A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most outspoken leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He advocated peace and justice for all as represented in his famous speech, "I have a Dream".
Contributions to Society
King's main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the U.S. Just days after King's assassination, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1968.[205] Title VIII of the Act, commonly known as the Fair Housing Act, prohibited discrimination in housing and housing-related transactions on the basis of race, religion, or national origin (later expanded to include sex, familial status, and disability). This legislation was seen as a tribute to King's struggle in his final years to combat residential discrimination in the U.S.
- Coordinated with Rosa Parks the Montgomery Bus Boycott
- Organize the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a peaceful political rally designed to shed light on the injustices African Americans continued to face across the country. Held on August 28 and attended by some 200,000 to 300,000 participants
- Inspired legislation for the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Helped amend legislation for the Voting Rights Act of 1965
- Address issues such as the Vietnam War and poverty among Americans of all races
- Used boycotts, sit-ins and marches to protest segregation, unfair hiring practices and other injustices in one of America
- “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” an eloquent defense of civil disobedience addressed to a group of white clergymen who had criticized his tactics
A Young Civil Rights Activist
Martin Luther King Jr. was born January 15, 1929 and died April 4, 1968. He was named Michael King Jr., after his father. He was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the spokesman and leader for the Civil Rights Movement. His primary role was in the advancement of civil rights employed in a nonviolent and civil manner based on his Christian belief.
- Born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15, 1929
- Attended Morehouse College at the age of 15
- Married Coretta Scott in 1953
- Fathered four children with Coretta, Yolanda Denise King, Martin Luther King III, Dexter Scott King and Bernice Albertine King
- Received his Ph.D. on June 5, 1955 in systematic theology at Boston University
- Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964
- Assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, TN
- President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a U.S. federal holiday in honor of King in 1983
- King's holilday was first observed in 1986 and continue to be observed on the the third Monday of January