Martin Luther King Jr.

Birth

Jan 15, 1929

Michael King, later known as Martin Luther King, Jr., is born in Atlanta, Georgia.

Education

Sep 20, 1944

King begins his freshman year at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

Basic Rights Letter

Aug 6, 1946

The Atlanta Constitution publishes King’s letter to the editor stating that black people "are entitled to the basic rights and opportunities of American citizens."

B.A. degree

Jun 8, 1948

King receives his bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Morehouse College.

Crozer Theological Seminary

Sep 14, 1948

King begins his studies at Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania.

B.Div. Degree

May 8, 1951

King graduates from Crozer with a bachelor of divinity degree, delivering the valedictory address at commencement.

Marriage

Jun 18, 1953

King and Coretta Scott are married at the Scott home near Marion, Alabama.

Doctorate

Jun 5, 1955

King is awarded his doctorate in systematic theology from Boston University.

First Child

Nov 17, 1955

Yolanda Denise King, the Kings’ first child, is born

Rosa Parks

Dec 1, 1955

Rosa Parks is arrested for refusing to vacate her seat and move to the rear of a city bus in Montgomery to make way for a white passenger.

MIA

Dec 5, 1955

At a mass meeting at Holt Street Baptist Church, the Montgomery Improvement Association(MIA) is formed. King becomes its president.

Martin, III

Oct 23, 1957

Coretta King gives birth to their second child, Martin, III.

First Book

Sep 17, 1958

King’s first book Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story is published.

Gaining National Notoriety

Feb 1, 1960

King moves from Montgomery to Atlanta to devote more time to SCLC and the freedom struggle. He becomes assistant pastor to his father at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Dexter Scott

Jan 31, 1961

Dexter Scott, King’s third child, is born.

SCLC conference

Period: Jul 27, 1962 to Aug 10, 1962

King is arrested at an Albany, Georgia prayer vigil and jailed. After spending two weeks in jail, King is released.

SCLC conference

Sep 28, 1962

During the closing session of the SCLC conference in Birmingham, Alabama, a member of the American Nazi Party assaults King, striking him twice in the face.

Bernice Albertine

Mar 28, 1963

Bernice Albertine, King’s fourth child, is born.

Strength to Love

Jun 5, 1963

Strength to Love, King's book of sermons, is published.

March on Washington

Aug 28, 1963

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom attracts more than two hundred thousand demonstrators to the Lincoln Memorial
Organized by A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, the march is supported by all major civil rights organizations as well as by many labor and religious groups.
King delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Man of the Year

Jan 3, 1964

King is named "Man of the Year" by Time Magazine.

Why We Can’t Wait

Jun 1, 1964

King's book Why We Can’t Wait is published.

Arrested

Jun 11, 1964

King is arrested and jailed for demanding service at a white-only restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida.

Nobel Peace Prize

Oct 10, 1964

King receives the Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Oslo, Norway. He declares that "every penny" of the $54,000 award will be used in the ongoing civil rights struggle.

Bloody Sunday

Mar 7, 1965

In an event that will become known as "Bloody Sunday," voting rights marchers are beaten at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama as they attempt to march to Montgomery.

Selma to Montgomery

Aug 12, 1965

King helped to organize the Selma to Montgomery marches, and the following year he and SCLC took the movement north to Chicago to work on segregated housing.

Beyond Vietnam

Apr 4, 1967

King delivers "Beyond Vietnam" to a gathering of Clergy and Laymen Concerned About Vietnam at Riverside Church in New York City. He demands that the U.S. take new initiatives to end the war.

Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?

Jun 1, 1967

King’s book Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? is published.

The Trumpet of Conscience

Mar 1, 1968

King’s book :"The Trumpet of Conscience" is published.

Poor People's Campaign

Mar 28, 1968

In Memphis,Tennessee,King was planning a national occupation of Washington, D.C., to be called the Poor People's Campaign .The march descends into violence and looting, and King is rushed from the scene.

I’ve Been to the Mountaintop

Apr 3, 1968

King returns to Memphis, determined to lead a peaceful march. During an evening rally at Mason Temple in Memphis, King delivers his final speech, "I’ve Been to the Mountaintop."

Death

Apr 4, 1968

King was shot by James Earl Ray and killed while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.
King is buried in Atlanta.