court decision that declared segregation on public buses unconstitutional.

  • Nobel Peace Prize

    Nobel Peace Prize
    King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership in nonviolent resistance to racism and his dedication to achieving civil rights through peaceful means. At 35 years old, he became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize at the time.

  • Formation of Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

    Formation of Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
    King and other civil rights leaders founded the SCLC to coordinate nonviolent protests and to promote civil rights across the southern United States. King became the organization's first president, providing leadership for the civil rights movement.

  • "I Have a Dream" Speech

    "I Have a Dream" Speech
    At the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, King delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, calling for racial equality, an end to discrimination, and the realization of the American dream of freedom and justice for all.

  • Selma to Montgomery Marches

    Selma to Montgomery Marches
    King led the Selma to Montgomery Marches to demand voting rights for African Americans. The marches, particularly the violent attack on marchers known as "Bloody Sunday," helped lead to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

  • Chicago Campaign

    Chicago Campaign
    King expanded his civil rights activism to the northern United States with the Chicago Campaign, focusing on housing segregation and economic inequality. While the campaign faced resistance, it was instrumental in bringing national attention to the issue of urban poverty and racism.

  • "Beyond Vietnam" Speech

    "Beyond Vietnam" Speech
    King delivered his controversial speech, "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence," at Riverside Church in New York, where he spoke out against the Vietnam War, linking the war's devastation to issues of poverty, racism, and militarism. This speech marked a shift in his activism toward broader social justice issues.

  • Poor People's Campaign

    Poor People's Campaign
    King launched the Poor People's Campaign to address economic justice, focusing on the plight of the poor and advocating for a federal program to provide jobs and economic opportunity. King planned a march to Washington, D.C., to highlight these issues, but was assassinated before it could be completed.

  • Assassination

    Assassination
    Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, at the Lorraine Motel while supporting a sanitation workers' strike. His death sparked widespread riots and mourning, but it also solidified his legacy as one of the greatest figures in American history.