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Martin Luther King Jr.: (1948 - 1968)
Change Through Peace
Martin Luther King Jr. is most remembered for his strength and determination which
eventually helped to change opinions and laws about discrimination. By his religious
views and through the study of Mahatma Gandhi’s example, Dr. King learned that
injustice is most effectively changed by peaceful means.
De-segregation of Busses
His exceptional intelligence and prominence as a Baptist minister gave Dr.King the
visibility to be in a position of influence. He was elected president of the Montgomery
Improvement Association on December 5, 1955(1). In this position he led a boycott against
a bus system that had a black woman arrested for not giving up her seat to a white man.
This boycott lasted over a year and eventually led to a district court ruling that racial
segregation on city bus lines is unconstitutional.
Dr. King was selected as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which
magnified his activity in the civil-rights movement. He emphasized peaceful protest for
positive change. King was jailed and released on several occasions as a result of the
protests he led against discrimination.
Change By Law
Martin Luther King Jr. traveled extensively giving speeches against racial
discrimination. He encouraged a greater black vote, and influenced laws to make it easier
to vote. His efforts centered on equal rights which led to the enactment of the Civil
Right Act of 1964 which outlawed discrimination based on color, race, color, religion,
sex, or national origin.
Nobel Peace Prize
King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his outstanding accomplishments and
insistence on peaceful change (2).
King's Death
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated as he stood on the balcony of a motel room on
April 4, 1968.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is declared a public holiday at the hand of
President Ronald Reagan on January 18, 1986.
- Article by Wes Fessler
References:
1. The King Center. “Chronology of Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr.”
http://www.thekingcenter.com/mlk/chronology.html [Accessed 21 June 2007]
2.
Nobelprize.org
“Martin Luther King.”
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html
* Some information also inferred from:
MSN Encarta
“Martin Luther King, Jr.”
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557424_2/Martin_Luther_King.html
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