Dr martin luther king 1

The Significant Moments in the Life of Martin Luther King

By Georgia.rose
  • Period: to

    The Significant Moments in the Life of Martin Luther King

  • Birth

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

  • The Letter

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

  • King becomes President

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

  • King's House is Bombed

    While King is speaking at a mass meeting, at 9:15 p.m his home is bombed. His wife and daughter are uninjured in the blast. Later that night, King addresses an angry crowd that had gathered outside the house, pleading for nonviolence.

  • King is Named Chairman

    In Atlanta, Southern black ministers meet to share and develop strategies in the fight against segregation. King is named chairman of the Southern Negro Leaders Conference on Transportation and Nonviolent Integration (later known as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, SCLC).

  • First National Adress

    King delivers his first national address, "Give Us The Ballot," at the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom in Washington, D.C. at the Lincoln Memorial

  • King is Stabbed

    King is stabbed by Izola Ware Curry during a book signing at Blumstein’s Department Store in Harlem, New York. He is rushed to Harlem Hospital, a team of doctors successfully remove a seven-inch letter opener from his chest.

  • "I Have a Dream"

    King delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in front of more than 200,000 demonstrators. The march is supported by many labor and religious groups as well as all major civil rights organizations. After the march, King and the other civil rights leaders meet with President John F. Kennedy and Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson in the White House.

  • The Nobel Peace Prize

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

  • King's Death

    King is shot and killed while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.