Biography of Martin Luther King
Early Life
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta on 15 January 1929. Both his father and grandfather were pastors in an African-American Baptist church, King would also later follow them into the ministry. M.Luther King attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, (segregated schooling) and then went to study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and Boston University. It was at University that King became more aware of the civil rights struggle and he took the opportunity to study Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent strategy for social change. In 1953 King married Coretta Scott, who herself had many artistic and intellectual talents. The following year King became pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.
Montgomery Bus Boycott
A defining moment in the civil rights struggle was to a large degree instigated by M.Luther King who was the president of the Montgomery Improvement Association.
It began on 5 December 1955, when Rosa Parks a civil rights activist refused to given up her seat breaking the strict segregation on Montgomery's buses. King inspired black residents to launch a bus boycott which lasted well into 1956, this gained substantial media coverage and in Dec of the following year the United States Supreme Court declared the segregation unconstitutional and the buses were desegregated.
Civil Rights Movement.
Following the success of this action the civil rights movement gained strength. King and other minister founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957. There was often disagreement about how to proceed with different groups pursuing different strategies. This split would become more significant in the 1960 with substantial disagreements with groups such as Black Power and Malcom X' Black Nationalist groups.
Speeches of Martin Luther King Jr
Martin Luther King was one of the world's greatest orator. His deep and powerful voice was able to captivate audiences. His speeches caused him to become one of the most well known civil rights leaders. In 1963 he was named as Time's man of the Year. It was in August of 1963 that King delivered his famous and iconic "I have a Dream Speech". The speech was given at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C during the 250,000 march for civil rights.
Last Years
However his opposition to the Vietnam War in the later part of the 1960s caused friction and strained relations with the Johnson administration. It also led the FBI to seek to undermine King's leadership.
In April 1968 Martin Luther King delivered his final address "I've Been to the Mountaintop" whilst supporting striking sanitation workers in Memphis, The next day, 4 April 1968, King was assassinated.
To this day, King remains a potent symbol of the African American civil rights movement. His speeches offer a striking exposition of some of the ideals of the civil rights movement.
Related Tags: biography, martin luther king
R.Pettinger lives in Oxford where he is a member of the Sri Chinmoy Centre. He enjoys writing biography's of inspiring people. And edits a website called Biography Online. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Third Term - The Obasanjo Syndrome ... Ambition and the Place of God
I recently read a post in a blog (multibrand.blogspot.com) concerning President SBY of Indonesia amb - Black Veterans Still Not Receiving Their Due
With a Black President, many discussions have been re-kindled regarding the treatment of Blacks in v - Are Green Party Candidates Converting Voters?
Have you noticed that the Green Party Convention is hosting a few training sessions which include th - The National Debt: Young Americans Are Inheriting a Sinking Ship
The greatest fundamental weakness of the United States of America is its national debt. Debt weighs - America Must Return to Its Free Market Roots
The United States is the most prosperous country in the world. Its economy has been a constant engin - Policies Of President Obama And Democratic Congress Severely Undermine Job Opportunities For Young Americans
For Young Americans, this is the worst job market in decades. Despite politicians claiming we are on - The Virtues Of A Limited Federal Government And Why America Must Return To The Limited Federal Republic Laid Out In The Constitution
I consider the foundation of the Constitution . . . that 'all powers not delegated to the United Sta - Young Americans Have Largest Stake In Maintaining A Strong Military And Effective Homeland Security Policies
Americans are truly blessed to live in a country protected by the most powerful and effective milita - Why Hitler Wanted To Ban Guns
Whenever the name Adolf Hitler is mentioned one automatically makes a connection to the Holocaust, N - What Happened To The Mohave County Downwinders?
I always get a bit frustrated when I hear that the reason Mohave County was excluded from the Radiat
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Designer Shoes Come First In Global Poll Of Most Wanted Accessories
For both men and women, shoes have long been an essential fashion item. In fact, many women in popul - New US Ambassador for Indonesia Named
The US government has appointed Cameron R. Hume as the next ambassador to Indonesia, reliable source - 1984 By George Orwell
1984 by George Orwell In the book "1984" Orwell criticizes totalitarianism of all types and brings - Chaos Theory: Bush's delusions & Iraq's destiny (Part 2)
The classic counter-insurgency strategy of the US consists of the "ink-blotch" approach. This involv - Will Israel Attack Iran (Part 2)
In November of last year, I wrote an article speculating about whether or not the Israelis would tak - Rodrigues Island 'autonomy'
Rodrigues Island: 'Autonomy' The first few pages were qui - Obama Is Coming, Clear The Way!
"Obama biro, yawne yo!" (Obama is coming, clear the way)—Tens of thousands of cheering Luo "Tr - African Tribes
African Tribes In this article the economies and lifestyles of such African tribes as the Lele and - This Is Not Your Dad's Republican Party Anymore
Stock markets are strange because they reflect the sum total of all our hopes, fears and prejudices - How to Drastically Reduce our Foreign Oil Dependency While Saving you Money at the Pump
If you watch or listen to the news, discussions come up all the time about the price of a barrel of