Martin Luther King Jr. Biography: Baptist clergyman and social activist Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, although he continued to play a significant role in the American civil rights movement until the mid-1950s. Through nonviolent protest, King fought for the rights to equality and human dignity for African Americans, the underprivileged, and all other victims of injustice. He was the impetus behind historic occasions like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington, which contributed to the passage of important laws like the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed annually on January 26 in the United States and has been a federal holiday since 1986. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
Martin Luther King Jr. Biography:
Early Life
Alberta Williams King and Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. welcomed their son Martin Luther King, Jr. into the world on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. At birth, King was given the same name as his father, Michael King. However, in 1934, the elder King changed the names of both himself and his son following a period of slow transition.
Martin Luther King Jr Career
Between his younger brother A.D. King and his older sister Christine King Farris, King was the middle child. He loved music and singing, and he performed with his church choir at the 1939 Atlanta premiere of the movie “Gone with the Wind.” King made friends with a white youngster when he was younger, whose father had a store close to King’s home. The boys began school when they were six years old. King attended an African American school, while his companion attended a school reserved for white students. Because the boy’s father didn’t want his son to play with a black child, their friendship came to an end.
Dr. King completed his dissertation, “A Comparison of the Conceptions of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman,” for his doctorate in systematic theology from Boston University in 1955. King worked as an assistant preacher at Boston’s historic Twelfth Baptist Church while completing his doctoral studies. Reverend William Hunter Hester, King’s father’s longtime friend, had a significant influence on the young man. In 1955, Rosa Parks and fifteen-year-old black schoolgirl Claudette Colvin both refused to give up their bus seats to white males. A few months later, Colvin also died. This resulted in the Montgomery bus boycott, which King spearheaded and Edgar Daniel Nixon organized. His involvement in the bus boycott made him a household name and the most well-known representative of the civil rights movement.
Martin Luther King Jr. Biography: Net Worth and Height
| Name |
Martin Luther King, Jr. |
| Date of Birth | January 15, 1929 |
| Death Age | April 4, 1968 (age 39) |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
| Height | 5′ 7″ |
| Relationship Status | – |
| Net Worth | $250,000 |
| Social Media | – |
The Significance of Martin Luther King, Jr.
He dreamed.
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech was only one part of a dream he believed would one day come true. He worked to abolish segregation and establish a society in which individuals were valued for who they were rather than the color of their skin.
He gave the country inspiration.
King’s comments kindled the light inside the hearts of all activists waiting for the appropriate opportunity to make a difference, even if he couldn’t transform the world on his own. As a leader, he motivated a great number of people around the country to strive for equality.
Without him, we wouldn’t have met some of our closest friends.
The individuals in your friend group likely come from a variety of backgrounds, religions, and races. You would not have had these pals in your life if it weren’t for Dr. King and those who share his vision!
5 facts About Martin Luther King Jr
The push to create a new national holiday got underway.
Even though there was a push shortly after Martin Luther King Jr.’s death for a federal holiday honoring him, it wasn’t until 2000 that the holiday was formally honored in all 50 states.
In the House, the first bill was defeated.
In 1979, the U.S. House of Representatives had its first vote on the bill, but the outcome fell five votes short of the required majority for passage.
Campaign fervor increased with celebrity endorsements.
In 1980, artist Stevie Wonder recorded the track “Happy Birthday” to promote the King Center’s campaign after it had asked for support from the business community and the general public.
Certain states postponed renaming holidays.
For instance, the state legislature of New Hampshire did not vote to rename the event known as Civil Rights Day to Martin Luther King Day until 1999.
The last state officially recognized MLK Day.
When Utah formally renamed Human Rights Day to Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2000, it became the final state to honor King.
