Biography Of Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King Jr was one of the most powerful activists for civil rights. His passionate, yet non-violent protests helped increase awareness of the racial disparities across America and led to significant changes in the political landscape. Martin Luther King was also an articulate speaker who captivated the attention and hearts of all people, white and black.
Early Life of Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta on the 15th of January 1929. His father and grandfather served as pastors of an African-American Baptist congregation. M. Luther King attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, (segregated education) and later went on to learn at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and Boston University. While at Boston University Martin Luther King became aware of the abysmal inequity and injustice suffered by African-Americans. Americans and, in particular, his inclination was Gandhi’s non-violent philosophy. The method of Gandhi is in harmony with the doctrines of King’s Baptist faith. At the age of 24, King married Coretta Scott who was a gorgeous and talented young lady. After his wedding, King became a pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.
Montgomery Bus Boycott
One of the turning points in the story of Martin Luther King was the Montgomery Bus Boycott which he was a part of promoting. The boycott was also an important turning stage in the struggle for civil rights by attracting the attention of the national press for the cause.
It all began innocently on the 5th of December, 1955. Rosa Parks, a civil rights activist, refused to take her seat as she was in an exclusively white section. This was a breach of the strict segregation between white and colored passengers on Montgomery buses. The bus company was not willing to reduce its stance and Martin Luther King helped to stage a protest where the colored population refused to travel on any city bus. The strike lasted for several months. The matter was later brought to the Supreme Court which declared the segregation of the colored was not constitutional.
Civil Rights Movement.
After the success of the Montgomery bus boycott in the late 1960s, King and other ministers created The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). This was the central point for the rising protests for civil rights. In the future, there would be debates over the best course to pursue. Particularly in the 1960s, we witnessed the rising of the Black Power movement, exemplified by Malcolm X and other black nationalist organizations. However, King remained determined to fight for the ideals of non-violent struggle.
Speeches of Martin Luther King Jr
Martin Luther King was an inspiring and powerful speaker; King was able to inspire and encourage his audience. Particularly, he was able to give a hope-filled message. King was aware of the injustice that was happening, but he believed that the injustice was an ebb and flow. King often made reference to God as well as the Bible in his Christian Faith.
“And that’s what Jesus meant when he said: “How is it that you see the mole in your brother’s eye but not notice the beam that is in your eye?” Or to put it in the Moffatt translation: “How is it that you can see the splinter in the eye of your brother but do not discern the plank in your eye?” And this is one of the many pitfalls that human beings face. We begin to love those who are against us and to love people who hate us, whether in the collective or personal life. We do this by looking at ourselves.”
– Martin Luther King
His speeches were mostly devoid of retribution and focused on the necessity of moving forward. He was named the man of the year by Time magazine in 1963, the same year as the famous and famous “I Have a Dream Speech” which he delivered in Washington during the civil rights marches.
“I have a hope that one day, this nation will rise to be living out the real significance of its creed “We believe these principles to be undisputed that all human beings are to be equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood”
– Martin Luther King
The next year Martin Luther King was given his Nobel Peace Prize for his activism for justice for all. King announced that he was going to turn the prize of $54,123 over to the movement for civil rights. Given the power that comes with winning and being awarded the Nobel Prize, King was more frequently consulted by politicians like Lyndon Johnson.
However, King’s opposition towards his opposition to the Vietnam War did not endear King in the Johnson administration. King was also receiving more scrutiny from authorities, including the FBI.
On April 4 in 1968, King was killed. It happened just one day after King’s final message “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop”
In honor of him, America has instigated a national Martin Luther King Day. King remains a symbol of the fight for justice in America and equality in racial relations.