Early Life and Education
Martin Luther King Jr. was born Michael King on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. He skipped both ninth and 12th grade and entered Morehouse College at age 15. He later earned a doctorate in systematic theology from Boston University.
Leadership in the Civil Rights Movement
King became a central leader of the American civil rights movement. He advocated nonviolent protest inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. In 1963, he led the March on Washington, where he delivered the famous "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Legacy and Recognition
King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his nonviolent resistance to racial inequality. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. His birthday is observed as a federal holiday in the United States, and his work continues to influence civil rights movements worldwide. Learn more about his life and legacy at the King Center https://thekingcenter.org/.
