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Birth of Martin Luther King Jr.
Michael King, later known as Martin Luther King, Jr., is born at 501 Auburn Ave. in Atlanta, Georgia. -
College
King begins his freshman year at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. -
Letter to the Editor
The Atlanta Constitution publishes King's letter to the editor stating that black people "are entitled to the basic rights and oppotunities of American citizens." -
Assistant Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church
King is ordained and appointed assistant pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. -
College Graduate
King graduated from college with a bachelor of divinity degree, delivering the valedictory address at the commencement. -
Pastorate at Dexter Avenue Baptish Church
King begins his pastorate at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. -
King's House is Bombed
At 9:15 pm, while King speaks at a mass meeting, his home is bombed. His wife and daughter were not injured. King later addresses an angry crowd that had gathered outside the house, pleaeding for nonviolence. -
Mass Meeting at Holt Street Baptist Church
At a mass meeting at Holt Street Baptist Church, the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) is formed. King becomes the president of it. -
Threatening Phone Call
King recieves a threatening phone call late in the evening, prompting a spititual revelation that fills him with strength to carry on in spite of persecution. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference, SCLC
Southern black ministers meet in Atlanta to share strategis in the fight against segregation. King named chairman of the Southern Negro Leaders Conference on Transportation and Nonviolent Integration. -
Man of the Year
King is named "Man of the Year" by Time Magazine. -
King Arrested
King is arrested and jailed for demanding service at a white-only restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida. -
"I've Been to the Mountaintop"
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." -
King is Assassinated
King is shot and killed while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.