The Life and Times of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, the eldest of Martin
Luther King, Sr., a Baptist minister, and Alberta Williams King. His Father served as a
pastor of a large Atlanta church, Ebenezer Baptist, which had been founded by Martin
Luther King, Jr.'s maternal grandfather. King, Jr., was ordainded as a Baptist minister at
age 18.
King attended local segrated public school, where he excelled. He entered a
nearby college, Morehouse College, at age 15 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in
sociology in 1948. After graduating with honors from Crozer Theological Seminary in
Pennsylvania in 1951, he went to Boston University where he earned a doctoral degree in
systematic theology in 1955.
While in Boston, King met Coretta Scott, a music student and native of Alabama.
They were married in 1953 and had four children. In 1954 King accepted his first
pastorate at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Mongomery, Alabama. This was a
church with a well educated congregation that had recently been led by a minister who had
protested against segregation.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lead many of the peaceful demonstrations protesting
the segregation between blacks and whites. His peaceful approach to many of the
obstacles in the way of integration was the most successful during that time period. Other
more violent means of protest such as the efforts of Malcolm X and whites protesting
integration were considered less seriously and seen as a greater threat to society.
Examples of King's peaceful protesting against segregation were during the 1955- 1956
Montgomery bus boycott. It begain when a 43 year old black woman, Rosa Parks, refused
to give up her seat to a white man. Dr. King was appalled when she was arrested and
urged the black population of Montgomery to join together and stand up to the
dehumanization of segregation. Together with local community leaders, King produced
and distributed nearly
Luther King, Sr., a Baptist minister, and Alberta Williams King. His Father served as a
pastor of a large Atlanta church, Ebenezer Baptist, which had been founded by Martin
Luther King, Jr.'s maternal grandfather. King, Jr., was ordainded as a Baptist minister at
age 18.
King attended local segrated public school, where he excelled. He entered a
nearby college, Morehouse College, at age 15 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in
sociology in 1948. After graduating with honors from Crozer Theological Seminary in
Pennsylvania in 1951, he went to Boston University where he earned a doctoral degree in
systematic theology in 1955.
While in Boston, King met Coretta Scott, a music student and native of Alabama.
They were married in 1953 and had four children. In 1954 King accepted his first
pastorate at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Mongomery, Alabama. This was a
church with a well educated congregation that had recently been led by a minister who had
protested against segregation.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lead many of the peaceful demonstrations protesting
the segregation between blacks and whites. His peaceful approach to many of the
obstacles in the way of integration was the most successful during that time period. Other
more violent means of protest such as the efforts of Malcolm X and whites protesting
integration were considered less seriously and seen as a greater threat to society.
Examples of King's peaceful protesting against segregation were during the 1955- 1956
Montgomery bus boycott. It begain when a 43 year old black woman, Rosa Parks, refused
to give up her seat to a white man. Dr. King was appalled when she was arrested and
urged the black population of Montgomery to join together and stand up to the
dehumanization of segregation. Together with local community leaders, King produced
and distributed nearly