afasmartinlutherkingjr-blog

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Introduction:

For this lesson, we decided to talk about the life of Martin Luther King Jr., since he was a main part of the Black Rights Movement. He was born on January 15th, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was one of three children but is the only one remembered today due to his dedication to fix racial inequality. From a young age, Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist likely because as a child, MLK encountered ­­racial discrimination from all around. The Jim Crow Laws kept the black and white people separated in schools and most, if not all, public places. He was not allowed to attend school with white people and was forced to stand on busses to give the seats to white people. This lesson will tell you all about the background, middle life, assassination and aftermath of the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

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The Life of Martin Luther King Jr.

Early Life

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on Tuesday, January 15th, 1929, at his grandparents house in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the second born child of three: he had a sister named Christine and a brother named Alfred Daniel Williams.

King was originally named Michael after his father but both MLK and MLK Jr. changed their names to Martin when MLK Jr. was still young. MLK was born into a financially stable household. He was fortunate to learn piano from his mother. He worked as a paperboy but always dreamt of being a fireman when he grew up.  

Family Background

MLK’s grandfather was James Albert King. James was a sharecropper in the small town of Stockbridge, Georgia, right outside of Atlanta. James and his wife had ten children, MLK’s father also being the second born. The family left Stockbridge when Martin Luther King was 16 in order to work different jobs and study. He gradually gained a reputation as a preacher and met his wife, Alberta Christine Williams, while preaching at church. She studied at Hampton Institute in VA and graduated from Atlanta’s Spelman College to become a teacher.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s mother and father both moved to the main street of Atlanta’s AA Business District into James’ home after they married. When James died in 1931, Martin Luther King took over his occupation as a pastor and involved himself in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored people: the NAACP. His mission was to reduce the salary gap between black and white individuals.

Martin Luther King Jr. was born into a world where black and white people had different rights and encountered a great amount of racial discrimination. Laws, such as the Jim Crow Laws, kept the blacks and whites separated. MLK Jr. started schooling at the age of 5. He first attended the Young Street Elementary School, then David T. Howard Elementary School and then Booker T. Washington High School, where he became the Quarterback of the football team. Later in his life, he attended an oratory contest in Valdosta, GA and won second prize.

Education

Martin Luther King Jr. received a good education, better than most other children of his race, and did well in school. He scored noticeably well on his college exam and in 1945, he skipped his junior and senior years in high-school and instead attended Morehouse College in Atlanta. He later attended Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, PA, BU and earned a PH.D studying sociology. Overall, his mission was to use his knowledge and education to adjust salaries for teachers in Atlanta so there would be more equality.

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Martin Luther King Jr. was famous for a large amount throughout his life, not solely his speeches. The night before he died in his last speech, he said:

And then I got to Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. 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. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.[163]

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The Assassination and Aftermath

Assassination

MLK was assassinated on April 4th 1968 at hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was killed with only one shot fired by a gunman. His killer was James Earl Ray who escaped from a prison in Missouri a year before. Ray was a “confirmed racist” and a “small town criminal”. When he got out of jail the year before he decided to form allies with Eric Galt and John Willard to help him register in multiple hotels in Memphis. He used a remington rifle to shoot MLK on the Hotel balcony where he was standing. After the killing James Ray fled to so many different countries; Canada, England, and Portugal. He bought a passport under the name of Sneyd. He was a nomad and would move from hotel to hotel. However the FBI put him the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List and by June 8th when he arrived at the Heathrow Airport in London the authorities finally caught up to him and he was arrested right there and then. His court date was not till MArch 1969. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in jail. He ended up dying on April 32 1998.

Aftermath

Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination led to nationwide wave of race riots in cities such as Washington, DC, Chicago, Baltimore, Louisville, Kansas City and more. Only one day before his assassination, his plane received bomb threats. He landed safety and gave a speech that night stating: “I just want to do God's will. 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. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord”. The next day on April 4th, 1968, he was assassinated.

Poor People’s Campaign

Before his death, Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to assemble “a multiracial army of the poor” to march in Washington, D.C. in order to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience. His goal was to march until Congress created an “economic bill of rights” for poor Americans. He had planned to set up a Shantytown – a settlement of improvised cheap housing, lacking proper sanitation, electricity and water – in Washington, D.C. to address issues of economic justice. He called this the Poor People’s Campaign of 1968. After his death, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) received many donations to carry out MLK’s project. The campaign began in Memphis, Tennessee at the hotel where MLK was murdered. Thousands of demonstrators established a camp on the National Mall for 6 weeks in his honor and they called it “Resurrection City”.

Significant Responses

In addition to the Poor People’s Campaign, many significant individuals spoke out about his death. Presidential candidate Robert F. “Bobby” Kennedy, James Farmer Jr. and other civil rights leaders gave speeches informing MLK’s supporters of the assassination, urging them to continue his ideal of non-violent actions. Stokely Carmichael also gave a speech but was more militant asked supporters for a forceful response to his death. The President at the time, Lyndon Johnson, declared that April 7 would be a national day of mourning for Martin Luther King Jr.

Funeral

Due to fear of protests and violence, President Lyndon Johnson was not able to attend MLK’s funeral and instead sent his Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Per the request of Martin Luther King Jr., there was no mention of his awards and honors. Instead, he requested to be remembered as someone who would “feed the hungry,” “clothe the naked,” “be right on the [Vietnam] war question,” and “love and serve humanity.” Coretta Scott King, MLK’s wife, played his last sermon given at Ebenezer Baptist Church at the funeral.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

        In honor of Martin Luther King Jr, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill on November 2, 1984, to create a federal holiday. Some cities celebrated his life starting in as early as 1971 but the day was not formally observed as Martin Luther King Jr. Day until January 20, 1986. The first time the holiday was observed in all fifty states was on January 17, 2000. Now, every state observes this holiday on the third Monday of January each other, since that is near the time of his birthday.

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Conclusion:

Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most important individuals, if not the most important individual, in the Black Rights or Civil Rights Movement. To conclude, he dedicated his life to help not only the black people in America but also the poor and the hungry. Even at his funeral, he did not request the mention of his awards and honors but instead wanted to be remembered as someone who dedicated his time to “love and serve humanity.” Though Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the young age of 39, he stated before his death: “I just want to do God's will. 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. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” Though MLK figured he would not survive to see equality, he died trying for the good of the American people to follow. I hope this lesson was informative, enlightening and I hope you are able to comprehend the importance of the life of Martin Luther King Jr.