Martin Luther King's timeline

By 07ynedoui
  • 1929 BCE

    Martin Luther King, Jr. Born 15 January 1929

    Martin Luther King, Jr. Born 15 January 1929
    Michael King, later known as Martin Luther King, Jr., is born at 501 Auburn Ave. in Atlanta, Georgia.

  • Summer 1941

    Summer 1941
    The King family -- Martin Luther King, Sr. (Daddy King), Alberta Williams King, Willie Christine King, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Alfred Daniel Williams King (known as A. D. King) -- moves from 501 Auburn Avenue to 193 Boulevard in Atlanta.

  • 20 September 1944

    20 September 1944
    King begins his freshman year at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

  • 25 February 1948

    25 February 1948
    King is ordained and appointed assistant pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.

  • 8 June 1948

    8 June 1948
    King receives his bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Morehouse College.

  • 14 September 1948

    14 September 1948
    King begins his studies at Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania.

  • 13 September 1951

    13 September 1951
    King begins his graduate studies in systematic theology at Boston University.

  • 18 June 1953

    18 June 1953
    King and Coretta Scott are married at the Scott home near Marion, Alabama.

  • Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956)

    Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956)
    On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a white passenger. Her arrest led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted for over a year and sparked the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. led the boycott and delivered a powerful speech at its culmination, calling for nonviolent resistance to racism.

  • Birmingham Campaign (1963)

    Birmingham Campaign (1963)
    In the spring of 1963, King led a campaign to desegregate Birmingham, Alabama. The campaign was met with violent resistance, including the use of fire hoses and police dogs against peaceful protesters. King was arrested and wrote his famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail" in response to criticisms of his tactics.

  • Assassination of Medgar Evers (1963)

    Assassination of Medgar Evers (1963)
    Medgar Evers was a civil rights leader who was assassinated in his driveway in Jackson, Mississippi in June of 1963. King delivered a eulogy at his funeral and continued to work towards justice for African Americans.

  • March on Washington (1963)

    March on Washington (1963)
    On August 28, 1963, King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech to a crowd of over 250,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The march was organized to advocate for civil and economic rights for African Americans and is considered a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

  • Selma to Montgomery March (1965)

    Selma to Montgomery March (1965)
    In March of 1965, King led a march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery to demand voting rights for African Americans. The march was met with violence from state troopers, including the infamous "Bloody Sunday" attack. The march eventually succeeded in pressuring Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

  • Assassination of Malcolm X (1965)

    Assassination of Malcolm X (1965)
    Malcolm X was a controversial civil rights leader who was assassinated in February of 1965. King and Malcolm X had differing views on the use of violence in the fight for racial equality.

  • Poor People's Campaign (1968)

    Poor People's Campaign (1968)
    In 1968, King organized the Poor People's Campaign to address economic inequality in the United States. The campaign called for a guaranteed income and a fair minimum wage, among other reforms.

  • Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (1968)

    Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (1968)
    King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. His death was met with widespread grief and sparked riots in several cities. King's legacy continues to inspire people to fight for justice and equality.