Martin Luther King Jr. Facts for Kids
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Martin Luther King Jr. was a great leader in the civil rights movement in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. As a Baptist minister, he is most known for his role in advancing equal rights for all people regardless of their skin color, ethnicity, or religion.
Here are some fun and interesting facts about Martin Luther King Jr. that kids should know:
1. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, and his birth name was actually Michael Luther King Jr. His father later changed his name to Martin Luther King Sr. in honor of the German theologian Martin Luther.
2. King was a gifted student and entered college at the age of 15. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1948.
3. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It remains one of the most inspiring speeches in American history.
4. In 1964, King became the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent resistance to racial prejudice and injustice.
5. King led many peaceful protests and marches, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965, and the Memphis sanitation strike in 1968. He was arrested several times for his activism.
6. King advocated for equal rights for all people, not just African Americans. He spoke out against poverty, voting discrimination, and war.
7. Tragically, King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 39. His death sparked riots in many cities across the country.
8. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated every year on the third Monday in January in honor of his birthday. It is a federal holiday in the United States.