Civil Rights

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He went on to graduate and become a Baptist minister. His greatest accomplishments were his civil rights efforts from the middle of the 1950s until he was assassinated in the 1960s. His civil rights crusade was different. It was one that called for peace and nonviolence. In 1963, King led a march on Washington, D.C. He delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial. He was demanding equal justice for all Americans. He was challenging the government to help all Americans regardless of their race or religion.

His famous speech would go on to inspire many people for many years to come. In 1964, he won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work. Much of his work and efforts resulted in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Dr. King was hated by many white southern segregationists. On April 4, 1968, King was preparing to lead a local march. He was shot in the throat on the balcony of a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. He died a few hours later. President Lyndon Johnson declared a day of mourning for the slain civil rights leader. And yet, Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy lives on. He is honored on Martin Luther King Day, which is a national holiday. It is held on the third Monday of January around King’s birthday on January 15. His great legacy continues to inspire many.