1 / 13

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Hero

English GEMS Group 4. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Hero. Early Years. Born January 15, 1929 as Michael Luther King - changed his name Studied at Morehouse College (a school for blacks) and Boston University Married Coretta Scott and had 2 sons and 2 daughters. Civil Rights.

barclay-hodge
Download Presentation

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Hero

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. English GEMS Group 4 Martin Luther King Jr.Civil Rights Hero

  2. Early Years • Born January 15, 1929 as Michael Luther King - changed his name • Studied at Morehouse College (a school for blacks) and Boston University • Married Coretta Scott and had 2 sons and 2 daughters

  3. Civil Rights • Executive Member of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People • Early in December 1955, he became the leader of the bus boycott in Alabama

  4. Montgomery Line Bus Boycott • Started December 1, 1955 • Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, refused to give up her seat to a white man – she got arrested • Blacks were the majority of bus riders, but they were still made to stand for the whites • Blacks got angry and did not ride buses for 382 days, depriving companies of revenues

  5. Bus Boycott • Government was forced to pass a law stating there should be equal seats of whites and blacks on buses • King was threatened, bombed, abused, but emerged as a true leader of the blacks • Believed firmly in nonviolence to achieve goals

  6. He Had a Dream • Elected leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference • Preached about using peaceful means wherever inspiration was needed • Youngest man to win Nobel Peace Prize at 35 years old • Used prize money to fund Civil Rights movement

  7. Historic Speech • Directed peaceful march in Washington DC at the Lincoln Memorial • “I Have a Dream” speech • His vision – a world where blacks and whites would live peacefully side by side • Whites were brothers of blacks, because they “shared a common destiny” • Nonviolence – “we will meet physical force with soul force”

  8. Bombing in Birmingham • On September 15, 1963, a bomb was dropped on 16th Street Baptist Church • Killed four kids: Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, Denise McNair • Look at our book “The Watsons Go to Birmingham” – it is dedicated to the 4 dead girls

  9. Difficulties • The Black Panther group, led by Malcolm X, began violent demonstrations, which were against King’s principles • “Black Power” • Many supporters of King began associating him with Black Panthers, so they started shunning him • King talked to Malcolm X, to no avail

  10. “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” • April 4, 1968, King gave last speech • “ I've been to the mountaintop. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain and I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

  11. The Leader Falls • On April 4, 1968, after the speech, King returned to the Lorraine Motel • On the balcony, Martin Luther King was shot by James Earl Ray (a violent racist) • He was 39 years old

  12. Icon of Human Rights • Inspired South African Albert Lutuli to use nonviolence to fight apartheid • Lutuli won Nobel Peace Prize also • Civil Rights Law was passed, so blacks could vote

  13. The Legacy • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – 3rd Monday of January (Jan 15-20) • Martin Luther King, Jr memorial now under construction at National Mall in Washington, DC • Pres. Barack Obama, a black American, was elected in 2008 – a historic event

More Related