he is an iconic figure in the history of african-american civil rights welcome to
african-american civil rights welcome to
african-american civil rights welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
watchmojo.com and today we’ll be learning more about the life and
learning more about the life and
learning more about the life and accomplishments of Martin Luther King
accomplishments of Martin Luther King
accomplishments of Martin Luther King jr. born january 15 1929 in Atlanta
jr. born january 15 1929 in Atlanta
jr. born january 15 1929 in Atlanta Georgia he was a skilled student
Georgia he was a skilled student
Georgia he was a skilled student graduating from some of the most
graduating from some of the most
graduating from some of the most distinguished segregated schools in the
distinguished segregated schools in the
distinguished segregated schools in the south he was inspired to fight for civil
south he was inspired to fight for civil
south he was inspired to fight for civil rights by his father Martin Luther King
rights by his father Martin Luther King
rights by his father Martin Luther King senior a Baptist minister who was also a
senior a Baptist minister who was also a
senior a Baptist minister who was also a leader in the battle for social equality
leader in the battle for social equality
leader in the battle for social equality in June of 1953 King Jr married Coretta
in June of 1953 King Jr married Coretta
in June of 1953 King Jr married Coretta Scott who also became an important
Scott who also became an important
Scott who also became an important figure in the fight for civil rights the
figure in the fight for civil rights the
figure in the fight for civil rights the next year he became pastor of the Dexter
next year he became pastor of the Dexter
next year he became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery
Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery
Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery Alabama already a prominent member of
Alabama already a prominent member of
Alabama already a prominent member of the National Association for the
the National Association for the
the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or NAACP
Advancement of Colored People or NAACP
Advancement of Colored People or NAACP by December 1955 he took on a more
by December 1955 he took on a more
by December 1955 he took on a more high-profile role in the organization he
high-profile role in the organization he
high-profile role in the organization he led the charge in the Montgomery bus
led the charge in the Montgomery bus
led the charge in the Montgomery bus boycott after african-american bus rider
boycott after african-american bus rider
boycott after african-american bus rider Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to
Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to
Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man the
give up her seat to a white man the
give up her seat to a white man the boycott lasted well over a year and
boycott lasted well over a year and
boycott lasted well over a year and during that time King was personally
during that time King was personally
during that time King was personally targeted by fire bombs to his home and
targeted by fire bombs to his home and
targeted by fire bombs to his home and was even arrested ultimately
was even arrested ultimately
was even arrested ultimately the battle was won and King became known
the battle was won and King became known
the battle was won and King became known as a great black leader the year who
as a great black leader the year who
as a great black leader the year who protests against city buses is
protests against city buses is
protests against city buses is officially called off and the legal
officially called off and the legal
officially called off and the legal citizens of Montgomery are urged to
citizens of Montgomery are urged to
citizens of Montgomery are urged to return to the buses tomorrow my and a
return to the buses tomorrow my and a
return to the buses tomorrow my and a non-segregated day
non-segregated day
non-segregated day by 1957 King helped found the Southern
by 1957 King helped found the Southern
by 1957 King helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference this
Christian Leadership Conference this
Christian Leadership Conference this group used peaceful protest methods such
group used peaceful protest methods such
group used peaceful protest methods such as boycotts sit-ins and marches to fight
as boycotts sit-ins and marches to fight
as boycotts sit-ins and marches to fight for civil rights
for civil rights
for civil rights unfortunately these demonstrations did
unfortunately these demonstrations did
unfortunately these demonstrations did not always remain peaceful a standoffs
not always remain peaceful a standoffs
not always remain peaceful a standoffs with police sometimes turned violent
with police sometimes turned violent
with police sometimes turned violent King was also adept at utilizing the
King was also adept at utilizing the
King was also adept at utilizing the media to bring the issues into the
media to bring the issues into the
media to bring the issues into the forefront of public consciousness in the
forefront of public consciousness in the
forefront of public consciousness in the early 1960s much of King’s work took
early 1960s much of King’s work took
early 1960s much of King’s work took place in southern states like Georgia
place in southern states like Georgia
place in southern states like Georgia Alabama and Florida he was also
Alabama and Florida he was also
Alabama and Florida he was also instrumental in the march on Washington
instrumental in the march on Washington
instrumental in the march on Washington which took place on August 28 1963
which took place on August 28 1963
which took place on August 28 1963 despite a great deal of controversy
despite a great deal of controversy
despite a great deal of controversy surrounding the event the March drew
surrounding the event the March drew
surrounding the event the March drew record numbers to the city’s National
record numbers to the city’s National
record numbers to the city’s National Mall on the steps of the Lincoln
Mall on the steps of the Lincoln
Mall on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial King made his most famous
Memorial King made his most famous
Memorial King made his most famous speech pleading for tolerance and
speech pleading for tolerance and
speech pleading for tolerance and equality I have a dream my four little
equality I have a dream my four little
equality I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation
children will one day live in a nation
children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the
where they will not be judged by the
where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content
color of their skin but by the content
color of their skin but by the content of their character
of their character
of their character I have a dream today this event and
I have a dream today this event and
I have a dream today this event and King’s words are credited with assisting
King’s words are credited with assisting
King’s words are credited with assisting in the passage of 1964 Civil Rights Act
in the passage of 1964 Civil Rights Act
in the passage of 1964 Civil Rights Act the next year a failed march between
the next year a failed march between
the next year a failed march between Selma and Montgomery Alabama erupted in
Selma and Montgomery Alabama erupted in
Selma and Montgomery Alabama erupted in violence the day was nicknamed Bloody
violence the day was nicknamed Bloody
violence the day was nicknamed Bloody Sunday and is considered a decisive
Sunday and is considered a decisive
Sunday and is considered a decisive moment in the history of civil rights
moment in the history of civil rights
moment in the history of civil rights though he was not involved King
though he was not involved King
though he was not involved King organized another March on March 25th
organized another March on March 25th
organized another March on March 25th and he delivered another important
and he delivered another important
and he delivered another important speech on the steps of the State Capitol
speech on the steps of the State Capitol
speech on the steps of the State Capitol I long not long because no last can live
I long not long because no last can live
I long not long because no last can live free of Josiah
free of Josiah
free of Josiah Arlen mad low
Arlen mad low
Arlen mad low cause you shall reap pushes oh yeah
cause you shall reap pushes oh yeah
cause you shall reap pushes oh yeah in 1966 King and his counterparts tried
in 1966 King and his counterparts tried
in 1966 King and his counterparts tried to steer the movement into the north of
to steer the movement into the north of
to steer the movement into the north of the country starting with Chicago he
the country starting with Chicago he
the country starting with Chicago he moved to the slums of the city to show
moved to the slums of the city to show
moved to the slums of the city to show support for those in poverty and
support for those in poverty and
support for those in poverty and continue to hold marches despite a
continue to hold marches despite a
continue to hold marches despite a terrible public reaction by 1967 King
terrible public reaction by 1967 King
terrible public reaction by 1967 King had shifted his focus by vocally
had shifted his focus by vocally
had shifted his focus by vocally opposing the Vietnam War King suggested
opposing the Vietnam War King suggested
opposing the Vietnam War King suggested funds spent on the war would be better
funds spent on the war would be better
funds spent on the war would be better used on social programs and unbalancing
used on social programs and unbalancing
used on social programs and unbalancing economic inequalities for those who say
economic inequalities for those who say
economic inequalities for those who say to me stick to civil rights haven’t no
to me stick to civil rights haven’t no
to me stick to civil rights haven’t no bad
bad
bad that is that I’ve fought too long in too
that is that I’ve fought too long in too
that is that I’ve fought too long in too hard now against segregated public
hard now against segregated public
hard now against segregated public accommodation the end up segregating my
accommodation the end up segregating my
accommodation the end up segregating my prob concern this evolution in his
prob concern this evolution in his
prob concern this evolution in his beliefs lost him support among whites
beliefs lost him support among whites
beliefs lost him support among whites including President Johnson 1968 saw
including President Johnson 1968 saw
including President Johnson 1968 saw King helped coordinate the Poor People’s
King helped coordinate the Poor People’s
King helped coordinate the Poor People’s Campaign to further his agenda against
Campaign to further his agenda against
Campaign to further his agenda against financial disparity this drive was not
financial disparity this drive was not
financial disparity this drive was not supported by some prominent members of
supported by some prominent members of
supported by some prominent members of the civil rights movement as they feared
the civil rights movement as they feared
the civil rights movement as they feared its goals were too much to overcome to
its goals were too much to overcome to
its goals were too much to overcome to further this campaign King traveled to
further this campaign King traveled to
further this campaign King traveled to Memphis Tennessee to show support for
Memphis Tennessee to show support for
Memphis Tennessee to show support for striking black public workers there on
striking black public workers there on
striking black public workers there on April 3rd he gave the last speech of his
April 3rd he gave the last speech of his
April 3rd he gave the last speech of his career his prophetic I’ve been to the
career his prophetic I’ve been to the
career his prophetic I’ve been to the mountaintop address I want you to know
mountaintop address I want you to know
mountaintop address I want you to know the night that we ever people will get
the night that we ever people will get
the night that we ever people will get to the promised land
to the promised land
to the promised land the next night on April 4th 1968 King
the next night on April 4th 1968 King
the next night on April 4th 1968 King was standing on the balcony of his motel
was standing on the balcony of his motel
was standing on the balcony of his motel when he was shot and killed good evening
when he was shot and killed good evening
when he was shot and killed good evening dr. Martin Luther King the apostle of
dr. Martin Luther King the apostle of
dr. Martin Luther King the apostle of non-violence in the civil rights
non-violence in the civil rights
non-violence in the civil rights movement has been shot to death in
movement has been shot to death in
movement has been shot to death in Memphis Tennessee as the country mourned
Memphis Tennessee as the country mourned
Memphis Tennessee as the country mourned violent riots erupted across the nation
violent riots erupted across the nation
violent riots erupted across the nation James Earl Ray was later convicted of
James Earl Ray was later convicted of
James Earl Ray was later convicted of the murder though conspiracy theories
the murder though conspiracy theories
the murder though conspiracy theories remain as to who was behind the
remain as to who was behind the
remain as to who was behind the assassination King has been recognized
assassination King has been recognized
assassination King has been recognized for his work a number of times including
for his work a number of times including
for his work a number of times including a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 today King’s
a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 today King’s
a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 today King’s contributions to the civil rights
contributions to the civil rights
contributions to the civil rights movement are immeasurable and his legacy
movement are immeasurable and his legacy
movement are immeasurable and his legacy lives on as one of equality and
lives on as one of equality and
lives on as one of equality and tolerance so I’m happy tonight I’m not
tolerance so I’m happy tonight I’m not
tolerance so I’m happy tonight I’m not worried about anything I’m not fearing
worried about anything I’m not fearing
worried about anything I’m not fearing in a man my eyes have seen the glory
”
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