
M artin Luther King, Jr., (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) was born Michael Luther King, Jr., but later had his name changed to Martin.
What is Martin Luther King's full name?
Martin Luther King, Jr., original name Michael King, Jr., (born January 15, 1929, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. —died April 4, 1968, Memphis, Tennessee ), Baptist minister and social activist who led the civil rights movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968.
What does MLK stand for?
Martin Luther King Jr. Jump to navigation Jump to search. U.S. civil rights movement leader. Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.
What is Martin Luther King known for?
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an African American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the American civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.
Was Martin Luther King a Baptist preacher?
Even after becoming a civil rights leader and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, in the “quiet recesses” of his heart Martin Luther King, Jr., remained a Baptist preacher.
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Is Martin Luther King Jr named after Martin Luther?
King's birth name was Michael, not Martin. In 1934, however, his father, a pastor at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church, traveled to Germany and became inspired by the Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther. As a result, King Sr. changed his own name as well as that of his 5-year-old son (from history.com).
Why did Martin Luther King Jr change his name?
As, for instance, the name change to "Martin Luther King." It was a gesture — to the larger world church of which he was a part, and also to the issues of equality that, he would have seen firsthand, were world issues.
What is the correct title for Martin Luther King Jr?
Martin Luther King, Jr.
What did Martin Luther King stand for?
No figure is more closely identified with the mid-20th century struggle for civil rights than Martin Luther King, Jr. His adoption of nonviolent resistance to achieve equal rights for Black Americans earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
What was Martin Luther King famous for?
Martin Luther King, Jr., is a civil rights legend. In the mid-1950s, Dr. King led the movement to end segregation and counter prejudice in the United States through the means of peaceful protest. His speeches—some of the most iconic of the 20th century—had a profound effect on the national consciousness.
Why does Arizona not celebrate MLK Day?
Governor Bruce Babbitt declared Martin Luther King Jr. Day an Arizona holiday in March 18, 1986, but his proclamation was repealed by Governor Mecham in 1987 on the grounds Babbitt did not have the authority to declare such a holiday.
Is it Dr REV or REV DR?
Spell out the complete word "Reverend" and precede it by "The." For example: "The Reverend John Smith." If the Reverend is a doctor, it is acceptable to abbreviate the word "doctor" as "Dr." For example: "The Reverend Dr.
Did MLK say the time is always right to do right?
Dr. King believed that “The Time Is Always Right To Do What Is Right”. On February 6, 1968 in his speech in Washington, D.C., “A Proper Sense of Priorities”, Dr.
How Martin Luther King Jr changed the world?
MLK helped bring about the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Each of these bills helped African Americans access civil rights across the country. King's speeches and writings allow us to continue learning from his beliefs and practices today.
Who eulogized Martin Luther King?
Minister Benjamin MaysFive days after the Rev. Martin Luther King's assassination in Memphis on April 4, 1968, Baptist Minister Benjamin Mays delivered the eulogy — the only such speech in the public funeral service — for the champion of nonviolent resistance.
Why did Martin Luther King Jr fight for civil rights?
Martin Luther King Jr. sought to raise the public consciousness of racism, to end racial discrimination and segregation in the United States. While his goal was racial equality, King plotted out a series of smaller objectives that involved local grassroots campaigns for equal rights for African Americans.
How old was Martin Luther King Jr when he died?
39 years (1929–1968)Martin Luther King Jr. / Age at deathThe civil rights leader was in Memphis to support a sanitation workers' strike and was on his way to dinner when a bullet struck him in the jaw and severed his spinal cord. King was pronounced dead after his arrival at a Memphis hospital. He was 39 years old.
What did Martin Luther King, Jr., do?
Martin Luther King, Jr., was a Baptist minister and social rights activist in the United States in the 1950s and ’60s. He was a leader of the Ameri...
What is Martin Luther King, Jr., known for?
Martin Luther King, Jr., is known for his contributions to the American civil rights movement in the 1960s. His most famous work is his “I Have a D...
Who did Martin Luther King, Jr., influence and in what ways?
Martin Luther King, Jr., influenced people around the world. He advocated for peaceful approaches to some of society’s biggest problems. He organiz...
What was Martin Luther King’s family life like?
Martin Luther King, Jr., grew up as the middle child of Michael (later Martin Luther) King, Sr., and Alberta Williams King. His father was the mini...
How did Martin Luther King, Jr., die?
Martin Luther King, Jr., was standing on a motel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, when he was shot by James Earl Ray. An hour later...
What party was Martin Luther King in?
When Martin Luther King was active, his efforts along with the Republican Party ’s efforts (n
What was Martin Luther King's purpose in the 16th century?
Martin Luther in the 16th Century was the Reformer of the Catholic Church which founded the Protestant Church. Martin Luther King 20th Century was a social activitist who campaigned the American Society in favor of Equal Rights for Black Americans. Their purposes are entirely different.
What were the two major movements that Luther led?
Both would lead large movements. Luther starting a Protestant Reformation and the founding of a new religion named after him, and King the Civil Rights movement . Luther would be excommunicated from the Catholic Church, while King was executed by an assassin.
Who was the first civil rights leader to become a politician?
There are many former civil rights leaders that became politicians, but none come close to holding a candle to King. Martin Luther King was one of a kind, who too briefly coalesced the civil rights movement, and with the help of LBJ moved the black movement for equality leaps and bounds forward.
Is King vs X a false dichotomy?
I think it’s important to consider the fact that there were never simply two ideas in conflict about how black Americans should and eventually would succeed. So King vs X is false dichotomy but it could be useful for instructional purposes.
Is "Jr" an initial?
So technically Jr would be added to his name. But when people use his initials, Jr is seldom added.
Does the King family have transcripts?
The King family website continues to host the transcript to the trial. (Edited to add — OK, the link no longer works. I used to be able to find the transcript on the website through an external google search. Not at the moment.) Here’s another host:
How old was Martin Luther King Jr. when he was born?
King's birth certificate was altered to read "Martin Luther King Jr." on July 23, 1957, when he was 28 years old.
Who is MLK?
For other uses, see Martin Luther King (disambiguation) and MLK (disambiguation). Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson ...
What university did Martin Luther King attend?
In the United Kingdom, The Northumbria and Newcastle Universities Martin Luther King Peace Committee exists to honor King's legacy, as represented by his final visit to the UK to receive an honorary degree from Newcastle University in 1967.
Where was Michael King Jr. born?
King was born Michael King Jr. on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, the second of three children to the Reverend Michael King and Alberta King ( née Williams). King's mother named him Michael, which was entered onto the birth certificate by the attending physician. King's older sister is Christine King Farris and his younger brother was Alfred Daniel "A.D." King. King's maternal grandfather Adam Daniel Williams, who was a minister in rural Georgia, moved to Atlanta in 1893, and became pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in the following year. Williams was of African-Irish descent. Williams married Jennie Celeste Parks, who gave birth to King's mother, Alberta. King's father was born to sharecroppers, James Albert and Delia King of Stockbridge, Georgia. In his adolescent years, King Sr. left his parents' farm and walked to Atlanta where he attained a high school education. King Sr. then enrolled in Morehouse College and studied to enter the ministry. King Sr. and Alberta began dating in 1920, and married on November 25, 1926. Until Jennie's death in 1941, they lived together on the second floor of her parent's two-story Victorian house, where King was born.
Where did King Sr go?
In 1934, the church sent King Sr. on a multinational trip to Rome, Tunisia, Egypt, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, then Berlin for the meeting of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA). The trip ended with visits to sites in Berlin associated with the Reformation leader, Martin Luther.
Where is Martin Luther King Jr.'s memorial?
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was dedicated in 2011.
Who was Martin Luther King Jr.'s first advisor on nonviolence?
We can very well set a mood of peace out of which a system of peace can be built. —Martin Luther King Jr. Veteran African-American civil rights activist Bayard Rustin was King's first regular advisor on nonviolence. King was also advised by the white activists Harris Wofford and Glenn Smiley.
Who was Martin Luther King's father?
Martin Luther King, Jr., grew up as the middle child of Michael (later Martin Luther) King, Sr., and Alberta Williams King. His father was the minister of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta—the same church where Martin Luther King, Jr., would eventually minister. In 1953 King married Coretta Scott, and the two had four children: Yolanda, ...
How did Martin Luther King influence the world?
Martin Luther King, Jr., influenced people around the world. He advocated for peaceful approaches to some of society’s biggest problems. He organized a number of marches and protests and was a key figure in the American civil rights movement.
Why is MLK Day of Service celebrated?
The holiday honoring King is often celebrated as the MLK Day of Service, a reflection of his legacy of addressing social problems through collective action.
When did Martin Luther become a monk?
But when he feared he might die in a severe thunderstorm, Luther the law student vowed to become Luther the monk. He entered Erfurt’s Augustinian monastery in 1505 and was ordained a priest in 1507.
How old was Martin Luther King when he was assassinated?
And he did it all for the love of Jesus Christ and for the love of neighbor. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated on April 4, 1968. He was 39 years old.
What made Martin Luther a bestseller?
Words such as these made Luther into a bestselling author thanks to the newly invented Gutenberg printing press. Several months after he was excommunicated in 1521, Luther appeared at the Diet of Worms before the Holy Roman Emperor. Luther refused to recant his writings.
What was Martin Luther's greatest project?
Alone, he sank into a depression but began his greatest project – a translation of the Bible into the German language. The rest, as they say, is history (i.e., The Protestant Reformation). Collect for Martin Luther. O God, our refuge and our strength: You raised up your servant Martin Luther to reform and renew your Church in the light of your word.
What did Martin Luther say on his knees?
He ascended the Santa Scala on his knees, saying the Lord’s Prayer on each step to release his grandfather from purgatory. Afterwards, he asked himself, “Who knows if it is really true?”
Where did Martin Luther go to get his doctorate?
He tried to be the perfect monk, yet his conscience remained troubled. Finally, Luther was sent to the Augustinian monastery in Wittenberg in 1511 and earned his doctorate in 1512.
When did Martin Luther nail 95 theses?
Luther’s anger at Tetzel’s theology and business practices led to his nailing of 95 theses on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg on the eve of All Saints’ Day, October 31, 1517 (or at the very least he sent a copy of them to his bishop – yes, there is a nailing vs. “mailing” only dispute).
How many children did the King family have?
Like many families, the Kings were poor; the county tax lists record little personal property for James King. The family of Delia and James King included nine children. Michael King (who later changed his name to Martin Luther King, Sr.), was born on 19 December 1897, the second child and first son.
Was Martin Luther King a Baptist?
Even after becoming a civil rights leader and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, in the “quiet recesses” of his heart Martin Luther King, Jr., remained a Baptist preacher.
Who was Martin Luther King Jr.'s wife?
The bill also established the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission to oversee observance of the holiday, and Coretta Scott King, King's wife, was made a member of this commission for life by President George H. W. Bush in May 1989.
Who made Martin Luther King Jr. a national holiday?
The idea of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a holiday was promoted by labor unions in contract negotiations. After King's death, U.S. Representative John Conyers (a Democrat from Michigan) and U.S. Senator Edward Brooke (a Republican from Massachusetts) introduced a bill in Congress to make King's birthday a national holiday.
What year did Arizona make MLK Day a paid holiday?
In 1986, Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt, a Democrat, created a paid state MLK holiday in Arizona by executive order just before he left office, but in 1987, his Republican successor Evan Mecham, citing an attorney general's opinion that Babbitt's order was illegal, reversed Babbitt's decision days after taking office. Later that year, Mecham proclaimed the third Sunday in January to be "Martin Luther King Jr./Civil Rights Day" in Arizona, albeit as an unpaid holiday. In 1990, Arizona voters were given the opportunity to vote on giving state employees a paid MLK holiday. That same year, the National Football League threatened to move Super Bowl XXVII, which was planned for Arizona in 1993, if the MLK holiday was voted down. In the November election, the voters were offered two King Day options: Proposition 301, which replaced Columbus Day on the list of paid state holidays, and Proposition 302, which merged Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays into one paid holiday to make room for MLK Day. Both measures failed to pass, with only 49% of voters approving Prop 302, the more popular of the two options; although some who voted "no" on 302 voted "yes" on Prop 301. Consequently, the state lost the chance to host Super Bowl XXVII, which was subsequently held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. In a 1992 referendum, the voters, this time given only one option for a paid King Day, approved state-level recognition of the holiday.
What is MLK Day in Wyoming?
Liz Byrd, the first black woman in Wyoming legislature, introduced a bill in 1991 for Wyoming to recognize MLK day as a paid state holiday; however, she compromised on the name because her peers would not pass it otherwise.
What was the King Day option?
In the November election, the voters were offered two King Day options: Proposition 301, which replaced Columbus Day on the list of paid state holidays, and Proposition 302, which merged Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays into one paid holiday to make room for MLK Day.
When is MLK Day 2023?
2023 date. January 16. ( 2023-01-16) Frequency. Annual. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is a federal holiday in the United States marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year.
When did Martin Luther King Jr. become a state holiday?
On May 2, 2000, South Carolina governor Jim Hodges signed a bill to make King's birthday an official state holiday. South Carolina was the last state to recognize the day as a paid holiday for all state employees. Before the bill, employees could choose between celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day or one of three Confederate holidays.

Overview
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. An African American church leader and the son of early civil rights activist and minister Martin Luther King Sr., King advanced civil rights for people of color in th…
Early life and education
King was born Michael King Jr. on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, the second of three children to Michael King and Alberta King (née Williams). King had an older sister, Christine King Farris, and a younger brother, Alfred Daniel "A.D." King. Alberta's father, Adam Daniel Williams, was a minister in rural Georgia, moved to Atlanta in 1893, and became pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church i…
Religious education, ministry, marriage and family
King enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Upland, Pennsylvania. King's father fully supported his decision to continue his education and made arrangements for King to work with prominent Crozer alum, J. Pius Barbour, a family friend who pastored at Calvary Baptist Church in nearby Chester, Pennsylvania. King became known as one of the "Sons of Calvary", an honor h…
Activism and organizational leadership
The Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where King was called to be a minister in 1954, was influential in the Montgomery, Alabama, African-American community. As the church's pastor, he became known for his oratorical preaching in Montgomery and the surrounding region.
In March 1955, Claudette Colvin—a fifteen-year-old black schoolgirl in Montgo…
Assassination and aftermath
On March 29, 1968, King went to Memphis, Tennessee, in support of the black sanitary public works employees, who were represented by AFSCME Local 1733. The workers had been on strike since March 12 for higher wages and better treatment. In one incident, black street repairmen received pay for two hours when they were sent home because of bad weather, but white employees were paid for the full day.
Legacy
King's legacy includes influences on the Black Consciousness Movement and civil rights movement in South Africa. King's work was cited by, and served as, an inspiration for South African leader Albert Lutuli, who fought for racial justice in his country during apartheid and was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
King influenced Irish politician and activist John Hume. Hume, the former lead…
Veneration
King was canonized by Archbishop Timothy Paul of the Holy Christian Orthodox Church (not to be confused with the Eastern Orthodox Church) on September 9, 2016, at the Christian Cathedral in Springfield, Massachusetts. His feast day was set as April 4, the date of his assassination. King is also honored with a Lesser Feast on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on April 4 or January 15, the anniversary of his birth. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America commemor…
Ideas, influences, and political stances
As a Christian minister, King's main influence was Jesus Christ and the Christian gospels, which he would almost always quote in his religious meetings, speeches at church, and in public discourses. King's faith was strongly based in Jesus' commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself, loving God above all, and loving your enemies, praying for them and blessing them. His nonviolent th…