Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr., an iconic figure in the American civil rights movement, was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. His father was a Baptist minister and his mother was a schoolteacher. Both instilled in him a strong sense of self-worth and faith. King's childhood was steeped in the African-American Baptist church community, shaping his world views and sowing the seeds of his future activism. Devoted to his studies, King graduated from Morehouse College in 1948 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, later earning a Bachelor of Divinity from Crozer Theological Seminary in 1951 and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Boston University in 1955. King's leadership in the Civil Rights Movement commenced with his involvement in the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, sparked by Rosa Parks's refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger. As president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, King utilized the principles of nonviolent protest, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy. His stirring speeches and peaceful protests brought national attention to the movement. During this period, King penned his famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail," a poignant defense of nonviolent resistance to racism. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s most famous moment came during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in August 1963. Here he delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech, calling for an end to racism and envisioning a future where people would be judged by their character, not their skin color. King's relentless pursuit of equality earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. On April 4, 1968, King's life was tragically cut short when he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. His legacy continues to inspire and influence social justice movements globally.

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