2. Martin Luther King
He dedicated his life to fight for equality and justice for
all Americans of all colors. He wanted to bring about a
social change in a peaceful way.
4. He was a civil rights activist in the 1950s and
1960s.
5. Where did Martin grow up?
● Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, GA on
January 15, 1929. He went to Booker T. Washington
High School. He was so smart that he started college at
fifteen.
● He studied sociology and theology at Boston
University.
● Martin's dad was a preacher which inspired Martin. He
had a younger brother and an older sister.
6. This is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birth home in Atlanta, Georgia.
Segregation was law and custom in the South and other parts of America.
7. Before 1955, segregation between the races was common in the
south. This meant that public areas such as schools, restrooms,
water fountains, and restaurants had separate areas for black
people and white people. This was also true of public
transportation such as buses and trains. There were areas where
black people could sit and other areas where white people could
sit.
12. On December 1st, 1955 Rosa
Parks was taking the bus
home from work in
Montgomery, Alabama.
She was already sitting down
and was in the row closest to
the front for black people.
When the bus began to fill up,
the driver told the people in
Rosa's row to move back in
order to make room for a
white passenger.
13. Rosa was tired
of being treated
like a second
class person.
She refused to
move. Rosa was
then arrested
and fined $10.
14. Rosa's arrest
raised a protest
against
segregation. Civil
rights leaders got
together to
organize a day to
boycott the buses.
15. The boycott was planned at a meeting in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s church. They
formed a group called the Montgomery Improvement Association with Martin
Luther King, Jr. as the leader.
16. The boycott meant that for one day black people would not
ride the buses as a protest against discrimination.
17. They handed out
pamphlets so people
would know what to
do and on December
5th around 90% of
black people in
Montgomery did not
ride the buses.
18. The Montgomery Bus Boycott
Some white people were not happy with the boycott.
Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested and spent two weeks in jail.
Some of the white people became violent.
They bombed Martin Luther King Jr.'s home and some black churches.
Sometimes the boycotters were attacked when they were walking .
King´s protests always were non-violent.
In a speech to some angry protesters he said "We must love our white brothers,
no matter what they do to us."
19. Results
After the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1956, black
people were now allowed to sit wherever they
wanted to on the bus. In addition, the boycott
created a new leader for the civil rights
movement who was Martin Luther King, Jr.
20. When did King give his famous "I Have a Dream" speech?
In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. helped to organize the famous "March on
Washington".
22. Over 250,000 people attended this march to show the importance of civil rights
legislation
23. People marched:
● to end segregation in
public schools
● to get protection from
police abuse
● to end discrimination
24. It was at this march where Martin gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. This
speech has become one of the most famous speeches in history. Here are
some of his quotes:
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then
walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but
whatever you do keep moving forward.”
“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
25. “A lie cannot live.”
“Love is the only force capable of
transforming an enemy into a friend.”
26. “I have a dream that my four
little children will one day
live in a nation where they
will not be judged by the
color of their skin, but by
the content of their
character.”
27. What was the result of the March on Washington?
The March on Washington was a great success.
The Civil Rights Act was passed a year later in 1964.
“Free at last, Free at last, thank God
almighty we are free at last.”
28. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. received the
Nobel Prize for Peace in Oslo on
December 10, 1964.
29. King was assassinated by James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968
on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. Americans honor the
civil rights activist on the third Monday of January each year,
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
30. “I have a dream that my four
little children will one day
live in a nation where they
will not be judged by the
color of their skin, but by
the content of their
character.”
Martin Luther King died but his dream became
true!