Childhood

• Michael Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia.
• He was the son of Reverend Michael Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King.
• In the year of 1934, Michael Luther King Sr. went to a Fifth Baptist World Alliance Congress and learned about the German reformer Martin Luther. After this event, he legally changed both his and his son's name from Michael to Martin.
• King shared his childhood home with his two siblings, Christine and Alfred, his parents, and his grandparents.
• Father was a was the pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church and a civil rights leader in the early stage of the movement.
• Mother was was an accomplished organist and choir leader

Life in High School

• At the time, there were laws of segregation known as Jim Crow laws. These were laws that segregated black and white people
• Martin Luther King Jr. attended Booker T. Washington High School
• Martin excelled in his studies and even at an early age, was a very talented public speaker. He took part in many school debates.
• Martin was so intelligent, that he finished high school early and went on to Morehouse College in his junior year of high school.
• In his junior year of college, he went on to pursue a career in ministry

The Battle of Segregation

• Martin had battled segregation for his entire life
• Jim Crow laws
• Shoe Store example
• He had witnessed many racial events in his life, such as the Montgomery bus boycott. This event pushed him over the edge and he knew it was time to take a stand
• The night Rosa Parks was arrested, it was decided that Martin Luther King Jr. would lead the citywide bus boycott, which lasted 382 days

The Fight

• King and other civil rights leaders started working on preparing speeches and protests to end segregation
• In the Spring of 1693, Martin organized a peaceful protest in Birmingham, Alabama that turned violent
• Birmingham police came at supporters with police dogs and fire hoses
• King was arrested and jailed
• This event did not stop him
• While in jail, he continued to talk about his theory of nonviolence and equality among all people
• King and his supporters had already been planing the mass demonstration in Washington D.C.

'I Have a Dream'

• On August 28, 1963, King's march consisted of more than 200,000 people of all races at Lincoln Memorial where he gave the famous "I Have a Dream" speech
• His speech emphasized the idea that one day all people could come together regardless of the color of their skin
• One of the most famous quotes from this speech is, "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."
• This speech had a huge impact across the nation
• People from cities not experiencing racial tension began to take notice and take a stand against Jim Crow laws

The Result

• As a result of the many protests, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed
• This authorized the federal government to enforce the desegregation of public accommodations and outlawing discrimination in publicly owned facilities
• Although, the long term goal of ending segregation was reached, the struggles of racism were far from over
• King continued to lead marches and protests across the country

"The Bloody Sunday"

• Most people think that after the act was passed, the racial troubles went away but that is anything but the case
• On March 7, 1965, a televised march planned from Selma, AL to the capital turned violent
• Police met protesters with nightsticks and tear gas
• Many were bloodied and severely injured
• This violent event is known as "The Bloody Sunday"

The Asassination

• In the spring of 1968, a labor strike by Memphis Sanitation workers drew King to the city for a speech and protest
• The day after his speech, on April 4th, 1968, King was asassinated standing on the balcony outside the Lorraine Motel
• He was struck by a sniper's bullet from James Earl Ray
• This event caused riots in more than 100 cities across the nation
• Ray was sentenced to 99 years in prison and died there in April 23, 1998

Why is King viewed as a "Good Person"?

• King fought till the death for what he believed in regardless of what people thought and regardless of his well being
• He put others before himself. He put himself and his family in danger so that America could change forever
• He was harmed in every way but didn't stop until his job was done
• He accomplished so much but never even got to experience the benefits of all of his work that he dedicated his life to
• The world as we know it would be so different without his passion and persistence for equality among all
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day was celebrated yesterday as a reminder to all he has done for our country
• Today there are many schools and public places named after him