Martin Luther King Jr.
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Brief Biography
Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Morehouse College in 1948 before earning a bachelor’s degree from Crozer Theological Seminary in 1951 and a doctorate in theology from Boston University in 1955. King moved to Montgomery, Alabama, and became the pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church as well as president of the Montgomery Improvement Association. King played a pivotal role in organizing the Montgomery Bus Boycott and published Stride Toward Freedom about the boycott afterwards. He co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and led nonviolent campaigns against segregation. One of his campaigns led to his arrest in Birmingham, Alabama, and he wrote “Letter From Birmingham Jail” as a response to those against the campaign. King's powerful speeches, including his iconic "I Have a Dream" address, and his civil rights activism led to him being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. King was shot and killed after he delivered his “I’ve Been To the Mountaintop” speech in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1968.
Publications
Stride Toward Freedom; the Montgomery Story. New York; Harper, 1958.
Pilgrimage to Nonviolence. Chicago; Fellowship of Reconciliation, 1960.
Letter from Birmingham City Jail. Philadelphia; American Friends Service Committee, 1963.
Strength to Love. New York; Harper, 1964.
Why We Can Wait. New York; Harper, 1964.
Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? New York; Harper, 1967.
Measure of a Man. Christian Education Press, 1959; memorial edition, Pilgrim Press, 1968.
I've Been to the Mountaintop. San Francisco; Harper, 1994.
Pilgrimage to Nonviolence. Chicago; Fellowship of Reconciliation, 1960.
Letter from Birmingham City Jail. Philadelphia; American Friends Service Committee, 1963.
Strength to Love. New York; Harper, 1964.
Why We Can Wait. New York; Harper, 1964.
Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? New York; Harper, 1967.
Measure of a Man. Christian Education Press, 1959; memorial edition, Pilgrim Press, 1968.
I've Been to the Mountaintop. San Francisco; Harper, 1994.
Themes
Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist and pastor who wrote sermons, essays, and speeches that were highly influential during the civil rights movement. Major themes in his works include racial equality, social justice, and change.
Publisher
Alabama Authors of the 19th and 20th Centuries, edited by Beverley Park Rilett, http://AlabamaAuthors.org
Collection
Citation
King Jr., Martin Luther, “Martin Luther King Jr.,” Alabama Authors of the 19th & 20th Centuries, accessed September 19, 2024, https://alabamaauthors.org/items/show/622.