“The definition of a leader is a person who leads or commands a group, organization,
or country”; however, the real definition should be Martin Luther King Jr.
KING’S EARLY LIFE:
• Born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929
• He was the son and grandson of black preachers
• King was a religion skeptic throughout high school
• Although, college changed his mind about religion and
God
• He then started working as an assistant pastor at his
childhood church, Ebenezer Baptist Church.
• His religious heritage greatly influenced King’s
worldview, preaching, and ministry
CONTINUED LIFE: (WORK EXPERIENCE)
• Attended Morehouse University in 1944 at the age of
15
• After 4 years at Morehouse, he headed to Crozer
Theological Seminary and Boston University
• 1954, King completed his doctorate at Boston
University
• In September 1954, King was asked to serve as a fulltime pastor of The Dexter Avenue Baptist Church
DEVOTED LEADER TO CIVIL RIGHTS:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Strong advocate for Civil Rights
A member of the executive
committee of the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People
President of the Montgomery
Improvement Association (MIA)
Member of Southern Christian
Leadership Conference
Delivered speeches to
graduates, including graduates
of Alabama State College and
NAACP.
Participated in meetings with
President Eisenhower and took
advantage of opportunities to
speak on the national stage.
AN IMMENSE PROPONENT OF PEACE:
• Used nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian
beliefs
• King wanted peace among everyone
• Expanded his Civil Rights and Peace lectures into many
other cities
• Lectured about race-related issues with Civil Rights leaders
• King organized huge protests in the nation’s capital
• His “I Have a Dream” speech conveyed that all men could
be brothers and King wanted peaceful change
RECEIVED PRIZES FOR BEING AN ASTONISHING
PEACEMAKER:
• Received the Nobel Peace Prize
• Turned over the money he received from the Nobel Peace Prize to
the furtherance of the Civil Rights Movement
• Named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963
• Awarded the John Dewey Award from the United Federation of
Teachers
• Russwurm Award from the National Newspaper Publishers in
1957
• Marcus Garvey Prize for Human Rights presented by the
Jamaican Government in 1968
DEATH AND AFTER LIFE:
•
King received frequent death threats due to his prominence in the civil rights
movement. As a consequence of these threats, he confronted death and made it
a central part of his philosophy. He taught that murder could not stop the struggle
for equal rights
•
While standing on a balcony outside his room at the Lorraine Motel, Martin Luther
King Jr. was struck by a sniper's bullet. The shooter, a malcontent drifter and
former convict named James Earl Ray, was eventually apprehended after a twomonth, international manhunt
•
The killing sparked riots and demonstrations in more than 100 cities across the
country
•
Years after his death, he is the most widely known African-American leader of his
era.
•
His life and work have been honored with a national holiday, schools and public
buildings named after him, and a memorial on Independence Mall in Washington,
D.C.
RESOURCES:
•
Lewis, David. “King, Martin Luther, Jr.” Britannica Biographies 1 March. 2012: 5-1. EBSCO Host.
Web. 1 March 2014
•
Jackson, Tray and Introduction by Clayborne. Becoming King. Lexington, Kentucky: The University
Press of Kentucky, 2008. Print.
•
Branch, Taylor. The King Years. New York, New York: Simon and Schuster, 2013. Print.
•
“Martin Luther King Jr.” Bio.com. 9365086. A&E Networks Television. n.d. Web. 1 March. 2014
•
Daniels, Greg. "The Office." Goodbye, Michael. Dir. Paul Feig. National Broadcasting Company. 28
Apr. 2011. Television.
•
I Have A Dream Speech "Martin Luther King Jr. Online.". N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
•
"Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Day of Service | PLNDR Blog:." PLNDR Blog Martin Luther King Jr Day
Day of Service Comments. N.p., n.d. Digital Image. 07 May 2014.
•
"500 or Less: MLK’s Impact on My Life." Jones and B. N.p., n.d. Digital Image. 08 May 2014.
•
"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." Voice of Moore County Dr Martin Luther King Jr Comments. N.p., n.d.
Digital Image. 08 May 2014.