Martin Luther King Jr Research Papers

Did you know Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested 29 times? Each of these times he was arrested for fighting for what he believed in. Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist and leader during the 1950’s and 1960’s. He was a main leader in many protests, boycotts, and marches. He also gave memorable speeches about equal rights during his lifetime. Starting at a young age, he developed great speaking skills that helped him later in his life where he made history in many ways. Throughout his life he made a great example as a leader and fighter, and is still remembered today and even has a whole day dedicated just towards him.

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. King grew up during the Great Depression,

started his civil rights journey in 1955, and was inspired by nonviolent protests and boycotts. Shortly after King moved to Montgomery, Rosa Parks made history for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger on a bus. This started the Montgomery bus boycott, where Martin Luther King Jr. played a pivotal role in the protest (“Martin Luther King, Jr.”). Starting in 1955, Montgomery’s Black community staged an extremely successful bus boycott that lasted for over a year (“Martin Luther King, Jr.”). The boycott was a civil rights protest during which African Americans refused to ride city buses to protest segregated seating. When the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately ordered Montgomery to integrate its bus system, Martin Luther King Jr. emerged as a prominent leader of the American civil rights movement (Herrick). His arrest and imprisonment as the boycotts leader propelled King onto the national stage as a lead figure in the civil rights movement (“Martin Luther King, Jr.”). King co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and promoted nonviolent action for civil rights throughout the south. He was influenced by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and traveled to India in 1959 (“The life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.”). This motivated him to continue to work towards equality for everyone. To conclude, King and his early leadership in the civil rights movement helped him get on stage and deliver inspirational

has inspired many people around the world, and his achievements are taught around the world today. On April 4th, 1968 King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He will never be forgotten though, and his achievements have made history and are celebrated every year. After years of campaigning by activists, members of Congress and Coretta Scott King, among others, in 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a U.S. federal holiday in honor of King. Observed on the third Monday of January, Martin Luther King Day was first celebrated in 1986 (Somerstien). King was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, and was the youngest man to ever be awarded this prize. He also is the only non-president to have a national holiday dedicated in his honor and is the only non-president memorialized on the Great Mall in the nation's capital. To conclude, King’s achievements were very inspiring and history making. He will always be remembered for his motivation and nonviolence during the civil rights