Martin Luther King Jr.Martin Luther King Jr.

" King became " King became not only the not only the symbolic leader symbolic leader of American of American blacks but also blacks but also a world figure.“a world figure.“

Birth and FamilyBirth and Family

Born as Michal Luther Born as Michal Luther King on January 15, King on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. He later Georgia. He later changed his name to changed his name to Martin. Martin.

Parents:Parents: Alberta Alberta Williams King and Williams King and Reverend Martin Reverend Martin Luther King Sr. Luther King Sr. King at the age of six

EducationEducation King attended segregated public schools in King attended segregated public schools in

GeorgiaGeorgia he graduated from high school at the age of he graduated from high school at the age of

1515 In 1948 he graduated from Morehouse In 1948 he graduated from Morehouse

College with a B.A. degree in Sociology and College with a B.A. degree in Sociology and enrolled in Cozer Theological Seminary in enrolled in Cozer Theological Seminary in Chester, where he was awarded a B.D. Chester, where he was awarded a B.D. (Bachelor of Divinity) in 1951(Bachelor of Divinity) in 1951

in September 1951 he began doctoral in September 1951 he began doctoral studies in Systematic Theology at Boston studies in Systematic Theology at Boston University and received the doctorate in University and received the doctorate in 19551955

Wife and childrenWife and children

Marriage with Coretta Marriage with Coretta Scott on June 18, 1953Scott on June 18, 1953

Four children: Four children: Yolanda Denise (17 Nov. Yolanda Denise (17 Nov. 1955), Martin Luther III 1955), Martin Luther III (23 Oct. 1957), Dexter (23 Oct. 1957), Dexter Scott (30 Jan. 1961), Scott (30 Jan. 1961), Bernice Alberine (28 Bernice Alberine (28 March 1963) March 1963)

The leadership of Martin The leadership of Martin Luther KingLuther King

King was a leading personality of the King was a leading personality of the Civil Civil Rights MovementRights Movement

he protested against racial segregation and he protested against racial segregation and discrimination of blacks in the Deep Southdiscrimination of blacks in the Deep South

his methods of his methods of non-violent direct actionnon-violent direct action were supported by many people and so the were supported by many people and so the campaign for equality turned into a mass campaign for equality turned into a mass movementmovement

they achieved two great victories:they achieved two great victories: the the Civil Rights ActCivil Rights Act of 1964 of 1964 the the Voting Rights ActVoting Rights Act of 1965 of 1965

The Montgomery Bus The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-56)Boycott (1955-56)

Strict segregation rules of the Montgomery Strict segregation rules of the Montgomery City Bus Lines: Black passengers had to sit in City Bus Lines: Black passengers had to sit in the back and had to give up their seats if the the back and had to give up their seats if the white section in the front of the bus became white section in the front of the bus became occupied.occupied.

Dec 01, 1955: Rosa Parks refused to give up Dec 01, 1955: Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white man. So she was arrested.her seat for a white man. So she was arrested.

Black residents launched a bus boycott and Black residents launched a bus boycott and elected King, who had accepted the pastorate elected King, who had accepted the pastorate of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church a year ago, of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church a year ago, as president of the newly-formed Montgomery as president of the newly-formed Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA)Improvement Association (MIA)

In the end the boycott lasted 381 days and King In the end the boycott lasted 381 days and King gained national prominence as a result of his gained national prominence as a result of his exceptional oratorical skills and personal courage.exceptional oratorical skills and personal courage.

On December 21, 1956 the Supreme Court of the On December 21, 1956 the Supreme Court of the United States declared the laws requiring United States declared the laws requiring segregation on buses unconstitutional.segregation on buses unconstitutional.

Montgomery buses became desegregated and Montgomery buses became desegregated and Negroes and whites rode them as equals.Negroes and whites rode them as equals.

The march on The march on WashingtonWashington

On August 28, 1963 On August 28, 1963 the March on the March on Washington for jobs Washington for jobs and freedom and freedom attracted more than attracted more than 250,000 250,000 demonstrators to the demonstrators to the Lincoln Memorial Lincoln Memorial where King delivered where King delivered his famous "I Have a his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.Dream" speech.

Martin Luther King Martin Luther King vs.vs. Malcolm XMalcolm X

King was president of the King was president of the Southern Christian Southern Christian Leadership ConferenceLeadership Conference

took the ideal for his took the ideal for his organizations from organizations from Christianity and his Christianity and his operational techniques operational techniques from Mahatma Gandhifrom Mahatma Gandhi

believed in a harmonious believed in a harmonious and peaceful co-and peaceful co-existence of blacks and existence of blacks and whites in a colour-blind whites in a colour-blind AmericaAmerica

Solution: integrationSolution: integration

Malcolm X was a Malcolm X was a leading personality of leading personality of the Black Power the Black Power MovementMovement

Believed that racism Believed that racism should be opposed "by should be opposed "by any means necessary"any means necessary"

blacks should lean on blacks should lean on their own strength and their own strength and become independent become independent of whitesof whites

solution for the black solution for the black man is racial man is racial separation, not separation, not integrationintegration

King and his idol GandhiKing and Malcolm X meet each other

King reveives the Nobel King reveives the Nobel Peace PrizePeace Prize

In December 1964, at the age of 35, Dr. In December 1964, at the age of 35, Dr. King was the youngest man, the second King was the youngest man, the second American and the third black man American and the third black man awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

He declared that every penny of the $ He declared that every penny of the $ 54,000 would be used in the ongoing 54,000 would be used in the ongoing civil rights struggle.civil rights struggle.

The death of Martin Luther The death of Martin Luther KingKing

On the evening of April 4, 1968, On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, of his motel room in Memphis, Tennesssee, where he was to lead Tennesssee, where he was to lead a protest march in a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage sympathy with striking garbage workers of that city, he was workers of that city, he was assassinated by James assassinated by James Earl Ray.Earl Ray.

Sources:Sources:

Biography:Biography: http://www.lib.lsu.edu/hum/mlk/srs218.htmlhttp://www.lib.lsu.edu/hum/mlk/srs218.html http://www.nobel.se/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.htmlhttp://www.nobel.se/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html http://www.stanford.edu/group/king/http://www.stanford.edu/group/king/

Photos:Photos: http://www.life.com/Life/mlk/mlkpics.htmlhttp://www.life.com/Life/mlk/mlkpics.html http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/mlkmlk