1. Martin Luther King Jr.

2. Born January 15, 1929
Atlanta, Georgia
Michael King
Named changed to Martin Luther in honor of the spiritual leader.
Was raised around Baptist ministers and eventually became one himself

3. Reconstruction During Reconstruction after
the Civil War several Constitutional Amendments were passed.
These Amendments were meant to help newly freed slaves assimilate into the white culture.
13th Amendment – Abolishes slavery (1865)
14th Amendment - African Americans become citizens (1868)
15th Amendment – All citizens have the right to vote (1870)

4. South Resistance to Change
Congress had intended to have newly freed slaves seamlessly incorporated into life.
Things can’t change over night.
The South passed Jim Crow laws – “Separate but equal” s

5. Ku Klux Klan Hate group in the South Began in the 1866
Violence against African Americans
Sought to restore white supremacy
In the 1960s there was often an alliance with the police in the South.

6. Things start to change
In the 1950s and 60s things eventually begin to change after almost 100 years of discrimination.

7. Segregation in America

8. Brown v. Board of Education
May 17, 1954
Courts ruled – Segregation of schools is unconstitutional

9. 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott
In 1955 public transportation was essential for many people throughout America.
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks decided she didn’t want to sit at the back of the bus anymore just because of her skin color.
She refused to give her seat up to a white person and was subsequently arrested.

10. Bus Boycott
African Americans had proved a source of valuable income for the public transportation system.
Martin Luther King Jr. lead a boycott of buses in the city of Montgomery, Alabama.
The loss of bus riders causes a serious loss of revenue for the bus service.

11. Browder v. Gale
June 13, 1956
Court ruled that segregation of the buses was unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment.
The case was appealed, but the Supreme Court upheld the verdict.

12. The fight for civil rights
Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister
He sought to end segregation in the South and other parts of the nation.
In the spring of 1963 King organized a demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama.
He was arrested, along with supporters.
This drew nationwide attention. People started to pay attention to segregation.

13. “I have a dream” Massive demonstration in Washington D.C.
Lincoln Memorial
More than 200,000 people
August 28, 1963
(5:17)

14. The beginning of Civil Rights
President John F. Kennedy had been elected in 1960.
He had used civil rights as a campaign strategy
He had appointed African Americans to high-level positions.
Eventually a comprehensive civil rights bill cleared through Congress in the fall of 1963.

15. John F. Kennedy Assassination
November 22, 1963 – Dallas, TX
Video of assassination –
News broadcast

16. Civil Rights
People all over the nation began to question the Jim Crow laws.
This led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Authorizes the federal government to enforce desegregation of the South
Lyndon B. Johnson used his roots in the South and emotions based on the assassination of Kennedy to pass the bill.

17. Nobel Peace Prize King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964
From King expanded his fight for civil rights for African Americans.

18. Assassination King was growing weary of the struggle.
He had planned one last crusade
On April 3rd he said, “I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land."
The next day he was shot by a sniper while standing on a balcony outside his hotel room. Memphis, TN

19. Funeral

20. Legacy
How do you think Martin Luther King’s life has affected us today? How?
What would have been different had he not fought for civil rights?
What would he do today if he were alive?
What are your thoughts on his life?