Martin Luther King Jr. | |
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1st President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference | |
In office January 10, 1957 – April 4, 1968 | |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Ralph Abernathy |
Personal details | |
Born | Michael King Jr. January 15, 1929 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
Died | April 4, 1968 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. | (aged 39)
Cause of death | Assassination by sniper |
Political party | Republican[1] |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | Yolanda Martin Dexter Bernice |
Parents | Martin Luther King Sr. Alberta Williams King |
Relatives | Christine King Farris (sister) Alfred Daniel Williams King (brother) Alveda King (niece) |
Education | Morehouse College (BA) Crozer Theological Seminary (BDiv) Boston University (PhD) |
Occupation | Minister, activist |
Known for | Civil Rights Movement, Peace movement |
Awards | Nobel Peace Prize (1964) Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977, posthumous) Congressional Gold Medal (2004, posthumous) |
Religion | Baptists |
Monuments | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial |
Signature | ![]() |
Martin Luther King, Jr. (born Michael King, Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)[2] was an American pastor, activist, humanitarian and leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He was best known for improving civil rights by using nonviolent civil disobedience, based on his Christian beliefs. Because he was both a Ph.D. and a pastor, King was sometimes called the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. (abbreviation: the Rev. Dr. King), or just Dr King.[a] He is also known by his initials MLK. He was the pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
Martin Luther King jr worked hard to make people understand that not only black people but that all races should always be treated equally to white people. He gave speeches to encourage African Americans to protest without using violence.
Led by Dr. King and others, many African Americans used nonviolent, peaceful strategies to fight for their civil rights. These strategies included sit-ins, boycotts, and protest marches. Often, they were attacked by white police officers or people who did not want African Americans to have more rights. However, no matter how badly they were attacked, Dr. King and his followers never fought back.
King also helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. The next year, he won the Nobel Peace Prize.
King fought for equal rights from the start of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 until he was murdered by James Earl Ray in April 1968.
Family: The members of his family include Dexter (d. 2024).
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