Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent leader in the American civil rights movement, advocating for racial equality and social justice through nonviolent means. Born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, King was the son of Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. He was the second of three children, including his older sister Willie Christine King and younger brother Alfred Daniel King. King's early life was marked by a strong sense of social justice, instilled in him by his parents and the African American Baptist church. As a young man, King became increasingly involved in the civil rights movement, studying at Morehouse College, Crozer Theological Seminary, and Boston University. He earned his doctorate in systematic theology in 1955 and became a prominent figure in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), working alongside other notable civil rights leaders such as Ralph Abernathy and Andrew Young. King's message of nonviolent resistance and his powerful oratory skills made him a compelling figure, and he went on to deliver iconic speeches such as the "I Have a Dream" speech at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.