MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Was born on January 15th, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia to Martin Luther King Senior and
Alberta Williams King.
MLK
Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) father was a Reverend (Priest)
MLK was such a good student, that he skipped grades 9 th and 12th and entered
Morehouse College at the age of 15.
MLK
After four years of school he graduated college at the age of 20 with a degree of
Sociology. (Study of the families and society)
Right when he graduated Morehouse College, he enrolled in another college to
pursue his Masters degree in Divinity (Studies about churches and religions)
AMERICA DURING THE 1950’S
Even though slavery has been abolished for a little under 100 years, there was still
massive segregation throughout America.
People, especially in the south were still extremely racist. There were “Jim Crow” laws
that were in effect on the state and local bases.
JIM CROW LAWS
Jim Crow laws segregated all public places, such as school, buses, restaurants,
bathrooms, water fountains and even the Military was segregated!
MLK INSPIRATION
During the 1950’s-1960’s there were violent protest and peaceful protest.
MLK studied and visited the ever so peaceful Mohandas Gandhi who was a peaceful
Indian protest. His people of India, were suffering the same way the African
American’s were under British control.
Gandhi went on a hunger strike in order to rally his nation to separate from the
British.
GHANDI
MLK’S RISE
Through his peaceful protest and powerful speeches, MLK began to gain notoriety.
(became famous)
MLK was interviewed with many famous Magazines and kept preaching to the people
that this racism must come to a peaceful end!
He was the forefront and considered the poster boy for the, Civil Rights Movement
MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT
On December 1rst, 1955, Rosa Parks, and elderly African American woman was
riding the bus and was sitting in a “whites only section.”
In a peaceful refusal, she did not move to the back of the bus.
She was arrested for breaking the “Jim Crow” laws.
ROSA PARKS AND MLK
MLK RISE
This was MLK’s defining moment of what he preached, peaceful protest.
With the backing of President Nixon, there was an African American Montgomery Bus
Boycott (refusal to partake) for 385 days.
MLK house was bombed due to his peaceful protest and was arrested unlawfully.
MLK
MLK created the “Southern Christian Leadership Conference.” (SCLC)
This groups main purpose was to peacefully support civil rights, with rallies and
protests. The group primarily contained African American churches from the
south.
AUGUST 28TH, 1963
MLK and the SCLC marched down to Washington D.C.
There goal was to tell the world what it was like being an African American in the
south, during that time period.
Also, there goal was the following….
THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON
End to racial segregation in public schools
Meaningful civil rights legislation, including a law prohibiting racial discrimination in
employment (jobs)
Protection of civil rights workers from police brutality
“I HAVE A DREAM”
This is the very day, that MLK stated his very famous, “I Have a Dream Speech.”
“Say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.
It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these
truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave
owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering
with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of
their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor
having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black
boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.”
MLK DURING HIS “I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH”
“BLOODY SUNDAY” MARCH 7TH, 1965
MLK and his group the SCLC wanted to protest about the civil rights by a march from
Selma, Alabama to the Montgomery (The Capitol)
This was a peaceful protest to gain Civil Rights.
Police Officers had to control violent protest against the SCLC
MLK ASSASSINATION
On March 29th, 1968 MLK went to Memphis, Tennessee to gain support for the
African American sanitary public workers.
These employees have been on strike because they wanted better wages.
On April 3rd, 1968 he addressed this crowd of workers with another one of his
speeches.
MLK ASSASSINATION
MLK was staying at the Lorraine Motel, room 306.
On April 4th, 1968 at 6:01 pm, MLK was outside on the balcony of his hotel.
He was shot and pronounced dead at the hospital at 7:05 pm.
HOTEL LORRAINE
AFTERMATH
Just three days after, the government passed a national law called the : Civil Rights
Act of 1968.
This law states that discrimination against race, religion or national origin is illegal
and can result in jail time.