Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929-1968 LalehAbdulrahim Sharif Mrs. Timm Period C 4th March 2012

Introduction “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He raised public consciousness of racial inequalities in America and fought against racism, prejudice and discrimination. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” He fought to drive hatred away as it caused a lot of harm between people. In other words, hate multiplied hate and violence only multiplied violence. Moreover, Martin was the prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He raised public consciousness of racial inequalities in America and fought against racism, prejudice and discrimination. (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/martin_luther_king_jr.html)  

Birth Born on 15th January 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His name was Micheal King, Jr. Son of Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. Brother of Alfred Daniel Williams King and Willie Christine King. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on the 15th of January 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His name atbirth was Michael King, Jr. after his father. His father changed their names to Martin Luther King, Sr. and Jr. when his little boy was five (World Book, 323). He is the son of Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. Moreover, he had two siblings. Willie Christine King was his older sisters. Alfred Daniel Williams King was his younger brother.

Education Yonge Street Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia. Morehouse College, Atlanta. Admirer of E. Mays, Morehouse’s president. Became a minister. PhD in Systematic Theology at Boston University in 1955. Martin Luther King, Jr. began his education at Yonge Street Elementary School in Atlanta. Because of the high grades he scored on the college entrance examinations in his junior year of high school, he was highly developed and was advanced to Morehouse College without official graduation from his old school, Booker T. Washington. Furthermore, he skipped grade nine and 12 at high school. He entered Morehouse College in Atlanta. As time passed by, he became a great admirer of Benjamin E. Mays, Morehouse’s president. Under May’s influence, king decided to become a minister. He joined Crozier Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania to get a degree. King received a PhD in Systematic Theology at Boston University in 1955. (http://www.lib.lsu.edu/hum/mlk/srs218.html)

Family Married to Coretta Scott King. Four children. Martin Luther King, Jr. got married to Coretta Scott King on the 18th June 1953 at her parents' home in Alabama. Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King, Jr. had four children. Yolanda Denise King born in 1955 was the eldest. In 1957, Coretta gave birth to Martin Luther King III. Dexter Scott King was born in1961 and their daughter Bernice Albertine King was born in 1963. (http://genealogy.about.com/od/aframertrees/p/dr_king.htm)

Career Baptist minister. Civil rights activist. "I Have a Dream" speech. King was an fluent Baptist minister and leader of the civil-rights movement in America in 1954. In 1954, King became the minister of a Baptist church in Montgomery, Ala. In March 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s efforts and hard work led to an enormous march where King presented his "I Have a Dream" speech. Moreover, King raised public awareness of racial inequalities in America and fought against racism, prejudice and discrimination. (http://www.infoplease.com/spot/mlkbiospot.html)

What Made Martin Luther King Jr. Famous? "I Have a Dream“ speech. Raised awareness of the discrimination. Nobel Peace Prize. Assassinated for his views. In 1963, e delivered his speech, “I Have a Dream”. It was about the need to remove racial discrimination between the African-Americans, and they deserved the same and equal rights with white people. He raised awareness of the discrimination being used against African-Americans as they had to get along in the end because it is who they are and not what color they are. In 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. was the youngest person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his hard work trying to end racial unfairness. Unluckily, he was assassinated for speaking his mind too. (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/special/mlk/)

Organization The Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Martin Luther King Jr. was a member of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s main aim was to maintain the basis of civil rights in America but in a peaceful behavior. Moreover, in  1957, he was elected president. Their meetings were of no use and did not result in relief for the African-Americans who were still facing racial discrimination. (http://www.africawithin.com/bios/martin_luther_king.htm)

Death Died on the 4th of April 1968. Martin Luther King Jr. had died at the age of 39 on the 4th of April 1968. He was assassinated when he was standing on the balcony of his room by a white racist in Tennessee. (http://history1900s.about.com/cs/martinlutherking/a/mlkassass.htm)

Conclusion Equality was important to him. Handles situations without violence. Peacemaking. Fought hard to make peace. Martin Luther King Jr.’s main aim was to stop discrimination between the African-Americans and the white people. He handled all kinds of situation without violence. His unique characteristics guided him along the way to make our world a better place. Furthermore, all the peacemaking he was trying to accomplish have insipired us all. King believed in equality and that everyone should be treated the same way. (http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/martin_luther_king.htm)

Works Cited Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes, . "Martin Luther King quotes."Brainy quotes. Book Rags Media Network, 2012. Web. 3 Mar 2012. <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/martin_luther_king_jr.html>. Brown, M.. "MLK: A Biographical Sketch." Lsu library. Edu. Louisiana State University, 1994. Web. 3 Mar 2012. <http://www.lib.lsu.edu/hum/mlk/srs218.html>. Powell, Kimberly. Ancestry of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. About.com, N.D. Web. 3 Mar 2012. <http://genealogy.about.com/od/aframertrees/p/dr_king.htm>. "Martin Luther King, Jr., biography." Infoplease. Pearson Education Inc., 2010. Web. 3 Mar 2012. <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/mlkbiospot.html>.

Works Cited The Seattle Times, . "Martin Luther King, Jr. and the cival rights movement." Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company, 2011. Web. 3 Mar 2012. <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/special/mlk/>. "Martin Luther King Jr.." Africa Within. Gale Group, 2001. Web. 3 Mar 2012. <http://www.africawithin.com/bios/martin_luther_king.htm>. Rosenberg, Jennifer. "Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated."About.com. The New York Times Company, 2011. Web. 3 Mar 2012. <http://history1900s.about.com/cs/martinlutherking/a/mlkassass.htm>. Trueman, C.. "Martin Luther King." Martin Luther King Jr. Chris Trueman BA, 2000. Web. 3 Mar 2012. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/martin_luther_king.htm>.