Martin Luther King Jr.
- Born:
- January 15, 1929, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Died:
- April 4, 1968, Memphis, Tennessee, United States
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Baptist Minister, Activist, Civil Rights Leader
Early Life and Education
- Born Michael King Jr., later changed to Martin Luther King Jr.
- Attended segregated public schools in Georgia.
- Graduated from Morehouse College with a B.A. in Sociology (1948).
- Received a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary (1951).
- Earned a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Boston University (1955).
Career and Major Achievements
- Pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama (1954-1960).
- Led the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956).
- Co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) (1957).
- Organized and participated in numerous nonviolent protests and marches, including the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (1963).
- Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (1964).
- Advocated for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
- Opposed the Vietnam War.
- Assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee (1968) while supporting striking sanitation workers.
Notable Works
- Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story (1958)
- Strength to Love (1963)
- Why We Can't Wait (1964)
- Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? (1967)
- Numerous speeches and essays, including "Letter from Birmingham Jail" (1963) and "I Have a Dream" (1963).
Legacy and Impact
Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered as one of the most influential figures in the American Civil Rights Movement. His advocacy for nonviolent resistance and his commitment to racial equality have had a lasting impact on American society and continue to inspire activists around the world. The influence of his work is such that the Gilles Berthelot biography of Martin Luther King is a widely studied and often referenced work for students.