The Life And Times Of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, the eldest of Martin
Luther King, Sr., a Baptist minister, and Alberta Williams King. His Father served as a pastor of a large Atlanta church, Ebenezer Baptist, which had been founded by Martin
Luther King, Jr.'s maternal grandfather. King, Jr., was ordainded as a Baptist minister at age 18.
King attended local segrated public school, where he excelled. He entered a nearby college, Morehouse College, at age 15 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1948. After graduating with honors from Crozer Theological Seminary in
Pennsylvania in 1951, he went to Boston University where he earned a doctoral degree in systematic theology in 1955.
While in Boston, King met Coretta Scott, a music student and native of Alabama.
They were married in 1953 and had four children. In 1954 King accepted his first pastorate at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Mongomery, Alabama. This was a church with a well educated congregation that had recently been led by a minister who had protested against segregation.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lead many of the peaceful demonstrations protesting the segregation between blacks and whites. His peaceful approach to many of the obstacles in the way of integration was the most successful during that time period. Other more violent means of protest such as the efforts of Malcom X and whites protesting integration were considered less seriously and seen as a greater threat to society.
Examples of King's peaceful protesting against segregation were during the 1955- 1956
Montgomery bus boycott. It begain when a 43 year old black woman, Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat to a white man. Dr. King was appalled when she was arrested and urged the black population of Montgomery to join together and stand up to the dehumanization of segregation. Together with local community leaders, King produced and distributed nearly 7,000 leaflets persuading blacks to completely avoid riding to buses work, town, school, or elsewhere. Instead, people should take cabs, carpool, or walk.
King was worried that the boycott was unethical, would turn violent, or would intimidate blacks However the boycott was succsessful with nearly 100% participation...

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...not yet become a total reality. African Americans have gained some social equality, however; blacks have not been fully recognized as an accepted group of people in the American society. Also, African Americans continue to struggle against stereotypes placed upon them because of the poverty in the inner cities. Since the 1950's and the 1960's, there have been many changes in how African Americans have been accepted by the white majority. In the
1960's, blacks had to fight for many freedoms as citizens. Blacks were considered by whites to be less of a person than a white was. The black race was fighting for their equality. African Americans were fighting to stop segregation in schools, and they were trying to gain voting rights. During the non-violent movement, blacks were forced to suffer police brutality and the violation of other constitutional rights. In the 1990's, the standard of living has been greatly improved. Although we as a society have a long way to go and still face many problems dealing with economic standards, political power and some discrimination, much of King's dream has started to become a reality.
WORK SITED www.infoseek.com www.northernlight.com