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Meet the civil rights leader in our Martin Luther King facts and discover how he changed history for millions of African-American people during the Civil Rights Movement&#;

Martin Luther King facts

Full name: Dr Martin Luther King Jr
Born: 15 January
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Occupation: Minister and activist.
Died: 4 April
Best known for: Campaigning for the rights of African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement of the s and s.

1) Martin Luther King Jr was born in the United States of America to African American parents.

Vuma mashinini biography of martin luther king day 2025 The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. January 15, —April 4, was the charismatic leader of the U. He directed the year-long Montgomery bus boycott , which attracted scrutiny by a wary, divided nation, but his leadership and the resulting Supreme Court ruling against bus segregation brought him fame. He formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to coordinate nonviolent protests and delivered over 2, speeches addressing racial injustice, but his life was cut short by an assassin in

At birth he was named Michael King, but his father later changed his name to Martin Luther King Jr.

2) When Martin Luther King was growing up, life was hard for African Americans. The Southern United States operated under the &#;Jim Crow laws&#; that kept black and white people separated in what was called &#;segregation&#;.

Black people had different schools, toilets and even sections of the bus to white people. They were also denied the right to vote in elections.

3) Martin Luther King had his first experience of segregation at just six years old, when he was told he wasn’t allowed to play with his white friend anymore &#; his friend&#;s father wouldn&#;t allow it!

4) His first major role in the Civil Rights Movement came in , after an African American lady &#; Rosa Parks &#; was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man on a bus.

This sparked outrage in the African American community and Martin helped to organise a boycott of the city&#;s buses. After days of protest, a court finally ruled that such segregation laws should no longer be recognised.

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5) Martin was a great believer in peaceful protest, inspired by the Indian activist Mahatma Gandhi.

His protests used no-violent tactics, even when the protesters themselves were met with violence from the police.

6) In , Martin gave his famous &#;I Have a Dream&#; speech, at a famous rally named &#;March on Washington.&#; Over , people gathered in the country&#;s capital to hear Martin and other activists speak about the importance of civil rights.

Vuma mashinini biography of martin luther king His passionate, but non-violent protests, helped to raise awareness of racial inequalities in America, leading to significant political change. Martin Luther King was also an eloquent orator who captured the imagination and hearts of people, both black and white. Martin Luther King, Jr. Both his father and grandfather were pastors in an African-American Baptist church. The philosophy of Gandhi tied in with the teachings of his Baptist faith.

It has become one of the most famous speeches in history and focuses on Martin&#;s dream of a society where black people and white people live together in harmony.

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Martin Luther King primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

7) In &#; 99 years after the abolition of slavery &#; the Civil Rights Act was passed, outlawing racial segregation and discrimination in the USA.

8) In October , Martin won the Nobel Peace Prize!

He was told over the phone whilst he was in bed suffering from exhaustion &#; it had been a long, hard fight for civil rights!

9) Tragically, Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated in in Tennessee, where he had given a speech the day before. He was standing on the balcony his hotel when he was shot.

Biography of john knox We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Day, the national holiday has never coincided with the inauguration of a non-incumbent president. That changes this year. Martin Luther King Jr. In , the holiday falls on January 20, the same day typically set aside for Inauguration Day every four years.

James Earl Ray was convicted of his murder and spent the rest of his life in prison, despite claiming to be innocent. James died in

10) Martin Luther King Jr is remembered for his tireless work during the Civil Rights Movement and his dream that one day everyone would be treated as equals. A statue built in his memory now stands in Washington D.C.

and each year, the third Monday in January is celebrated as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an American federal holiday.

Want to know more? Check out Nat Geo Kids&#; Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandelaarticles to learn about the vital work of these incredible activists.

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