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2024-09-22 08:21:10

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Prominent civil rights leader and activist.
Prominent civil rights leader and activist.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a key figure in the American civil rights movement, advocating for racial equality through nonviolent resistance. He led marches, boycotts, and protests, and delivered his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. His assassination in 1968 sparked national mourning and riots.

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The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute is dedicated to the study and advancement of the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. It is an important center for research and education on civil rights and social justice.

1929-01-15
Birth of Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and became a prominent leader in the civil rights movement, advocating for nonviolent resistance and equality for all.

1944-09-20
King's Freshman Year at Morehouse College

Martin Luther King, Jr. begins his freshman year at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

1946-08-06
Publication of King's Letter to the Editor

The Atlanta Constitution publishes King’s letter to the editor expressing that black people are entitled to the basic rights and opportunities of American citizens.

1948-02-25
Ordination to the Baptist Ministry

On February 25, 1948, at the age of 19, Martin Luther King, Jr. was ordained to the Baptist ministry.

1948-06-08
King's Graduation from Morehouse College

King receives his bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Morehouse College.

1948-09-14
King's Enrollment at Crozer Theological Seminary

King begins his studies at Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania.

1951-05-06
King's Graduation from Crozer Theological Seminary

King graduates from Crozer Theological Seminary with a bachelor of divinity degree, delivering the valedictory address at commencement.

1953-06-18
Marriage of King and Coretta Scott

On June 18, 1953, King and Coretta Scott were married at the Scott home near Marion, Alabama, marking the beginning of a significant partnership in King's personal and public life.

1954-09-01
King begins pastorate at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church

On September 1, 1954, King commenced his pastorate at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, a pivotal role that provided him with a platform to advocate for civil rights and social justice.

1955-06-05
Receives Doctorate of Philosophy

On June 5, 1955, Martin Luther King, Jr. received a Doctorate of Philosophy in Systematic Theology from Boston University, with a dissertation titled 'A Comparison of the Conception of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Weiman'.

1955-11-17
Birth of Yolanda Denise King

On November 17, 1955, Yolanda Denise King, the first child of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, was born, marking a joyous moment in the King family's personal life.

1955-12-01
Montgomery Bus Boycott Begins

On December 1, 1955, Martin Luther King, Jr. emerged as a prominent leader during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the civil rights movement.

1955-12-05
Elected President of the Montgomery Improvement Association

On December 5, 1955, Martin Luther King, Jr. was elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, becoming the official spokesperson for the bus boycott after Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1.

1956-01-27
Threatening phone call and spiritual revelation

On January 27, 1956, King received a threatening phone call, which led to a spiritual revelation that strengthened his resolve to continue his nonviolent pursuit of civil rights despite persecution, as documented in his later account in Stride Toward Freedom.

1956-01-30
Bombing of King's home

On January 30, 1956, King's home was bombed while he was speaking at a mass meeting, but his wife and daughter remained unharmed. King's subsequent address to the gathered crowd emphasized the importance of nonviolence, showcasing his unwavering commitment to peaceful activism.

1956-12-20
Montgomery City Lines Resumes Full Service

The Montgomery City Lines resumes full service on all routes, allowing King to be among the first passengers to ride the buses in an integrated fashion.

1957-01-10
King Named Chairman of the Southern Negro Leaders Conference

Southern black ministers meet in Atlanta to share strategies in the fight against segregation, and King is named chairman of the Southern Negro Leaders Conference on Transportation and Nonviolent Integration, later known as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

1957-01-30
Martin Luther King, Jr. Establishes SCLC

On January 30, 1957, Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights leaders established the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to coordinate and support nonviolent protests and civil rights efforts.

1957-02-18
King Appears on the Cover of Time Magazine

Martin Luther King appears on the cover of Time magazine.

1957-03-06
King Attends Independence Celebrations of Ghana

King attends the independence celebrations of the new nation of Ghana in West Africa and meets with Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah.

1957-05-17
King Delivers 'Give Us The Ballot' Address

At the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., King delivers his first national address, 'Give Us The Ballot,' at the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom.

1957-06-13
King and Ralph D. Abernathy Meet with Vice President Richard M. Nixon

King and Ralph D. Abernathy meet with Vice President Richard M. Nixon and issue a statement on their meeting.

1957-10-23
Birth of Martin Luther King III

Coretta King gives birth to their second child, Martin Luther King III.

1958-06-23
Civil Rights Leaders Meet with President Dwight D. Eisenhower

King and other civil rights leaders meet with President Dwight D. Eisenhower in Washington.

1958-09-17
Publication of 'Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story'

King's first book, 'Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story,' is published.

1958-09-20
Martin Luther King, Jr. stabbed in Harlem

During a book signing at Blumstein’s Department Store in Harlem, New York, King is stabbed by Izola Ware Curry. He is rushed to Harlem Hospital, where a team of doctors successfully remove a seven-inch letter opener from his chest.

1959-02-03
King visits India and meets with Prime Minister Nehru

King embarks on a month-long visit to India, where he meets with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and many of Gandhi’s followers.

1960-02-01
King moves to Atlanta to devote more time to SCLC

King moves from Montgomery to Atlanta to devote more time to SCLC and the freedom struggle. He becomes assistant pastor to his father at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

1960-05-25
King found not guilty of tax fraud

King is found not guilty of tax fraud by a white jury in Montgomery.

1960-06-23
King meets privately with John F. Kennedy

King meets privately in New York with Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy.

1960-10-19
King arrested during sit-in demonstration at Rich’s department store

King is arrested during a sit-in demonstration at Rich’s department store in Atlanta. He is sentenced to four months of hard labor for violating probation conditions he had received earlier that year for driving with an out-of-state driver’s license. He is released on $2000 bond on 27 October.

1961-01-31
Birth of Dexter Scott King

Dexter Scott, King’s third child, is born.

1961-05-21
King addresses a mass rally in Montgomery

After the initial group of Freedom Riders seeking to integrate bus terminals is assaulted in Alabama, King addresses a mass rally at a mob-besieged Montgomery church.

1962
Arrest of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Albany, Georgia

During the unsuccessful Albany, Georgia movement, Martin Luther King, Jr. is arrested on July 27 and imprisoned, reflecting the ongoing challenges faced in the struggle for civil rights.

1963-04-12
Arrest of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ralph Abernathy in Birmingham

On Good Friday, April 12, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ralph Abernathy are arrested by Police Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor for demonstrating without a permit, highlighting the continued resistance to the civil rights movement.

1963-04-16
Letter from Birmingham Jail

King writes an open letter from the Birmingham jail, explaining his philosophy of nonviolence and why he would continue to protest after participating in a campaign in Birmingham to end segregation.

1963-05-03
Birmingham Campaign and 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'

In May 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famous 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' while leading the Birmingham Campaign, advocating for nonviolent protest against racial segregation.

1963-05-07
Conflict in Birmingham Reaches Its Peak

The conflict in Birmingham reaches its peak when high-pressure fire hoses force demonstrators from the business district. Police Commissioner Eugene 'Bull' Connor employs aggressive tactics to disperse the demonstrators.

1963-08-28
March on Washington

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This event is considered a landmark moment in the civil rights movement.

1963-09-18
Eulogy for Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing Victims

Martin Luther King delivers the eulogy at the funerals of three of the four children killed during the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham on September 15. The fourth victim, Carole Robertson, is buried in a separate ceremony.

1964-01-03
Time Magazine's 'Man of the Year'

Martin Luther King is named 'Man of the Year' by Time Magazine.

1964-01-18
Meeting with President Lyndon B. Johnson

President Lyndon B. Johnson meets with Martin Luther King, Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, and James Farmer to seek support for his War on Poverty initiative.

1964-06-11
Publication of King's book Why We Can’t Wait

Martin Luther King's book Why We Can’t Wait is published.

1964-07-02
King attends the signing ceremony of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Dr. King attends the signing ceremony of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 at the White House on July 2.

1964-07-20
King's arrest in St. Augustine, Florida

Martin Luther King is arrested and jailed for demanding service at a white-only restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida.

1964-10-14
Nobel Prize for Peace

King is announced as the winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace.

1964-11-18
Launch of People-to-People tour of Mississippi

King and SCLC staff launch a People-to-People tour of Mississippi to assist the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in the Mississippi Freedom Summer campaign.

1964-12-01
King criticizes FBI and Hoover's response

After King criticizes the FBI’s failure to protect civil rights workers, the agency’s director J. Edgar Hoover denounces King as “the most notorious liar in the country.”

1964-12-10
Nobel Peace Prize

Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent resistance to racial prejudice in America.

1965-02-02
King arrested in Selma, Alabama

On February 2, Dr. King is arrested in Selma, Alabama during a voting rights demonstration.

1965-03-07
Bloody Sunday at the Edmund Pettus Bridge

In an event that will become known as “Bloody Sunday,” voting rights marchers are beaten at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, as they attempt to march to Montgomery.

1965-03-21
Selma to Montgomery March

King leads the historic Selma March as part of an effort to register Black voters in Alabama, which directly leads to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

1966-01-22
King moves into a Chicago slum tenement

On January 22, Dr. King moves into a Chicago slum tenement to attract attention to the living condition of the poor.

1966-07-10
Campaign to End Discrimination in Chicago

On July 10, 1966, Martin Luther King launches a campaign in Chicago to put an end to discrimination in housing, employment, and schools.

1967-11-27
Inception of the Poor People’s Campaign

On November 27, 1967, Martin Luther King announces the inception of the Poor People’s Campaign, focusing on jobs and freedom for the poor of all races.

1968
With King through India: A Personal Memoir

A memoir by Reddick in 1968 detailing personal experiences with Martin Luther King, Jr. during his visit to India.

1968-03-28
King leads march in Memphis

Martin Luther King, Jr. leads a march of six thousand protesters in support of striking sanitation workers in Memphis. The march turns violent and King is rushed from the scene.

1968-04
Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr., is assassinated in April 1968.

1968-04-03
King delivers 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech

During an evening rally at Mason Temple in Memphis, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his final speech, 'I've Been to the Mountaintop.'

1968-04-04
Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is shot and killed while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.

1968-04-09
Burial of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is buried in Atlanta.

1983
Establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day

The U.S. Congress establishes Martin Luther King, Jr., Day as a national holiday to be celebrated annually on the third Monday in January.

1986-01-20
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Established

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday in the United States, was established on the third Monday of January to honor the civil rights leader's contributions to equality and justice.

1986-11-02
National Holiday Proclaimed in King's Honor

On November 2, a national holiday is proclaimed in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. This recognition reflects the significance of King's contributions and impact on American society.

2011-10-16
Dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, located in Washington D.C., was dedicated on October 16, 2011, to honor the legacy of the iconic civil rights leader.

2023-06-06
Last Updated

The website was last updated on June 6, 2023 at 8:54 AM.

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Martin Luther King, Jr.
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