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A photo of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929 - 1968

Martin Luther King Jr. of Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee United States was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Fulton County, GA to Alberta Christine King and Martin Luther King Sr.. He had siblings Willie Christine Farris and Alfred Daniel Williams King Sr.. Martin was baptized on May 3, 1936 at Ebenezer Baptist Church 101 Jackson St NE, in Atlanta. He married Coretta (Scott) King on June 18, 1953 in Heiberger, Perry County, AL, and they were married until Martin's death on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Shelby County, TN. He had children Yolanda Denise King, Martin Luther King III, Dexter Scott King, and Bernice Albertine King. Martin King was buried on April 9, 1968 Originally buried at South-View Cemetery on Jonesboro Road in Atlanta, Fulton County, GA.
Martin Luther King Jr.
MLK, MLK Jr., Michael King Jr.
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee United States
January 15, 1929
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States
April 4, 1968
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, United States
Male
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Martin Luther King Jr.'s History: 1929 - 1968

Uncover new discoveries and connections today by sharing about people & moments from yesterday.
  • Introduction

    Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.) was born January 15th, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia to Baptist minister Martin Luther King (born Michael King) and his wife, Alberta. He was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968, preaching Christian values and social equality for all races. King advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States through nonviolence and civil disobedience. With inspiration from both his own Christian beliefs and the nonviolent activism of Gandhi, he was able to lead targeted, and most importantly nonviolent, resistance against Jim Crow laws and other forms of discrimination in the United States. He is most famously known for being one of the leaders of the The March on Washington in 1963, where he delivered his famous Martin Luther King Jr. Last Speech "I Have a Dream" on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in DC. See Passage from the "I Have a Dream Speech" for part of the speech.
  • 01/15
    1929

    Birthday

    January 15, 1929
    Birthdate
    Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia United States
    Birthplace
  • Ethnicity & Family History

    King was born on January 15th, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia and was the second of three children to Michael King and Alberta Williams King. He had an older sister, Christine King Farris, and a younger brother, Alfred Daniel "A.D." King. His maternal grandfather, Adam Daniel Williams, was the son of Willis and Creecy Williams. Adam Daniel and his mother left the Williams Plantation in rural Georgia after his father’s death in 1874, but continued to sharecrop in the Penfield area until 1893 when they moved to Atlanta. He became second pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church on Auburn Avenue in the following year. Williams married Jennie Celeste Parks. Martin's father, King Sr., was born to sharecroppers, James Albert and Delia King of Stockbridge, Georgia. He was of African-Irish descent. King Sr. left his parents' farm and walked to Atlanta where he attained a high school education and enrolled in Morehouse College to study for entry to the ministry. King Sr. and Alberta began dating in 1920, and married on November 25, 1926. Shortly after marrying Alberta, King Sr. became assistant pastor of the Ebenezer church.
  • Nationality & Locations

    Martin Luther King Jr was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Early Life & Education

    Martin attended Booker T. Washington High School, the only high school in Atlanta for African-American students. The school had been formed after local black leaders, including King's maternal grandfather strongly urged the Atlanta city government to create this type of school. He maintained a B-plus average throughout high school and was known as a great public speaker, and was part of the school's debate team. As a junior, he applied to Morehouse College, an all-male historically black college, (King's father and maternal grandfather were alumni). They were accepting students as juniors due to low enrollment because of men being drafted into World War II. King was accepted in 1944 at only 15 years old, and began there in the fall. To help students pay for college, the school had partnered with a farm and had students (including Kin) worked in the fields, picking tobacco from 7:00am till at least 5:00pm. In 1951, King started his education at Boston University, where he studied systemic theology. He also attended philosophy classes at Harvard University as an audit student in 1952 and 1953. King had obtained his Ph.D.
  • 05/3
    1936

    Baptism

    May 3, 1936
    Baptism date
    Ebenezer Baptist Church 101 Jackson St NE, in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia 30312, United States
    Place of worship
  • Religious Beliefs

    MLK was by all accounts deeply religious, and it was his belief in the Christian faith that inspired and guided him during his time as a civil activist. Prior to making headlines, Martin Luther King Jr. completed seminary at the Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania after graduating Morehouse College, and was a devoted minister who was called to Montgomery's Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. In 1960 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. became a co-pastor of Ebenezer with his father, and remained in that position until his death in 1968.
  • Military Service

    MLK did not serve in the United States Military. During the Vietnam War Dr. King encouraged young men to avoid being drafted into the controversial war by becoming conscientious objectors. In 2019, retired Sgt. Maj. Todd B. Hunter said during an event to honor the civil rights leader at the Association of the U.S. Army’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia that MLK left an indelible mark on the U.S. military. He made the observation that Dr. King put his life on the line to ensure “the real promise of democracy for all Americans", and that "you can see Dr. King's fingerprint on today's Army formations" who made note that discrimination at home was more commonplace than in the military.
  • Professional Career

    Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement from 1954 until his death in 1968. In 1964, when MLK was 35 years old, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent resistance to racial prejudice in America.
  • Personal Life & Family

    Martin Luther King Jr married Coretta Scott on June 18, 1953 on the lawn of her parents' house in her hometown of Heiberger, Alabama. The couple had four children together: Yolanda King (1955–2007), Martin Luther King III (b. 1957), Dexter Scott King (b. 1961), and Bernice King (b. 1963). During their marriage, King limited Coretta's role in the civil rights movement, expecting her to be a housewife and mother. Do we think this was to protect her in a way as well?
  • 04/4
    1968

    Death

    April 4, 1968
    Death date
    Assassination by firearm
    Cause of death
    Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee United States
    Death location
  • 04/9
    1968

    Gravesite & Burial

    April 9, 1968
    Funeral date
    Originally buried at South-View Cemetery on Jonesboro Road in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia United States
    Burial location
  • Obituary

    The following appeared in The Atlanta Constitution on April 8th 1968 on page 23. KING - Services for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be held for the immediate family and members of Ebenezer Baptist Church at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 9, 1968 from Ebenezer Baptist Church, Rev. Ralph David Abernathy officiating. The procession will leave Ebenezer at 11 o'clock and proceed to the Morehouse College Campus for the service which is open to all at 1 p.m. Dr. King is survived by his wife, Mrs. Coretta Scott King; children, Yolanda Denise (12), Martin Luther III (10), Dexter Scott (7), Bernice Albertine (5); parents, Rev. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Sr.; sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Farris Sr. and children, Isaac Jr., Angela Christine, brother and sister-in-law, Rev. and Mrs. A.D. Williams King and children, Alveda Celeste, A.D. Williams II, Derek Barber, Esther Darlene, Vernon Christopher; three uncles, four aunts, a large number of relatives and countless thousands of admiring and loving friends and followers the world over. For those who would like to express their appreciation to Dr. King and his family by sending flowers it is suggested that contributions be made to the Martin Luther King Memorial Fund. This fund will be used to perpetrate and perpetuate the idea of Dr. King. The remains will be viewed at the church until 9 a.m. Tuesday. Entombment at South View Cemetery. Family will assemble at 234 Sunset Ave. NW. Hanley's Bell St. Funeral Home and Marcellous Thornton, mortician in charge.
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26 Memories, Stories & Photos about Martin

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" Speech
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" Speech
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" Speech
Learn about the political and social context behind Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous "I Have A Dream" speech, the rhetorical devices that helped its concepts resonate, and its effect on the broader Civil Rights Movement.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Martin Luther King and Malcolm X
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X meet only once and lasted one minute. Both men had come to hear the Senate debate on the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Date & Place: in Washington, District of Columbia County, District Of Columbia United States
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Sammy Davis Jr. and Martin Luther King.
Sammy Davis Jr. and Martin Luther King.
A photo of Sammy Davis Jr.with Rev. Martin Luther King.
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the Kelly...
Statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the Kelly...
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Martin Luther King press conference
Martin Luther King press conference
Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.
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Picketing at White House | MLK's Assassination
Picketing at White House | MLK's Assassination
After the assassination of Martin Luther King Junior, people picketed the White House in favor of expanding Civil Rights.

The signs visible in this photo say "WE have a dream" and "Let his death not be in vain"

courtesy of the Library of Congress,
Date & Place: at White House in Washington DC, Washington DC USA
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Martin King's Family Tree & Friends

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Friendships

Martin's Friends

Friends of Martin Friends can be as close as family. Add Martin's family friends, and his friends from childhood through adulthood.
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12 Followers & Sources
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