Martin Luther King Jr

Martin Luther King, Jr (also referred to as "MLKJ") was born on January 15th, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. King was both a civil rights activist and a Baptist minister. He left a huge impact on the relationship between races in the United States begining in the mid 50's. Through his activisim, he was a huge deciding factor in ending the legal segregation of colored (but mainly African-American) citizens in the US, as well as the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. King recieved a Noble Peace Prize in 1964, just four years before his assassination, and is most famous or often referenced by his "I Have a Dream" speech from 1963.

Montgomery Bus Boycott
In response to the arrest of Rosa Parks on the first of December, 1955, the Montgomery Improvement Assosiation (MIA) coordinated the Montgomery Bus Boycott with Martin Luther King Jr. as its president. The boycott showed the potential nonviolent mass protests would and could hold to succesfully end segregation.

On the evening of December the fifth, King held a meeting at Hold Street Baptist Church where he spoke to several thousands of people at the meeting in response to the MIA's vote on continuing the boycott.


 * "I want it to be known that we're going to work with grim and bold determination to gain justice on the buses in this city. And we are not wrong... If we are wrong, the Supreme Court of this nation is wrong. If we are wrong, the Constitution of the United States is wrong. If we are wrong, God Almighty is Wrong."

"I have a dream..."
In Spring 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. organized a demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama. City police wielded firehoses and set dogs off on the demonstrators. King, along with a large number of his supporters, were put into jail. Due to the fact that whole families came to the demonstration, King was criticized by black and white alike for endangering the children who attended the demonstration. From his cell, King spoke out his theory of non-violence with eloquence: "Nonviolent direct action seeks ot create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a comunity, which has constantly refused to negotiate, is forced to confront the issue."

By the end of his campaign in Birmingham, King and his supporters were already making plans for a massive demonstration on the nation's capital consisting of multiple organizations, all of which asked for peaceful change. On the 28th of August, 1963, the March of Washington resulted in more than 200,000 people standing around the Lincoln Memorial. It was here that King made his famous speech "I Have A Dream", emphasizing his belief that someday all men could be brothers.

Assassination
On April 3rd, 1968, King, in what turned out to be a uncannily prophetic speech, told supporters, "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, from a balcony outside his Lorraine Motel room, Martin Luther King Jr was shot by James Earl Ray.

Legacy
King's story had a dramatic impact on the relationships between races in the United States. Years after his assassination, he became the most well-known African-American leader of his time. His story and message have been honored with a national holiday, schools and public buildings named after him, and a memorial on Independence Mall in D.C.

Other Resources/Works Cited

 * Biography of Martin Luther King Jr
 * Info on the Montgomery Bus Boycott
 * Full "I Have a Dream" speech