Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January15, 1929 in Atlanta Georgia Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January15, 1929 in Atlanta Georgia. He was the oldest son of Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams. As a young child Martin attended local segregated schools where he excelled. At that time I’m sure you know blacks couldn’t attend certain places with whites.

When Martin was 15 years old he attended Morehouse college and graduated with a bachelors degree in sociology in 1948. After graduating with honors from Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania in 1951, he went to Boston University where he earned a doctoral degree in systematic theology in 1955.

While in Boston, King met Coretta Scott, a music student and native of Alabama. They were married in 1953 and had four children. In 1954 King accepted his first pastorate at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, a church with a well-educated congregation that had recently been led by a minister who had protested against segregation.

King was a very well spoken person King was a very well spoken person. Him as well as many other African American leaders had tried to go out and persuade blacks that they didn’t have to take the unfair segregation that was happening to them. Eventually many blacks caught on and therefore causing the Civil Rights Movement.

One person in particular that Dr. King’s words touched was Rosa Parks One person in particular that Dr. King’s words touched was Rosa Parks. One day while coming home from a long day at work, Mrs. Parks rode the bus. At this time blacks were supposed to sit in the back of the bus, well Mrs. Parks sat towards the front. At first a man I believe came by and told her to get up. She refused. Then the bus driver told her to get up. She refused. Finally the bus driver called the police and Mrs. Parks was arrested. This is what started the Montgomery Bus Boycott. At this time blacks did not ride buses therefore causing the bus companies to become broke.

On August 28, 1963, King delivered a stirring address to an audience of more than 200,000 civil rights supporters. His “I Have a Dream” speech expressed the hopes of the civil rights movement in oratory as moving as any in American history: “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' ... 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.”

On Thursday, April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr On Thursday, April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. had returned to room 306 of the Lorraine Motel. By 5 p.m. he was hungry and looked forward to supper. King shaved, splashed on cologne and stepped onto the balcony. He paused; a .30-06 rifle shot slammed King back against the wall, his arms stretched out to his sides as if he were to be crucified

As you can see Martin Luther King was not only a wonderful leader but he helped change the lives of many African Americans. I hope that you enjoyed some of this information about Marin Luther King Jr. For links to some more information go to www.martinlutherking.8m.com http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/mlk/legacy/legacy.htm http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1998/mlk.page/