Martin Luther King Day 2023 Quotes, Wishes, Images, and Details

Martin Luther King Day is observed on the third Monday of January every year in the US.

Martin Luther King, Jr. day also abbreviated as MLK Day is a federal holiday in the US. The first MLK Day observed in the US on January 20, 1986.

The voice of Martin Luther King Jr. is the most important and influential in the civil rights movement history of the US. From the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968, Martin Luther King played a key role in the elimination of racial segregation from the US.

Martin Luther King Jr. struggled to realize the Americans that all men are created equal so all men deserve equal rights. He fought for the equal rights of African – Americans through nonviolent protests and resistance.

He was the major driving force behind the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington DC, which helped in making landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act.

Noble Peace Prize awarded to Martin Luther King Day in 1964 as an admiration of his monumental work. He was the youngest person of the time to receive such an honor.

King assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968, at 39 years. He is remembered every year on the 3rd Monday of January since 1986 as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Historical Background of MLK Day

From King’s assassination to the first MLK Day, there is a struggle of about 18 years from MLK followers.

Martin Luther King Jr. was killed on April 4, 1968, whereas the first Martin Luther King Day observed on January 20, 1986, in the US about 18 years after the MLK death.

Observance of MLK day after 18 years of King’s death indicates great respect and genuine love for King among his followers who continually struggled to make the King’s Birth Day a National Holiday.

MLK Day is in fact acknowledgment of King’s struggles against racial discrimination and tribute to the legend of nonviolent civil rights movement leader of the US.

Why Do We Have a Holiday For Martin Luther King?

After the death of Martin Luther King in 1968, a campaign started by the King Center and followers of the King to observe King’s Birth Day as a public holiday as an act of honor to King.

US Representative John Conyers and US Senator Edward Brooke introduced a bill to Congress to make Martin Luther King’s birthday a national holiday.

The bill first came for the vote in the US House of Representatives in 1979. However, it falls short of five votes for passage qualification.

There were two main opponent arguments of the bill. The first argument was the affiliation of high cost with the paid leave, and the second argument was the matter of honor to a private citizen.

After that, the campaign got further strengthened with the involvement of the corporate community and the public.

A single “Happy Birthday” song by musician Stevie Wonder in 1980 made the campaign more popular. Stevie Wonder also hosted a Rally for Peace Press conference in 1981. Stevie Wonder was one of the chief heroes in making the King’s birthday a national day.

Six million signatures collected resulting in a strong petition to Congress to pass the law for the national holiday on King’s birthday.

On November 02, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed the bill to create a national holiday to honor Martin Luther King. The Bill passed by the US House of Representatives by a count of 338 to 90.

The first Martin Luther King Day observed as a holiday on January 20, 1986, although it did not observe in all states of America until the year 2000.

Why is MLK Day on Third Monday in January?

The actual birthday of Martin Luther King is on January 15. However, MLK day is on the third Monday of January as per the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.

The Uniform Monday Holiday Act is a Congress Act that amends the provision of certain holidays for observance on Monday. The ultimate purpose of the act is to increase the 3 days weekends for US federal employees.

January 15 is MLK’s birthday and the third Monday of January is nearest to Martin Luther king’s birthday. Therefore, Martin Luther King’s Day is observed on the third Monday of January.
Martin Luther King Jr.-Early Life–Education–Marriage.

Martin Luther King Day (January 15, 1929–April 4, 1968) born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia to Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr. and Williams Alberta King.

King’s father was a religious minister, an American Baptist pastor, missionary, and historic figure of the civil rights movement.

What was Martin Luther King’s Name at Birth?

The birth name of the King was Michael, not Martin. However, in 1934 the King’s father, King Sr. moved to Germany and became inspired by the Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther.

After this inspiration, King Sr. changed his name and name of his son to Martin.

How Many Siblings Did Martin Luther King Jr. Have And What Were Their Names?

Martin Luther King had two siblings. Older sister and younger brother.

The name of the older sister was Willie Christine, and she was born on September 11, 1927. The name of the younger brother was Alfred Daniel William King, and he was born on July 30, 1930.

How Was Martin Luther King Jr.’s Childhood?

Martin Luther King, Jr. was very depressed about the racial segregation from his childhood.

In early childhood, King was befriended by a white boy. The white boy moved to a different school whereas King had to attend the school for African-Americans. King lost his childhood friend because the father of the white boy not allowed and wants them to sit together.

At Booker T. school, King renowned for his public speaking skills and became part of the debating team of the school.

During junior year of schooling, King won the first prize in the oratorical competition sponsored by Negro Elks Club in Dublin, Georgia.

While coming back to Atlanta by bus, the driver of the bus ordered King and his teacher to stand up from their seats so that white passengers can sit down on those seats. Initially, King refused but complied when the teacher told him he would break the law if you don’t obey the order of the driver. This incident was the angriest event of King’s life.

What was Martin Luther King Jr Educational Background?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology. The detail of Martin Luther King Jr. educational background is as below.

At 5 years, King joined Young Street Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia. When it was discovered that the age requirement for school admittance is 6 years then King could not go to school.

At 6 years, King enrolled in David T. Elementary School. He also attended Atlanta University Laboratory School and Booker T. School. King did not complete formal graduation from Booker T. Washington and skipped ninth and twelfth grades.

At 15 years, King entered Morehouse College because of high scores on the college entrance examination. Entrance to Morehouse College was the reason for leaving Booker T. without formal graduation.

In 1948, King graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in sociology.

After completing a B. A degree in sociology, King enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania in 1948. Martin Luther King was awarded a bachelor’s degree in Divinity from Crozer in 1951.

In September 1951, Martin Luther King, Jr. joined Boston University for doctoral studies in Systematic Theology. King’s research dissertation “A comparison of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Wieman,” completed in 1955. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded a Ph.D. degree on June 5, 1955.

Where was Martin Luther King Married?

Martin Luther King Jr. married Coretta Scott on June 18, 1953. Coretta Scott was a friend of Martin Luther King Jr. at the University of Boston. Coretta Scott was an American author and civil rights, leader. She helped her husband in the civil rights movement in a greater way.

After the death of Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott lead the civil rights movement for racial equality, founded the King Center, struggled, and made Martin Luther King’s Birthday a national holiday.

How Many Children did Martin Luther King Jr?

Martin Luther King has four children. Two sons and two daughters. Two daughters named Yolanda King and Bernice King. Two sons named Martin Luther King III and Dexter Scott King.

1. Yalonda King, daughter  (November 17, 1955 – May 15, 2007)
2. Martin Luther King III, son (October 23, 1957)
3. Dexter Scott King, son (January 30, 1961)
4. Bernice King, daughter (March 28, 1963)

What were the Struggles of Martin Luther King Jr.?

Although slavery ended in the United States by the end of the 19th-century racism continued to oppress African- Americans even after the many decades.

By the mid-20th century, blacks were compelled to use separate public utilities and schools. They were facing racial discrimination in employment, having discriminatory job conditions. Blacks had no rights the vote.

The Baptist minister raised the public consciousness about racism and struggled to end racial discrimination and segregation from the United States.

Though the primary goal of King was racial equality, however, he integrated smaller objectives involving local grassroots level campaigns for racial equality for African Americans.

What Did Martin Luther King, Jr. Stand up for?

Martin Luther King stands up for the end of racial segregation in the United States of America.

What Did He Do to Change the World Martin Luther King Jr.?

Martin Luther King Jr. raised the consciousness about racial segregation in the US and struggled through nonviolent civil rights movements for the equal rights of the Americans.

Why is Martin Luther King Jr. So Important?

Martin Luther King, Jr. is so important because his struggles result in the change of US legislation like the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act in the mid of 1960s.

Who Was Martin Luther King Jr. inspired by?

Mahatma Gandhi inspired Martin Luther King Jr. Gandhi’s method of non-violent civil disobedience inspired him against the British rule in India.

King adopted the method of nonviolence during civil rights activities in the US.

Martin Luther King Jr.-Civil Rights Campaigns.

The list of Martin Luther King Jr. campaigns is as follows.

• Montgomery Bus Boycott. (December 5, 1955, to December 20, 1956, Montgomery, Alabama)
• Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom. (May 17, 1957, Washington D.C, Lincoln Memorial)
• Youth March for Integrated Schools. (April 18, 1959, Washington D.C)
• Albany Movement. (October 1961 to August 1962, Albany, Georgia)
• Birmingham Campaign. (April 3, 1963, to May 3, 1963, Birmingham)
• Walk to freedom. (June 23, 1963, Michigan)
• March on Washington for Jobs and freedom. (August 28, 1963, Washington D.C)
• St. Augustine Movement. (1963 to 1964, St. Augustine, Florida)
• Selma to Montgomery marches.(March 7,1965 to March 25,1965, Selma ,Montgomery , Alabama)
• Chicago Open Housing Movement. (1965 to 1967, Chicago)
• March against Fear. (June 6, 1966, to June 25, 1966, Memphis, Tennesse
• Memphis Sanitation Strike.(February 12, 1968, to April 16,1968, Memphis, Tennessee)

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Campaign- Montgomery Bus Boycott:

The first civil rights campaign of Dr. Martin Luther King was the Montgomery Bus Boycott. The cause of the Montgomery Bus Boycott campaign was racial segregation on public transportation.

Montgomery Bus Boycott campaign started after the arrest of an African – American woman Rosa Parks, who refused to surrender her bus seat to a white person.

Montgomery Bus Boycott campaign started on December 5, 1955, and ended on December 20, 1956. The campaign lasted for 1 year and 15 days.

The boycott proved extremely effective, resulting in bus rider’s loss and leading towards economic disaster. The boycotters used alternate means of transportations like carpools, cycling, walking, mule riding… etc.

The campaign increased pressure across the county.  On June 4, 1956, the federal district court gave the ruling that Alabama’s racial segregation laws for buses are unconstitutional.

The state appealed the decision of the district court and the case moved to the Supreme Court of the United States.  On November 13, 1956, the Supreme Court upheld the ruling of the district court, ruling that racial segregation on the buses and transportation is against the law.

In the Montgomery Bus Boycott campaign, Martin Luther King emerged as a rising leader.

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Campaign-Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom.

The Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom demonstration held in Washington D.C on May 17, 1957, in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom was about 03 hours demonstration held on the event of the third anniversary of the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education, a Supreme Court decision against the racial segregation in the public schools.

The event organizers urged the government to abide by the decision of the Supreme Court. Roy Wilkins, Mordecai Johnson, and Martin Luther King were among the speakers of the demonstration.

King was the last speaker to address the audience. It was the first time when the king was addressing the national audience of about 25,000 demonstrators. Dr. King delivered an important speech “Give Us the Ballot” setting the goals of voting right in the civil rights movement.

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Campaign-Youth March for Integrated Schools.

Youth March for integrated schools was the second of the youth marches in Washington D.C on April 18, 1959.

It was a follow-up March to show support for ongoing efforts to end up racially segregated schools in the United States of America. Martin Luther King addressed the audience of about 26,000 demonstrators of the March.

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Campaign-Albany Movement.

Albany Movement was a desegregation campaign started in Albany, Georgia on Nov 17, 1961. It was a coalition among Student Non-Violent Coordination Committee (SNCC), the ministerial alliance, the national association for the advancement of colored people (NACCP), Women’s club federation.

The goal of the Albany Movement was to end racial discrimination in the city. Dr. Martin Luther King joined the Albany Movement in December 1961.

The Albany Movement succeeded to mobilize thousands of citizens and catch the national attention, but it could not achieve the required goals.

They arrested King, 3 times during this campaign. On August 10, 1962, King agreed to leave Albany and ended his involvement in the Albany Movement.

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Campaign-Birmingham Campaign.

We consider the Birmingham campaign as one of the most successful campaigns of the civil rights era.

The campaign burnished the fame of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Fred Shuttle’s worth, James Bevel and many others led the campaign.

The Birmingham campaign lasted from April 3 to May 10, 1963. The campaign launched with mass meetings, counter sit-ins, the boycott of downtown merchants.

King addressed to Black citizens of Birmingham about the nonviolence campaign, its method and appealed for volunteers. Birmingham’s residents responded enthusiastically and campaign actions expanded to kneel sit-ins at the churches, libraries and march to the county courthouse to register voters.

Court Injunction And State Violence During Birmingham Campaign.

On April 10, 1963, the city government got the injection against the campaign from the state court. The campaign leaders disobeyed the court order.

Why did Martin Luther King write the letter from the Birmingham Jail?

On April 12, 1963, they arrested King for violating the anti-protest injection of the court. During this time he wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in reaction to the statements by eight priests against the Birmingham protest.

King requested the jailers to allow him to call his wife recovering after their fourth childbirth named Bernice King but jailers refused.

After Mrs. King raised the concern about her husband’s safety to the Kennedy administration, the Birmingham administration allowed King to call home. King released on bail from Birmingham jail on April 20, 1963.

State Violence During Birmingham Campaign:

On May 2, 1963, over 1000 Black students marched towards downtown Birmingham where hundreds of students arrested. Public safety commissioner Eugene Ball Connor directed the fire departments and police to use force to divert the demonstrators.

The police started the use of force on the nonviolent student demonstrators in Birmingham. Police struck the students with the high-pressure water jet from a fire hose and used dog’s attacks on the protestors.

All these forceful violent acts appeared in newspapers and television resulting in the world’s attention towards racial segregation in South America.

Attorney general Robert Kennedy sent his civil rights assistant Burke Marshall to hold negotiations among black citizens and Birmingham Business Leadership. The business leaders gave a positive negotiation signal on the cause of the protest.

On May 10, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. and Fred Shuttlesworth announced an agreement with the city of Birmingham for the desegregation of restrooms, lunch counters, and drinking fountains within 90 days and hire black citizens in stores in clerical, office staff, and release all jail protestors.

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Campaign-Walk to Freedom.

The walk to freedom was a huge march of about 125,000 crowds in Detroit, Michigan on June 23, 1963. It was known as the largest demonstration of the civil rights movement up to that date.

Various leaders and misters of the local and national level including the Mayer of Detroit were present in the walk and delivered speeches.

King delivered a very emotional speech which was a precursor of his famous speech “I Have a Dream” delivered weeks after in Washington D.C.

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Campaign-March on Washington for Jobs and freedom.

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom held on August 28, 1963. The purpose of the march was to struggle and advocate for the civil rights of African–Americans.

An estimated 250,000 people attended the march. This march is one of the largest march for human rights in US history.

In this march, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic speech “I Have a Dream”. In this speech, King called to end racism.

Washington March acted as a catalyst to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Inspirational Diagrammed Words of Martin Luther King Speech “I Have a Dream”.

Martin Luther King made “I Have a Dream Speech” on August 28, 1968, in Washington DC at Lincoln Memorial during the civil rights campaign for Jobs and Freedom.

During this historical speech from King, about 250,000 people were present at Lincoln Memorial.

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Campaign-Selman to Montgomery Marches.

The Selman to Montgomery marches held in 1965 from March 7th to 25th. The march organized by nonviolent activists to show the desire for the constitutional right to vote for African–Americans.

This march helped in passing the Voting Rights Act in 1965 which is a landmark achievement of the Civil Rights Movement.
Dr. Martin Luther King delivered a popular speech “How Long? Not Long”.

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Campaign-Chicago Open Housing Movement.

The Chicago Open Housing Movement lasted from mid of 1965 to early 1967, about two years. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., James Bevel, and Al Raby led this movement.

The movement included rallies, marches, and demands for Chicago city. The demands were covering a wide range of areas like open housing, quality education, health, wealth generation, transportation and job access, crime, and the criminal justice system.

Chicago Open Housing movement largely helped by inspiring Fair Housing Act 1968.

Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Campaign-Memphis Sanitation Strike.

Memphis Sanitation Strike was the last civil rights campaign of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Memphis sanitation strike last from February 12 to April 16, 1968 (2 months and 4 days). The cause of the strike was racial discrimination against Black sanity workers and their poor job conditions.

King also played an active role in this strike before his assassination on April 4, 1968. King first visit the Memphis strike on 18 March and speaking to an audience of thousands at Mason Temple.

On March 28 the demonstration became violent in King Presence. Police responded with tear gas and batons, killing a sixteen-year-old boy Larry Payne with a shotgun.

After the king’s assassination on April 4, 1968, the strike became intensified. The strike ended on April 16, 1968, with the settlement of wages increase.

List of Important Speeches-Sermons of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Following is the list of important speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Give Us Ballot,  Washington DC, May 17, 1957.
• I Have A Dream, Washington DC, April 28, 1963.
• The Quest for Peace and Justice, Oslo, Norway, December 11, 1964.
• Don’t Sleep Through the Revolution, Hollywood, Florida, May 18, 1966.
• We Shall Overcome, June 17, 1966.
• Beyond Vietnam, New York, April 4, 1967.
• Where Do We Go From Here? Atlanta, August 16, 1967.
• I Have Been to the Mountaintop, Memphis, April 3, 1968

Last Speech of Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I Have Been to the Mountaintop” is the last speech of King. He delivered it on April 3, 1968, at Mason Temple in Memphis one day before his assassination.

See the video containing the last speech of Martin Luther King.

The Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

When Did Martin Luther King die and how?

Martin Luther King died on April 4, 1968, at Lorraine Motel Memphis, Tennessee as a result of the sniper assassination attack. King was 39 years old.

Martin Luther King was in Memphis, Tennessee to support a walkout of sanity workers. His stay was in Lorraine Motel room 306.

On April 4, 1968, at 6:01 PM Martin Luther King was standing at the balcony near his room when a killing fire of 30-06 bullet from Remington Model 670 rifle struck the king’s right cheek.

The bullet penetrated through his right cheek, smashed jaw, projected through the spinal cord, and lodged in the shoulder. The king fell on the balcony unconsciously.

King was rushed to St. Joseph hospital but could not recover and declared dead on April 4, 1968, at 7:05 PM.

Why Was Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis When He Was Assassinated?

Martin Luther King was in Memphis, Tennessee to support a walkout of sanitation workers. This was the last civil rights campaign of King’s life.

The cause of the sanitation worker walkout was the low wages, discriminatory, and poor job conditions of the black sanity workers.

Who Killed Martin Luther King Jr And Why?

James Earl Ray was the criminal for the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. James was a small-time criminal and confirmed racist.

After killing Martin Luther King, James Earl Ray immediately fled from the US and arrested on June 8, 1968, about 2 months after King’s death at London Heathrow Airport.

James confessed King’s murder on March 10, 1969, and sentenced to 99 years in prison.

James Earl Ray died in 1998 in the prison because of chronic Hepatitis C disease. He served 29 years in prison in jail at the time of death.

What led James to kill Martin Luther King? It is a long debate. However, evidence shows that James Earl Ray was concerned with the integration policies sweeping the country.

Besides racial segregation beliefs, he also saw a big payday, some historians have said about the killing of black leaders.

Quick Facts-Timeline of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Facts–Timeline From 1929 to 1950:

1. January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King born in Atlanta Georgia.
2. The father’s name King was Reverend Martin Luther King Sr.and’s mother’s name was Alberta Williams King.
3. Birth Name of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was Michael King. The King’s father changed the king’s name from Michael King to Martin King in 1934 in honor of the German reformer after the visit to Germany.
4. King was the second child of three children. The name of the older sister of King was Willie Christine King and the name of the younger brother was Alfred Daniel Williams King.
5. King liked music and singing.  King became a member of the junior choir in his church.
6. He was proud of his father was against racial discrimination. King’s father whipped him till early teenage to make him achieve something in life.
7. King experienced racial segregation in his past life. He befriends a white boy who moved to a different school. The father of the white boy did not want to play them together.
8. King attended Booker T. Washington High School. He became known for his public speaking skills and became part of the school debating team.
9. Once after winning an orating competition traveling by bus, King and King’s teacher were asked to vacate their seats for white. This discriminatory event angered the King most in his life.
10. In 1948, King graduated from Morehouse College Atlanta with a B.A degree in Sociology.

Facts–Timeline From 1950 to 1960:

1. In 1951, King Graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity from Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania.
2. After completing B. Div In 1951, King joined Boston University for doctorate studies.
3. On June 18, 1953, King married Coretta Scott at Heiberger, Alabama. Coretta Scott was his friend at Boston University. At the time of marriage, Martin Luther King Jr. was 24 years old and Coretta Scott was 26.
4. In 1954, King became the pastor of Dexter Avenue.
5. On June 5, 1955, King received a Ph.D. degree from Boston University.
6. On November 17, 1955, Yolanda King born. Yolanda King was the firstborn child of Martin Luther King Jr.
7. On December 5, 1955, King led the Montgomery Bus Boycott Campaign. During this campaign, King was arrested and his house bombed. The campaign lasted for 385 days which ended racial segregation.
8. In 1957, King and other Civil Rights Activists founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) for the churches to conduct nonviolent protests in the wake of civil rights movement reforms.
9. On October 23, 1957, Martin Luther King III born. He was the second-born child and elder son of Martin Luther King Jr.
10. On September 20, 1958, King narrowly escaped from death when mentally ill black women stabbed the king’s chest with the letter opener. King was operated in an emergency and remained hospitalized for many weeks.
11. In 1958, King published his book “Stride towards Freedom”.
12. In 1959, King published a short book “The Measure of A Man”.
13. King and his followers traveled to India In February 1959, met prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and had a discussion with the followers of Mahatma Gandhi, who realized the importance of the Gandhian concept of peaceful noncompliance.

Facts – Timeline From 1960 to 1964:

1. January 30, 1961, Dexter Scott born, the third child and second son of King.
2. On December 16, 1961, King was arrested when he took part in the Albany Movement.
3. In July 1962, King arrested with an option of a $178 fine on 45 days jail. King went to jail and refused bail. The police chief discreetly arranged bail.
4. King appointed as honorary president of Gandhi’s Society for Human Rights. They formed Gandhi’s society to assist the nonviolent civil rights movement through effective fundraising means.
5. In 1962, King and Gandhi’s society formed a documentation call to President Robert Kennedy to issue an executive order to free all from slavery.
6. March 28, 1963, Bernice King, the fourth and last child of Martin Luther King born.
7. In April 1963, King with SCLC began the Birmingham campaign resulting in an agreement on racial desegregation in Birmingham city.
8. During the Birmingham campaign, King arrested and put in jail. King responds movement by writing letters from jail famously known as “Letter from Birmingham”.
9. Martin Luther King Jr. arrested 30 times for civil rights activities.
10. On August 28, 1963, King represented SCLC, one of the “Big-Six “civil rights organizations that arranged March in Washington D.C for Freedom and Jobs. This was the largest protest in Washington D.C’s history. King delivered a speech “I Have a Dream” to an audience of about 250,000 people.  This speech is regarded as an important speech in US oratory history.
11. In March 1964, King with SCLC and other activists joined forces in St. Augustin and organized March. This movement resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
12. On October 14, 1964, Nobel Peace Prize awarded to King for his nonviolent resistance against the racial segregation in the US.

Facts–Timeline From 1964–MLK Assassination/Posthumous:

1. On March 25, 1965, during the third march of Bloody Sunday, King delivered an important speech “How Long? Not Long”. In this speech, King said equal rights for African – American could not be far away.
2. On April 4, 1967, King delivered the speech “Beyond Vietnam”: A Time to Break Silence at New York City River Side Church. King opposed the involvement of America in the Vietnam War.
3. In 1967, King wrote his fourth and last book “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?” The Central Message of the book is “Hope”.
4. In 1968, King and SCLC arranged a “Poor People’s Campaign” mobilizing multiracial supporters to march towards Washington and engage in nonviolent civil disobedience for the creation of an “economic bill of rights” for poor Americans.
5. On March 29, 1968, King went to Memphis to support the walkout of Black sanity workers.
6. On April 3, 1968, on his way to Mason Temple, Memphis, the King’s flight delayed because of a bomb threat.  He addresses the rally and delivered the speech “I Have Been to the Mountaintop”.
7. On April 4, 1968, at 6:01 PM, a fire shot the King when he was standing on the balcony of Lorraine Motel. King Died at St. Joseph Hospital after an unsuccessful chest operation.
8. On April 4, 1968, at 7:05 PM, King declared dead in Joseph Hospital.
9. On April 5, 1968, the first funeral of King took place at R.S Lewis Funeral Home in Memphis.
10. April 7, 1968, declared a national mourning day by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The US flag hoisted at half-mast.
11. April 9, 1968, King buried in Atlanta.

Most Inspirational Quotes From Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr.

How To Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

• Arrange a quiz competition in schools, public, media talk shows on the life and struggles of Martin Luther King Jr.
• Read ” I Have a Dream Speech” and educate the young generation about the true implication of King’s Dream.
• Arrange a peaceful walk, Whites, and Blacks people joining hands together, realizing the world, and to tribute King that his real dream is still true and realized in the US.
• Read inspirational quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. and spread them out on social media.
• Play the inspirational speeches videos to children and give them a true understanding of King’s words.
• Identify injustice in the society, act, and raise the voice for the elimination of injustice.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Martin Luther King Jr. was a great US Leader who contributed significantly to the elimination of racial segregation from the US.

The passing of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in mid of the 1960s are the gift of Martin Luther King’s struggles to the African–Americans of the US.

Still, a lot of work required for the attainment of the inspiring dream of Martin Luther King Jr. In the event of Martin Luther King Day, it’s time to reevaluate the existing norms in our societies and align the prevailing norms toward King’s dream.

Happy Awareness of Martin Luther King Day on eventofday.