Life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born Michael Luther on January 15, 1929. He later changed his name to Martin. Martin Luther, activist and clergyman, is known for being one of the most prominent leaders of the African-American civil rights movement.
He grew up in the segregated southern states during the time when African-Americans were ostracized and discriminated against. He attended public school in Georgia and graduated from high school at the age of fifteen. In 1948, he received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Morehouse College, a distinguished African-American institution in Atlanta from which both his father and his grandfather had graduated.
While attending graduate school in Boston, Martin met his future wife, Coretta Scott, a strong and powerful woman who shared his views and cared deeply about civil rights. They married soon after and eventually had four children, two sons and two daughters.
It was not a surprise that Martin became a pastor, as his father and grandfather were pastors at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Until his death, he served as co-pastor with his father. In addition to being considered one of the icons of civil rights, he was recognized as a martyr by two Christian churches in the United States.
On August 28, 1963, the peaceful march took place in Washington. he gave his “I have a dream” address to more than 250,000 people who gathered to listen to the famous national orator from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC Later that year, he was named Time’s Man of the Year.
He was arrested multiple times and became the target of violent threats. After one of his arrests, he wrote the famous Letter from a Birmingham jail, recounting his beliefs and hopes for the future of the United States. His many protests helped convince the US Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law made it illegal to treat African-Americans or other ethnic groups unfairly.
It was the same year (1964), at the age of 35, he became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil obedience and other non-violent means. violent. In the spring of 1968 he traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to lead a protest in support of African-American garbage collectors for better working conditions. While standing on the balcony of his motel room, he was killed by James Earl Ray, an escaped convict.
Martin Luther King, Jr. will always be remembered for his selfless devotion to raising public awareness in the United States and the peaceful means he used to bring about change. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated annually on the third Monday in January. This MLK Day, take a moment to remember how a life, dedicated to the good of others, can make a big impact in the world.