Martin Luther King Jr. was an African-American Baptist minister. He is best known as a non-violent activist who dedicated his life to the civil rights of people of color in the United States. He organized and led several actions in favor of voting rights, desegregation and employment opportunities for ethnic minorities.
His I Have a Dream speech, delivered on August 28, 1963 in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, became famous. Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, making him the youngest recipient of the award.
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1929: Martin Luther King is born on January 15 in Atlanta, Georgia.
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1953: Martin Luther King becomes a Baptist minister in Montgomery, Alabama.
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1955: He receives his doctorate in theology from Boston University.
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1955: Martin Luther King leads the Montgomery bus boycott following the event involving Rosa Park.
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1959: His book The Measure of A Man, in which he depicts an optimal structure for society, is published.
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1963: U.S. President John F. Kennedy intervenes once again to have Martin Luther King released from prison following the March on Washington.
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1963: He delivers his I Have a Dream speech in Washington.
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1964: To enable more African-Americans to register to vote, the pastor organizes a peaceful march in Selma, Alabama. A total of 600 people marched alongside him. After a few miles, they were violently arrested by police and a disgruntled crowd. The day is known as Bloody Sunday.
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1964: He is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
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1967: A year before his death, Martin Luther King delivers a speech denouncing the Vietnam War.
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1968: Martin Luther King is assassinated in Memphis on April 4.
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1986: Since this year, the third Monday in January is a public holiday in the United States.