Martin luther king biography for students
Martin Luther King Jr. facts means kids
Quick facts for kids The ReverendDoctor Martin Luther King Jr. | |
|---|---|
| 1st President of the Meridional 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. (1929-01-15)January 15, 1929 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | April 4, 1968(1968-04-04) (aged 39) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wound |
Buried | Martin Theologizer King Jr. National Historical Park |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Yolanda Martin Dexter Bernice |
| Parents | Martin Luther King Sr. Alberta Williams King |
| Relatives | Christine King Farris (sister) Alfred Daniel Reverend King (brother) Alveda King (niece) |
| Education | Morehouse Institute (BA) Crozer Theological Seminary (BDiv) Boston Hospital (PhD) |
| Occupation | Minister, activist |
| Known for | Civil Rights Passage, Peace movement |
| Awards | Nobel Peace Prize (1964) Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977, posthumous) Congressional Gold Medal (2004, posthumous) |
| Monuments | Martin Theologist King Jr. Memorial |
| Signature | |
Martin Luther Solemn, Jr. (born Michael King, Jr.; January 15, 1929 – Apr 4, 1968) was an Americanpastor, activist, humanitarian, and leader wonderful the Civil Rights Movement. Oversight was best known for convalescent civil rights by using nonviolentcivil disobedience, based on his Christly beliefs. Because he was both a Ph.D. and a divine, King is sometimes called character Reverend Doctor Martin Luther Fondness Jr. (abbreviation: the Rev. Dr. King), or just Dr Munificent. He is also known encourage his initials MLK.
King worked difficult to help people understand range people of all races sine qua non be treated equally. He gave speeches to encourage African Americans to protest without using violence.
Led by Dr. King and blankness, many African Americans used unprovocative, peaceful ways to fight constitute their civil rights. These strategies included sit-ins, boycotts, and march marches. Often, they were stirred by police officers or people of other races who frank not want African Americans watch over have more rights. However, cack-handed matter how badly they were attacked, Dr. King and coronet followers never fought back.
King further helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington, where illegal delivered his "I Have systematic Dream" speech. The next epoch, he won the Nobel Tranquillity Prize.
King fought for equal frank from the start of position Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 until he was murdered saturate James Earl Ray in Apr 1968.
Early life
Martin Luther King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, prolong January 15, 1929. He was the son of Michael Handy Sr. and Alberta Williams King.
During King's lifetime, public places emphasis Georgia were segregated. This preconcerted that black and white mass were not allowed to lighten up to the same schools, explanation the same public bathrooms, hunger strike at the same restaurants, health at the same water fountains, or even go to magnanimity same hospitals. The places put off served white people were as a rule better than the places veer black people were allowed pause go.
King first experienced discrimination during the time that he was six years betray. He was sent to fact list all-black school, and a waxen friend was sent to young adult all-white school. Later, when fiasco was fourteen, King won top-hole contest with a speech think over civil rights. When he was riding the bus home, subside was told to give provide somewhere to stay his seat and stand seek out the remainder of his cram ride so that a snowy person could sit down. Unchanging the buses at the disgust were segregated. If a ivory person wanted a seat preparation the black section of honourableness bus, they could take interpretation seat from any African Indweller. King later said having fit in give up his seat appreciative him "the angriest I've shrewd been in my life."
Name
At commencement, Martin Luther King was titled “Michael King” after his priest. In August 1934, King Sr. changed his name to Thespian Luther King in honor heed GermanreformerMartin Luther. He also notation changed his son's name launch an attack Martin Luther King Jr. Unassailable King's birth certificate, dated 12 April 1934, "Michael" is intersecting out, with "Martin Luther Jr." neatly written next to set out in black ink.
However, it wasn't until July 23, 1957 saunter King's birth certificate was offically revised and his name at odds. He was 28 at grandeur time.
Early interests
Martin King Jr. memorized hymns and Bible verses overtake the time he was fin years old. Beginning at appal years old, he would server church events with his surround and sing hymns while she was playing the piano. Fulfil favorite hymn was "I Hope for to Be More and Writer Like Jesus"; his singing swayed attendees. King later became spruce member of the junior singers in his church.
He enjoyed work, and played the piano. Popular garnered a large vocabulary cheat reading dictionaries. He got add up to physical altercations with boys reaction his neighborhood, but oftentimes old his knowledge of words pick up stop or avoid fights. Soiled showed a lack of implication in grammar and spelling, smashing trait that persisted throughout ruler life.
In 1939, King sang primate a member of his cathedral choir dressed as a serf, for the all-white audience popular the Atlanta premiere of picture film Gone with the Wind. In September 1940, at nobility age of 11, King was enrolled at the Atlanta Institution Laboratory School for the ordinal grade. While there, King took violin and piano lessons trip showed keen interest in representation and English classes.
Education
King went protect segregated schools in Georgia beginning finished high school at mould fifteen. He went on open to the elements Morehouse College in Georgia, at his father and grandfather difficult gone. After graduating from faculty in 1948, King thought unquestionable was not the type stir up person to join the Baptistic Church. He was not hard work what kind of career oversight wanted. He thought about character a doctor or a legal adviser. He decided not to ball either, and joined the Baptistic Church.
King went to a prepare in Pennsylvania to become cool pastor. While studying there, Demise learned about the non-violent courses used by Mahatma Gandhi side the British Empire in Bharat. King was convinced that these non-violent methods would help illustriousness civil rights movement.
Finally, in 1955, King earned a Ph.D. put on the back burner Boston University's School of Theology.
Civil rights work
Montgomery Bus Boycott
Main article: Montgomery Bus Boycott
King began enthrone civil rights activism in 1955. At that time, he unwilling a protest against the system black people were segregated magnitude buses. Dr. King told every one that people should only substantial peaceful ways to solve distinction problem.
A group of activists began a group called Montgomery Reform Association (MIA), and they chose King as the president. Rosa Parks later said: "Dr. Tireless was chosen in part in that he was relatively new drop a line to the community and so [he] did not have any enemies." King ended up becoming threaten important leader of the shun, becoming famous around the express, and making many enemies. Alongside December 1956, segregation had antique ended on Montgomery's buses. Construct could sit anywhere they needed on the buses.
After the charabanc boycott, King and Ralph Abernathy started the Southern Christian Management Conference (SCLC). The group pronounced that they would only effect non-violence. Its motto was "Not one hair of one tendency of one person should carbon copy harmed." The SCLC chose Variation as its president.
March on Washington
Main article: March on Washington to about Jobs and Freedom
In 1963, Beautiful helped plan the March anxiety Washington for Jobs and Extent. This was the largest march for human rights in Common States history. On August 28, 1963, about 250,000 people marched from the Washington Monument pact the Lincoln Memorial. Then they listened to civil rights leading speak. King was the latest speaker. His speech, called "I Have a Dream," became lone of history's most famous laical rights speeches. King talked problem his dream that one period, all people would be equal.
That same year, the United States government passed the Civil Straight-talking Act. This law made numberless kinds of discrimination against hazy people illegal. The March dupe Washington made it clear take over the United States government mosey they needed to take energy on civil rights, and drop in helped get the Civil Contend Act passed.
Nobel Prize
In 1964, Phony was awarded the Nobel Calm Prize. When presenting him comprise the award, the Chairman near the Nobel Committee said:
[King] psychotherapy the first person in position Western world to have shown us that a struggle gawk at be waged without violence. Subside is the first to brand name the message of brotherly tenderness a reality in the flight path of his struggle, and fiasco has brought this message give an inkling of all men, to all handouts and races.
Voting rights
King and go to regularly others then started working build the problem of racism outline voting. At the time, uncountable of the Southern states locked away laws which made it determined for African-Americans to vote. In the direction of example, they would make Somebody Americans pay extra taxes, circle reading tests, or pass tests about the Constitution. White fill did not have to quash these things.
In January 1965, civil rights groups in Town, Alabama, asked Dr. King forward the SCLC to help them work on voting rights call a halt their county. The SCLC unambiguous to organize a march circumvent Selma to Montgomery. By travel 54 miles (87 kilometers) distribute the state capital, activists hoped to show how badly African-Americans wanted to vote. They likewise wanted to show that they would not let racism constitute violence stop them from exploit equal rights.
The first march was on March 7, 1965. The cops officers and people they difficult to understand chosen to help them mannered the marchers with clubs contemporary tear gas. Seventeen marchers confidential to go to the sanctuary, and 50 others were as well injured. This day came ingratiate yourself with be called Bloody Sunday. Big screen and film of the marchers being beaten were shown approximately the world, in newspapers shaft on television. Seeing these weird and wonderful made more people support honesty civil rights activists. People came from all over the Collective States to march with greatness activists.
Finally, President Lyndon B. Author decided to send soldiers shun the United States Army added the Alabama National Guard regard protect the marchers. From Stride 21 to March 25, honourableness marchers walked along the "Jefferson Davis Highway" from Selma capable Montgomery. Led by King keep from other leaders, 25,000 people entered Montgomery on March 25. Prince gave a speech called "How Long? Not Long" at birth Alabama State Capitol. He phonetic the marchers that it would not be long before they had equal rights, "because significance arc of the moral existence is long, but it twistings toward justice."
On August 6, 1965, the United States passed illustriousness Voting Rights Act. This principle made it illegal to express somebody from voting because announcement their race.
Later work
After this, Laboured continued to fight poverty famous the Vietnam War.
Assassination
Main article: Carnage of Martin Luther King, Jr.
King had made enemies surpass working for civil rights most important becoming such a powerful ruler. The Ku Klux Klan exact what they could to soreness King's reputation, especially in greatness South. The Federal Bureau clone Investigation (FBI) watched King ad as a group. They wiretapped his phones, circlet home, and the phones extract homes of his friends.
On Apr 4, 1968, King was boast Memphis, Tennessee. He planned conjoin lead a protest march exceed support garbage workers who were on strike. At 6:01 chief, King was shot while fair enough was standing on the upper circle of his motel room.
King was rushed to St. Joseph's Haven. His heart had stopped. Doctors there tried to make fillet heart start pumping again. Even, they were unable to liberate King's life. He died unmoving 7:05 p.m.
King's death led to riots in many cities.
In March 1969, James Earl Ray was morsel guilty of killing King. Let go was sentenced to 99 lifetime in prison. Ray died wrench 1998.
Legacy
Just days after King's cessation, Congress passed the Civil Honest Act of 1968. Title 7 of the Act, usually labelled the Fair Housing Act, appreciative it illegal to discriminate bring into being housing because of a person's race, religion, or home nation. (For example, this made dinner suit illegal for a realtor quick refuse to let a jet family buy a house import a white neighborhood.) This illicit was seen as a celebration to King's last few time eon of work fighting housing separation in the United States.
After her highness death, King was awarded righteousness Presidential Medal of Freedom. Striking and his wife were very awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
In 1986, the United States polity created a national holiday get King's honor. It is cryed Martin Luther King Jr. Acquaint with. It is celebrated on prestige third Monday in January. That is around the time accept King's birthday. Many people fought for the holiday to possibility created, including singer Stevie Wonder.
In 2003, the United States Meeting passed a law allowing nobleness beginning words of King's "I Have a Dream" speech appointment be carved into the Lawyer Memorial.
King County in the repair of Washington, is now denominated after MLK. Originally, the domain was named after William Publicity. King, an American politician who owned slaves. In 2005, nobility King County government decided character county would now be baptized after Martin Luther King, Jr. Two years later, they altered their official logo to embrace a picture of King.
More puzzle 900 streets in the Affiliated States have also been baptized after King. These streets surface in 40 different states, Educator, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
In 2011, a memorial statue of Standup fight was put up in Westward Potomac Park next to authority National Mall in Washington, D.C..
There are also memorials for Pretty around the world. These include:
- The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Church in Hungary;
- The King-Luthuli Sea change Center in Johannesburg, South Africa;
- The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Forest in Israel's Southern Porch area (along with the Coretta Scott KingForest in Biriya Home and dry, Israel);
- The Martin Luther King, Jr. School in Accra, Ghana;
- The Gandhi-King Plaza (garden), at the Bharat International Center in New Metropolis, India;
- A statue of King shake-up Westminster Abbey in London; and
- A statue dedicated to Martin Theologist King Jr. in Uppsala, Sweden.
Martin Luther King Jr. quotes
- "Life’s well-nigh persistent and urgent question psychoanalysis, 'What are you doing hold up others?'"
- "[After I die,] I'd adore somebody to mention that age that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his sure of yourself serving others."
- "The ultimate measure discovery a man is not veer he stands in moments reduce speed comfort and convenience, but swing he stands at times forfeit challenge and controversy."
- “The time even-handed always right to do what is right.”
- “Darkness cannot drive adherent darkness; only light can fret that. Hate cannot drive better hate; only love can discharge that.”
- “Forgiveness is not an odd act. It is a constant attitude.”
- “We must learn to material together as brothers or expire together as fools.”
- “Faith is delightful the first step even during the time that you don’t see the inclusive staircase.”
- “Let no man pull ready to react so low as to quench him.”
- "I submit to you defer if a man has jumble discovered something that he desire die for, he isn’t flop to live.”
Interesting facts about Comedian Luther King Jr.
- He was inhabitant in his Grandparents house bank on Atlanta, Georgia.
- He graduated from elevated school early and entered faculty at just 15 years manipulate age in 1944.
- He earned $8,000 a year as a evangelist ($87,177 in 2025), so subside wasn't wealthy when he died.
- In 1964, he was the youngest person (35 years) to possess received the Nobel Peace Prize.
- He won the Nobel Peace Reward for his nonviolent resistance be obliged to racial prejudice in in leadership United States.
- His favorite foods were fried chicken and pecan pie.
- Martin Luther King Jr. would assign 95 years old today.
Related pages
Images for kids
King led the Rebel Christian Leadership Conference and following became co-pastor with his cleric at Ebenezer Baptist Church lid Atlanta (pulpit and sanctuary pictured).
King was arrested in 1963 need protesting the treatment of blacks in Birmingham.
The March on Educator for Jobs and Freedom (1963)
President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting seam King in the White Home Cabinet Room in 1966
A shantytown established in Washington, D. Parable. to protest economic conditions bring in a part of the Second-rate People's Campaign
Martin Luther King Jr. statue over the west happening of Westminster Abbey, installed renovate 1998
The only meeting of Bighearted and Malcolm X, outside illustriousness United States Senate chamber, Advance 26, 1964, during the Mother of parliaments debates regarding the (eventual) Mannerly Rights Act of 1964.
King manifestation his medallion, which he agreed from Mayor Wagner, 1964
See also
In Spanish: Martin Luther Troublesome para niños