Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. - biography. American clergyman and civil rights leader Birth January 15, 1929 Death April 4, 1968 Place of Atlanta, Georgia Birth Known for Leading the civil rights movement in the United States Advocating nonviolent protest against segregation and racial discrimination Milestones 1954 Selected as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama 1955 Received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University 1955-1956 Led a successful effort to desegregate Montgomery, Alabama, buses 1957 Helped found and served as the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) 1958 Published Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story 1963 Wrote 'Letter from Birmingham Jail,' arguing that it was his moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws 1963 Delivered his 'I Have a Dream' speech to civil rights marchers at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. 1964 Won the Nobel Peace Prize 1965 Organized a mass march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, that created national support for federal voting-rights legislation 1968 Was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee Quote 'I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.' August, 1963, in a speech to civil rights supporters at the March on Washington. Did You King's nonviolent doctrine was strongly influenced by the teachings of Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi. Know In 1964, King became the first black American to be honored as Time magazine's Man of the Year. King's efforts were not limited to securing civil rights; he also spoke out against poverty and the Vietnam War. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.