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Today we're going to learn about the civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr, best known for his non-violent protests and speeches calling
for equality for all people, was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the
second of three children, born to a Baptist preacher.
At the time, less than 70 years after slavery was made illegal in the United States, things
were still hard for black Americans. Many people were unhappy when slavery was ended,
and lawmakers in some places, especially southern states, made special rules to keep white people
and black people apart. People of different races had to use different drinking fountains,
different bathrooms, and even had to go to different schools. The Supreme Court ruled
that it was legal as long as things were 'separate but equal.' This separation between people
of different colors was called 'segregation.'
This was the atmosphere that young Martin Luther King grew up in. He attended a segregated
school, where he did so well that he was able to skip two grades and graduate at the age
of 15. Shortly after graduating he began studying at Morehouse College, and he graduated with
a degree in sociology in 1948. He had decided to become a minister, like his father, and
so he enrolled in a Seminary to study religion. In 1951, Martin Luther King, Jr. graduated
from the seminary, the top in his class.
On June 18, 1953, King married Coretta Scott, with whom he would have four children.
He continued his education by studying for his doctorate at Boston College, and in 1954
he became the pastor of a Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1955, he recieved
his Ph.D. when he was only 25 years old.
In December of 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man,
for which she was arrested and spent the night in jail. Martin Luther King and other civil
rights leaders organized a boycott of the bus system. This meant that the people who
wanted things to change would stop riding the bus. The Montgomery bus boycott lasted
over a year, and so many people refused to ride the busses that the bus companies lost
a lot of money. In December of 1956, the Supreme Court ruled that segregated busses were unconstitutional.
This was a major victory for the Civil Rights movement and it proved that peaceful methods
could create change. However, many people were upset by the changes that were happening,
and Martin Luther King was nationally recognized after his part in the bus boycott. He was
jailed over 20 times, stabbed, his house was bombed, and he was frequently threatened - but
he never stopped calling for equality.
Between 1957 and 1968, King worked tirelessly to promote civil rights. He travelled all
over, giving thousands of speeches, writing five books, and many articles. His hard work
and speaking ability earned him respect and a personal meeting with President John F.
Kennedy.
Of all his speeches, his most memorable was the "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered on
the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 to a listening crowd of 250,000 people.
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will
not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have
a dream today!"
That year, Martin Luther King was named Time magazine's man of the year, and in 1964 he
received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Around the same time, partially as a result of his efforts, Congress passed the Civil
Rights Act, which made segregation and discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national
origin illegal.
King gave his final speech on April 3, 1968.
"I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight,
that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!"
The next day, while he was standing on his hotel balcony, Martin Luther King, Jr. was
shot and killed. He was 39 years old.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a national holiday to remember
King's life and accomplishments. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated on the third Monday
every January in honor of the man whose dream of peace and equality helped change a nation.
I hope you enjoyed learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. today. Goodbye till next time!