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Martin Luther King Jr.

1929-1968 CEReligious Leader

American pastor and civil rights leader who advanced nonviolent protest and moral persuasion for justice.

Biography

Overview

Martin Luther King Jr. was born into Atlanta's Black middle class, son and grandson of Baptist preachers, destined for the pulpit. He might have lived a comfortable life as a respected minister, but history intervened. In 1955, when Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, the 26-year-old pastor was thrust into leadership of the boycott that followed.

For 381 days, Black Montgomery walked rather than ride segregated buses, and won. King discovered that nonviolent resistance, learned from Gandhi and rooted in Jesus's command to love one's enemies, could be a revolutionary force. Over the next thirteen years, he led campaigns in Birmingham, where fire hoses and police dogs turned against peaceful marchers shocked the nation's conscience; in Selma, where Bloody Sunday galvanized support for voting rights; and in cities across America.

MLK’s world, year by year

19291968

Dated facts

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  1. 1929Martin Luther King Jr., born Michael King Jr., was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia.
  2. 1954In 1954 he became pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, and received his PhD from Boston University in 1955.
  3. 1955He led the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott and became the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
  4. 1963He helped organize the 1963 Birmingham protests and delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech at the 1963 March on Washington.
  5. 1964King won the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolent resistance.
  6. 1965He helped organize two of the three Selma to Montgomery marches during the 1965 voting rights movement.
  7. 1968He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, while planning the Poor People's Campaign.

Alive at the same time

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Wars during this life

  • World War II 1939–1945
  • Malayan Emergency 1948–1960
  • La Violencia (Colombia) 1948–1958
  • Second Sino-Japanese War 1937–1945
  • First Indochina War 1946–1954
  • Hukbalahap Rebellion 1946–1954

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Further Reading

  • Bearing the Cross - David J. Garrow
  • Parting the Waters - Taylor Branch

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Martin Luther King Jr..

Who was Martin Luther King Jr.?

Martin Luther King Jr. was born into Atlanta's Black middle class, son and grandson of Baptist preachers, destined for the pulpit. He might have lived a comfortable life as a respected minister, but history intervened. In 1955, when Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, the 26-year-old pastor was thrust into leadership of the boycott that followed. For 381 days, Black Montgomery walked rather than ride segregated buses, and won. King discovered that nonviolent resistance, learned from Gandhi and rooted in Jesus's command to love one's enemies, could be a revolutionary force. Over the next thirteen years, he led campaigns in Birmingham, where fire hoses and police dogs turned against peaceful marchers shocked the nation's conscience; in Selma, where Bloody Sunday galvanized support for voting rights; and in cities across America.

What was Martin Luther King Jr. best known for?

MLK is best known as a religious leader. American pastor and civil rights leader who advanced nonviolent protest and moral persuasion for justice.

When did Martin Luther King Jr. live?

MLK lived 1929-1968 CE, born in 1929 and died in 1968, during the contemporary period.

Can I chat with an AI version of Martin Luther King Jr.?

Yes, free. Anyone can ask MLK, and a first question needs no account. Every answer is a Simulation in character, grounded in MLK’s real life, work and era. A good first question is: "How do you choose which injustice to focus on when there are so many?"

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  • Nonviolent Strategy: Designing actions and coalitions
  • Moral Leadership: Speaking to conscience with courage

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