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Martin Luther King Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on martin luter king.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an African-American leader in the U.S. He lost his life while performing a peaceful protest for the betterment of blacks in America. His real name was Michael King Jr. He completed his studies and attained a Ph.D. After that, he joined the American Civil Right Movement. He was among one of the great men who dedicated their life for the community.

Reason for Martin Luther King to be famous

There are two reasons for someone to be famous either he is a good man or a very bad person. Martin Luther King was among the good one who dedicated his life to the community. Martin Luther King was also known as MLK Jr. He gained popularity after he became the leader and spokesperson of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s.

Martin Luther King was an American activist, minister, and humanitarian. Also, he had worked for several other causes and actively participated in many protests and boycotts. He was a peaceful man that has faith in Christian beliefs and non-violence. Also, his inspiration for them was the work of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. For his work in the field of civil rights, the Nobel Committee awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize.

He was a great speaker that motivated the blacks to protest using non-violence. Also, he uses peaceful strategies like a boycott, protest march , and sit-ins, etc. for protests against the government.

Impact of King

King is one of the renowned leaders of the African-American who worked for the welfare of his community throughout his life. He was very famous among the community and is the strongest voice of the community. King and his fellow companies and peaceful protesters forced the government several times to bend their laws. Also, kings’ life made a seismic impact on life and thinking of the blacks. He was among one of the great leaders of the era.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Humanitarian and civil rights work

As we know that King was a civic leader . Also, he has taken part in many civil right campaigns and boycotts like the Bus Boycott, Voting Rights and the most famous March on Washington. In this march along with more than 200,000 people, he marched towards Washington for human right. Also, it’s the largest human right campaign in U.S.A. history. During the protest, he gave a speech named “I Have a Dream” which is history’s one of the renowned speeches.

Death and memorial

During his life working as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement he makes many enemies. Also, the government and plans do everything to hurt his reputation. Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. Every year the US celebrates his anniversary as Martin Luther King Jr. day in the US. Also, they honored kings’ memory by naming school and building after him and a Memorial at Independence Mall.

Martin Luther King was a great man who dedicated his whole life for his community. Also, he was an active leader and a great spokesperson that not only served his people but also humanity. It was due to his contribution that the African-American got their civil rights.

Essay Topics on Famous Leaders

Mahatma Gandhi
APJ Abdul Kalam
Jawaharlal Nehru
Swami Vivekananda
Mother Teresa
Rabindranath Tagore
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
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Abraham Lincoln
Martin Luther King

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Martin Luther King Jr.

By: History.com Editors

Updated: January 25, 2024 | Original: November 9, 2009

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking before crowd of 25,000 civil rights marchers in front of the Montgomery, Alabama state capital building on March 25, 1965.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activist and Baptist minister who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. King sought equality and human rights for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and all victims of injustice through peaceful protest. He was the driving force behind watershed events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington , which helped bring about such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act . King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is remembered each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day , a U.S. federal holiday since 1986.

When Was Martin Luther King Born?

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia , the second child of Martin Luther King Sr., a pastor, and Alberta Williams King, a former schoolteacher.

Along with his older sister Christine and younger brother Alfred Daniel Williams, he grew up in the city’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood, then home to some of the most prominent and prosperous African Americans in the country.

Did you know? The final section of Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech is believed to have been largely improvised.

A gifted student, King attended segregated public schools and at the age of 15 was admitted to Morehouse College , the alma mater of both his father and maternal grandfather, where he studied medicine and law.

Although he had not intended to follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the ministry, he changed his mind under the mentorship of Morehouse’s president, Dr. Benjamin Mays, an influential theologian and outspoken advocate for racial equality. After graduating in 1948, King entered Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree, won a prestigious fellowship and was elected president of his predominantly white senior class.

King then enrolled in a graduate program at Boston University, completing his coursework in 1953 and earning a doctorate in systematic theology two years later. While in Boston he met Coretta Scott, a young singer from Alabama who was studying at the New England Conservatory of Music . The couple wed in 1953 and settled in Montgomery, Alabama, where King became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church .

The Kings had four children: Yolanda Denise King, Martin Luther King III, Dexter Scott King and Bernice Albertine King.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

The King family had been living in Montgomery for less than a year when the highly segregated city became the epicenter of the burgeoning struggle for civil rights in America, galvanized by the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954.

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks , secretary of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ( NAACP ), refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a Montgomery bus and was arrested. Activists coordinated a bus boycott that would continue for 381 days. The Montgomery Bus Boycott placed a severe economic strain on the public transit system and downtown business owners. They chose Martin Luther King Jr. as the protest’s leader and official spokesman.

By the time the Supreme Court ruled segregated seating on public buses unconstitutional in November 1956, King—heavily influenced by Mahatma Gandhi and the activist Bayard Rustin —had entered the national spotlight as an inspirational proponent of organized, nonviolent resistance.

King had also become a target for white supremacists, who firebombed his family home that January.

On September 20, 1958, Izola Ware Curry walked into a Harlem department store where King was signing books and asked, “Are you Martin Luther King?” When he replied “yes,” she stabbed him in the chest with a knife. King survived, and the attempted assassination only reinforced his dedication to nonviolence: “The experience of these last few days has deepened my faith in the relevance of the spirit of nonviolence if necessary social change is peacefully to take place.”

Southern Christian Leadership Conference

Emboldened by the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, in 1957 he and other civil rights activists—most of them fellow ministers—founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), a group committed to achieving full equality for African Americans through nonviolent protest.

The SCLC motto was “Not one hair of one head of one person should be harmed.” King would remain at the helm of this influential organization until his death.

In his role as SCLC president, Martin Luther King Jr. traveled across the country and around the world, giving lectures on nonviolent protest and civil rights as well as meeting with religious figures, activists and political leaders.

During a month-long trip to India in 1959, he had the opportunity to meet family members and followers of Gandhi, the man he described in his autobiography as “the guiding light of our technique of nonviolent social change.” King also authored several books and articles during this time.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

In 1960 King and his family moved to Atlanta, his native city, where he joined his father as co-pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church . This new position did not stop King and his SCLC colleagues from becoming key players in many of the most significant civil rights battles of the 1960s.

Their philosophy of nonviolence was put to a particularly severe test during the Birmingham campaign of 1963, in which activists used a boycott, sit-ins and marches to protest segregation, unfair hiring practices and other injustices in one of America’s most racially divided cities.

Arrested for his involvement on April 12, King penned the civil rights manifesto known as the “ Letter from Birmingham Jail ,” an eloquent defense of civil disobedience addressed to a group of white clergymen who had criticized his tactics.

March on Washington

Later that year, Martin Luther King Jr. worked with a number of civil rights and religious groups to organize the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a peaceful political rally designed to shed light on the injustices Black Americans continued to face across the country.

Held on August 28 and attended by some 200,000 to 300,000 participants, the event is widely regarded as a watershed moment in the history of the American civil rights movement and a factor in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 .

"I Have a Dream" Speech

The March on Washington culminated in King’s most famous address, known as the “I Have a Dream” speech, a spirited call for peace and equality that many consider a masterpiece of rhetoric.

Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial —a monument to the president who a century earlier had brought down the institution of slavery in the United States—he shared his vision of a future in which “this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'”

The speech and march cemented King’s reputation at home and abroad; later that year he was named “Man of the Year” by TIME magazine and in 1964 became, at the time, the youngest person ever awarded the Nobel Peace Prize .

In the spring of 1965, King’s elevated profile drew international attention to the violence that erupted between white segregationists and peaceful demonstrators in Selma, Alabama, where the SCLC and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) had organized a voter registration campaign.

Captured on television, the brutal scene outraged many Americans and inspired supporters from across the country to gather in Alabama and take part in the Selma to Montgomery march led by King and supported by President Lyndon B. Johnson , who sent in federal troops to keep the peace.

That August, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act , which guaranteed the right to vote—first awarded by the 15th Amendment—to all African Americans.

Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

The events in Selma deepened a growing rift between Martin Luther King Jr. and young radicals who repudiated his nonviolent methods and commitment to working within the established political framework.

As more militant Black leaders such as Stokely Carmichael rose to prominence, King broadened the scope of his activism to address issues such as the Vietnam War and poverty among Americans of all races. In 1967, King and the SCLC embarked on an ambitious program known as the Poor People’s Campaign, which was to include a massive march on the capital.

On the evening of April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated . He was fatally shot while standing on the balcony of a motel in Memphis, where King had traveled to support a sanitation workers’ strike. In the wake of his death, a wave of riots swept major cities across the country, while President Johnson declared a national day of mourning.

James Earl Ray , an escaped convict and known racist, pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. He later recanted his confession and gained some unlikely advocates, including members of the King family, before his death in 1998.

After years of campaigning by activists, members of Congress and Coretta Scott King, among others, in 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a U.S. federal holiday in honor of King.

Observed on the third Monday of January, Martin Luther King Day was first celebrated in 1986.

Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

While his “I Have a Dream” speech is the most well-known piece of his writing, Martin Luther King Jr. was the author of multiple books, include “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story,” “Why We Can’t Wait,” “Strength to Love,” “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” and the posthumously published “Trumpet of Conscience” with a foreword by Coretta Scott King. Here are some of the most famous Martin Luther King Jr. quotes:

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

“The time is always right to do what is right.”

"True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice."

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.”

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

“Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.”

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’”

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Martin Luther King During the March on Washington

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The Purpose of Education

Morehouse College, 1948

As I engage in the so-called “bull sessions” around and about the school, I too often find that most college men have a misconception of the purpose of education. Most of the “brethren” think that education should equip them with the proper instruments of exploitation so that they can forever trample over the masses. Still others think that education should furnish them with noble ends rather than means to an end.

It seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility and the other is culture. Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the ligitimate goals of his life.

Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. To think incisively and to think for one’s self is very difficult. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths, prejudices, and propaganda. At this point, I often wonder whether or not education is fulfilling its purpose. A great majority of the so-called educated people do not think logically and scientifically. Even the press, the classroom, the platform, and the pulpit in many instances do not give us objective and unbiased truths. To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.

The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.

The late Eugene Talmadge, in my opinion, possessed one of the better minds of Georgia, or even America. Moreover, he wore the Phi Beta Kappa key. By all measuring rods, Mr. Talmadge could think critically and intensively; yet he contends that I am an inferior being. Are those the types of men we call educated?

We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character–that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate. The broad education will, therefore, transmit to one not only the accumulated knowledge of the race but also the accumulated experience of social living.

If we are not careful, our colleges will produce a group of close-minded, unscientific, illogical propagandists, consumed with immoral acts. Be careful, “brethren!” Be careful, teachers!

National Historical Publications & Records Commission

The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Stanford University

Additional information: https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/publications/king-papers

A comprehensive edition of the papers of Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929 –1968) clergyman, activist, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience. King has become a national icon in the history of American progressivism. A Baptist minister, King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1957, serving as its first president. With the SCLC, King led an unsuccessful struggle against segregation in Albany, Georgia, in 1962, and organized nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Alabama, that attracted national attention following television news coverage of the brutal police response. King also helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. This edition of speeches, sermons, correspondence, and other papers of America’s foremost leader of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The project was initiated by the King Center in Atlanta before moving to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford.

Seven completed volumes of a planned 14-volume edition

Martin Luther King, Jr. addresses the crowd at the Civil Rights March, August 28, 1963. National Archives.

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The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Division of research programs.

Martin Luther King Jr, 1964.

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

This definitive edition of Dr. King’s most significant speeches, sermons, correspondence, public statements, published writings and unpublished manuscripts documents King’s family roots, his rise to prominence, and influence as a national spokesperson for civil rights.

128 Martin Luther King Topics & Essay Examples

Looking for Martin Luther King topics to research? Being one of the most prominent human rights activists in the 20th century, MLK is definitely worth writing about!

🔝 Top Martin Luther King topics to Write about

🏆 best martin luther king essay examples, 👨🏿 martin luther king essay titles, 🎓 creative titles for mlk essay, ❓ research questions about martin luther king.

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and a civil rights defender who rose to fame in 1955. In his iconic “I have a dream” speech, he talked about civil and economic rights for people of color in the US.

In your Martin Luther King essay, you might want to focus on his ideas and philosophy. Why is MLK considered a hero? How did he change the world? In your paper, you can answer these questions. Another option is to look at the main themes Martin Luther King touched upon in his speeches. One more idea is to analyze the key quotes of MLK. Whether you are assigned an argumentative essay or a research paper, this article will be helpful. It contains a list of catchy MLK essay titles, best Martin Luther King topics, and research questions. Martin Luther King essay examples are added to inspire you even more.

Martin Luther King: ideas and philosophy
Why is MLK considered a hero?
The Montgomery bus boycott: the significance
I have a dream: rhetorical analysis
MLK and the idea of peaceful protest
Assassination of Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King Jr. and Christian ideas
Martin Luther King and his views on the Vietnam war
MLK: the role in popular culture
MLK assassination: conspiracy theories
Essay on Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream Speech One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination…….
The Comparison of the Speeches by Martin Luther King and Alicia Garza Both speeches address the same issue that concerns the inequality that exists in the US society when it comes to the rights of black and white people.
I Have a Dream Speech Analysis The speech has become a symbol of a new era of freedom and symbol of the American civil rights movement.”I Have a Dream” is a representation of the “America Dream” about a free and equal […]
Martin Luther King’s Speech: A Summary King noted that the constitution and the Declaration of Independence guaranteed the freedom and equality of all the citizens of the country.
“Letter From Birmingham Jail” Rhetorical Analysis Essay He supports his argument in the next paragraph, where he puts it across that they have been governed by a combination of unjust and just law whereby there is a need to separate the two.
How could King be more upset with moderate whites than violent extremists like clansmen? In his letter, King is trying to persuade and win the authority of the white man who in the real sense had acted as a hindrance to the attainment of the various goals of the […]
Use of Pathos: Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” During his lifetime, Martin Luther King Junior had the privilege of giving several speeches whose main theme in almost all was on the freedom of the black Americans.’I have a dream’ was among the many […]
Martin Luther King Jr. vs. Nelson Mandela Letter from Birmingham jail was directed to the people and the eight white clergy members in Birmingham who condemned the actions of Martin Luther in public.
Ethical Leadership: Martin Luther King All individuals were expected to consider his actions and embrace the idea of morality. Through the use of a positive community culture and empowerment tactics, King managed to model such desirable behaviors.
Analysis of “I Have a Dream “, by Martin Luther King, Jr. They are used in the speech to capture the attention of the audience. Repetition is used throughout the speech to put an emphasis on the main idea of the message.
Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech Critique The purpose of the king’s speech was to motivate the endorsement of change within the Americans, and the state, in relation to Americans’ inappropriate views towards unlike races or tribal groups in America.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s and Alicia Garza’s Speeches Comparison He demonstrates inspiration and magnetism, explaining the history of the issues affecting the audience. Garza is passionate about leaving her home and joining the movements on the streets to pass the message of freedom.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s and Malcolm X’s Leadership Styles Thesis: Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were both charismatic leaders, but the latter was more of a transformational leader as well because of his idealistic views and his ability to inspire his followers to […]
Martin Luther King Jr. as a Born Leader King was a trait leader, as he was able to translate his vision or his dream to others and make them enthusiastic about it.
Speech Evaluation: Martin Luther King, Jr. The analysis of the speech helps to understand various tools and techniques, which he implemented to find the way to reach the audience.
Comparing the Oratory Styles and Impact of Martin Luther King Jr. and Alicia Garza On the other hand, Alicia Garza also displays a level of passion and charisma that captures the attention of her audience.
Elvis Presley and Martin Luther King’s Shared Dream The similarities between the song and the speech concern both the form and content of the test, with the key message being the desire for a better world in which everyone can exist in harmony […]
Rhetorical Techniques in “Letter From Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King His flawless use of metaphors and parallelism allows the reader or the audience to empathize with King and support him in his fight against racial injustice.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Steve Jobs: Comparison In the case of Martin Luther King Jr, his commitment to non-violent resistance as a way of effecting social change was informed by his Christian upbringing and study of Mohandas Gandhi’s philosophy.
Analyzing Martin Luther Speech “I Have a Dream” It is also imperative to note that Luther is addressing all Americans, both white and black, and hence the use of words “we” and “our”.
Rousseau’s the Social Contract vs. Martin Luther King His “Social Contract” is one of the most intriguing writings of Rousseau because he defends man, though being part of the society has its own right in terms of privacy.
Martin Luther King and Winston Churchill’s Leadership Styles This move that paved the way for his growth in the military career later led to his emergence as a renowned leader in Britain and across the world.
“The Quest for Peace and Justice” by Martin Luther King King states that poverty is one of the main problems for the global community, both in developing and economically developed countries.
Martin Luther King and His Impact on Society The ability of people to refuse to follow the regime is a major way how Martin Luther King accomplished change and respect towards the African American population.
Analysis of the Kings Letter From Birmingham Jail From the biblical stand, the king was justified to move in the hope that his contributions would bring change in the destined world.
Martin Luther King Junior Other clauses repeated in the speech include; ‘Now is the time’ found in the sixth paragraph of the speech, where Martin was emphasizing that the time of freedom had come.’Let freedom ring’ is another clause […]
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X Although Malcolm X did not favor violence, he had a strong objection on the subject of nonviolence philosophy on the blacks.
The Speech “I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King It could be said that the primary goal of the paper is to examine the effectiveness of the speech while evaluating the impact on the audience, occasion, speaker, and the lines of the speech.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial of Honor The design of the memorial refers to the line about a stone of hope in Dr. The creative expression in the monument thoroughly captures the people’s perception of Dr.King.
“Letter From Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. King that supports his position is that protests began after multiple attempts by the representatives of the Black community to regulate disagreements peacefully and attract White authorities’ attention to the inappropriateness of segregation. Thus, the […]
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy and Modern-Day Criticism King was linked to the development of the civil rights movement as it was considered to cause a lot of revolution in the country through the use of peaceful demonstrations, which succeeded in the attainment […]
Martin Luther King’s and Alicia Garza’s Speeches A master of words, a preacher, and a fighter for the equality of people before God and the law, King speaks with hope for a better future for the world and the nation.
Martin Luther King’s Leadership Approach Moreover, King was part of the change and provided a good example to the people making the crowd trust the idea of equality in the country.
The Impact of Martin Luther King’s Death Luther King’s personality, his life, and his death caused more significant changes in expanding the rights of the African American people.
The Speeches by Martin Luther King and Malcolm X I want to thank you for this interesting and properly built discussion about how justice and the law are combined in the speeches by Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. The indefatigable aggressiveness of the […]
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Assassination The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.dealt a blow to the ideology of nonviolence and love that underpinned King’s philosophy and which he sought to make basic ideas for the civil rights movement.
Analysis of “I Have a Dream” Speech of Martin Luther King He could explain what was happening to the African Americans of that times and how its was affecting the lives of millions of people in the country.
Martin Luther King Jr. as an Equality Activist At one time, Martin doubted which profession to give preference to medicine or law, everything was decided in favor of the ministry of the church, which influenced the education and literacy of the future leader.
Martin Luther King Jr: American Civil Rights Leader This was an act of defiance against the laws which segregated the buses based on the color of the people.Dr. King led to the abolishment of the laws which were oppressive to the African-Americans.
Martin Luther King’s Speech “I Have a Dream” In conclusion, it is necessary to note that King’s speech is still relevant as nowadays, African Americans, immigrants, and females do not have opportunities that they would have in the world of justice.
John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Abraham Lincoln: Principles of Leadership In this regard, John Kennedy stated in general that, “We have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world or make it the last”.
Martin Luther King and His Trace in Chicago History The campaign targeted to improve the situation in the black neighborhoods and make stress the discrimination practices of realtors and housing officials of the city.
Martin Luther King Jr.: A Great Pastor King’s life was a continuation of the commitment his family had made to advance the ministry and mission of the Christian church.
The Martin Luther King Assassination Martin Luther King is often regarded as one of the most courageous leaders of the Civil Rights Movement in the history of the USA.
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X Under the leadership of Martin Luther King, whom the activists chose as their representative and leader, they protested the arrest with a bus boycott that put a strain on the town’s economy.
Historical Figures: Martin Luther King Jr. In his speeches, he also addressed controversial and urgent topics like the war in Vietnam and poverty opposing the policies that instigated it.’Freedom’ the word that he often used had the central place in his […]
Life of Martin Luther King and Modern Life Martin Luther King lived in the middle of the 20th century facing the problems of the American society of that time.
Martin Luther King Junior, Great American Leader I have always been aware of the fact that if I were to succeed in my life and become a great person, then I would have to develop a solid personality and character.
Kennedy’s and Martin Luther King’s Assassination in 1960’s The American history of assassinations in the 1960’s left an indelible mark in the minds of many people. Similar to the assassination of John F.
“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King: What Has Changed The constitution was drafted by the framers in such a manner that only White men who owned acres of land and property would be given the right to voice their opinion and decide the functioning […]
Martin Luther King Argument From Birmingham Jail King provides a clear background of the real reasons of his arrestment and his desire to grab attention of the Christian society of Birmingham’s clergymen in Alabama.Dr.
A Short Biography of Martin Luther King, Jr The aim of the proposed study is to explore the factors between the occurrence of King’s principles in a world of racial discrimination and the impact of non-violence and civil disobedience in the world of […]
Social Ethics. Letter from Martin Luther King Jr. The Letter that Martin Luther King wrote to eight ministers in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963 was in response to their published appeal to their congregations to stop demonstrating against the unjust segregation laws that had […]
Martin Luther King, Jr.: Leadership Analysis By studying the activity of prominent activists of the past and the key prerequisites to their success, it is possible to learn more about the art of leading others.
Leadership Lessons From Martin Luther King Jr. Born in 1929, Luther King Jr.lived during World War I and in the post-war era of the United States, which was characterized by the severe oppression and segregation of African-Americans within the country. Lessons to […]
Martin Luther King’s Public Speech In terms of strength and persuasive characteristics, the part of the speech, where King, makes an appeal to the Declaration of Independence is the most effective because he uses all three modes of appeal and […]
Martin Luther King and Malcolm X: Who Is Closer to Success? Martin Luther King Jr.and Malcolm X are remembered for their outstanding fight for civil rights in the United States at a time when the black community faced oppression and inequality in different ways.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Social and Political Philosophy C: “An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law”. C: “An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law”.
Martin Luther King’s Psychological Portrait Martin Luther King is one of the most prominent figures in the history of the United States who had a profound impact on the development of the country.
“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King: What We Already Achieved Martin Luther King is a figure of world significance whose famous speech influenced millions of people and led to significant reforms in the U.S. Yet, there are still certain areas in which the U.S.and would […]
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King The fact that the word segregation was used in the second half of the 20th century is astonishing. In 1963, the city of Birmingham was considered a fortress of segregation.
The Civil Rights Movement: Martin King and Malcolm X’s Views King also stressed that the major concepts he adopted were taken from the “Sermon on the Mount and the Gandhian method of nonviolent resistance”.
Dr. Martin Luther King’s Speech I Have a Dream For example, at the beginning of the speech where he began by lamenting on the precarious justice system in the United States that was tilted against the Negros, he figuratively used the terms “promissory note,” […]
Martin Luther King’s Leadership in Historical Context The ideological commitment, articulation of the values, and the goals of the civil rights movements made King one of the leaders of all time.
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Luther King Throughout, however, he refers back to the notion of time, the moment, and in this, he is addressing the concept of Kairos.
“I Have a Dream” Speech by Martin Luther King Jr Unlike previous presentations, the speech had an influence on the overall realization and implementation of statutory provisions that were critical to the sustenance of equality and justice in society.
Martin Luther King and Thomas Hobbes on the Subject of Justice This paper discusses the subject of justice and specifically holds the view that justice is to follow one’s consciousness, and not to obey the unjust law.
Martin Luther King Theory: Issue of Power The letter teaches people of faith that they should use peaceful means in demanding for their rights. In conclusion, them letter by Martin Luther advocated for the respect of human rights.
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Comparison In the entire history of the United States, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were the greatest advocators of freedom and civil rights. He believed that the whites were not to be allowed to misbehave […]
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter From Birmingham Jail He raises the stakes in his letter by pointing out “…the intent of our peaceful, active action is to generate a crisis-filled situation that will certainly necessitate commencement of negotiations”. King’s letter reveal a man […]
Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Movement Martin Luther King noticed the negative trend and he took his stand to make people see the devastating effects of the war.
Loury, Douglass, and King Jr. Loury addressed the challenge to liberals and conservatives that was in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. Loury found it difficult to sell the idea of self help and reliance among the black because […]
The Life and Work of Martin Luther King Jr. In this case, he can be boldly referred to as one of the best orators that the country has ever had. As a matter of fact, this march was done to demand for freedom and […]
Martin Luther King’s Last Speech He says that just like the biblical Jews who suffered in the wilderness, but their descendants finally reached the Promised Land, so will the descendants of the black people in the United States.
Obtaining Objective Truth in Regards to Martin Luther King’s Role in the Fight for Equality in the United States Historians and Scholar’s View of Martin Luther King’s Role in the Fight for Equality in the United States Historians and scholars have made a lot of contributions to discovering the life of Martin Luther King […]
Martin Luther King, Jr. He observed that the Whites had continually segregated and oppressed the Negroes despite the fact that, the latter had tried to emancipate themselves from the demeaning chains of racial prejudice and segregation that clouded the […]
Why the Philosophy of King is More Effective in Fighting Racism than Malcolm’s? The idea of harmony and respect of all human beings is a result of his Christian foundation as well as the philosophy of Gandhi that he encountered later on in his life.
Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream“ Martin Luther King is optimistic that African Americans will have basic rights including voting and other social rights in the future.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Foundation The Memorial is located in the South West region of the National Mall. It is believed that Martin Luther King, Jr.influenced and continues to influence every visitor in the museum.
Martin Luther King and The March on Washington To elaborate his point of view he refers to the Constitution which stated that people were equal in terms of their political rights, and shows how African-Americans were disfranchised by the government.
Forgiveness in Martin Luther’s Movement for Rights Blacks The bible teachings tell us that God exists in the holy trinity and the only way to forgive others is for us to be able to forgive our own transgressions.
The Fight for Equality in Martin Luther King’s Life and Writings The south was defeated and as such one of the effects of the war was to help reconstruct this region by putting in democratic laws.
Changing the Unjust Laws: “Letter From Birmingham Jail” Therefore, the main aim of the letter was to push for the changing of the unjust laws as well as upholding the Supreme Court ruling of the year 1954.
The Dangers of Dogmatism With Approaches Adopted by Martin Luther King Jr and Plato Moreover, King justified his pursuit of justice on the streets from the fact that the protests he organized were essentially peaceful and nonviolent; meaning that all he was trying to do was get his message […]
Reliability of King’s arguments The major conclusion of the part of Martin Luther King’s speech touching upon the issue of Ho Chi Min’s land reform is that this reform was benevolent for the peasants, and can be categorized as […]
Comparing Views on the Feminism of Wollstonecraft and Martin Luther King This means that if women are given and encouraged to have the same level of education as the men than the society would be a much better place as both the female and male genders […]
“Why We can’t Wait” by Martin Luther King (Jr) He was quick to emphasize confidently that the reason for writing the letter was not in response to criticism but to the injustice, which was persistent in Birmingham. The letter is a strong response in […]
The Black Arts Era: Contributions of Malcolm X & Martin Luther King Jr. The era was heralded by the establishment of the Black Arts Movement in Harlem in the decade of the 1960s. Many historians view this movement as the artistic arm of the Black Power movement, representing […]
Motivation Evaluation: Martin Luther King Jr. This enables us to understand the humanistic and diversity views of motivation in King. A diversity view of motivation points out the fact that King was a realist and pragmatic in his approaches.
Separate but Equal: “Letter From Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. In particular, it is necessary to analyze this work in terms of ethos, pathos, and logos and the way in which King balances these three appeals in order to convince the readers.
Political Theories of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. The struggle reached a climax in the mid 1960s, and in the midst of it all were two charismatic and articulate leaders, Martin Luther King, Jr.and Malcolm X.
Martin Luther King’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” This letter from Birmingham Jail analysis essay shall highlight some of the issues discussed in the historic letter including King’s reason for being in Birmingham and why he felt compelled to break the law.
“Why We Can’t Wait” a Historical Document by Martin Luther King Jr. Many of the exceptional leaders in the past have spent some time in detention centers due to their aspiration to transform the society.
Was Martin Luther King Vital to the Gaining of Civil Rights for African Americans?
Does Martin Luther King Junior’s Life Affect His Children’s Lives?
Has Dr. Martin Luther King’s Dream Become Reality?
How Did Gandhi Influence Martin Luther King?
Why the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Should Be Repealed?
How Did Martin Luther King Affect the Civil Rights Movement?
How Did Religion Influence Martin Luther King?
How Far Did Martin Luther King Further the Cause of Civil Rights?
How Important Was Martin Luther King Compared to Malcolm X?
How Martin Luther King Predicted the Decline of the Mainline Church?
How Martin Luther King Would Have Viewed Comments about Hurricane Katrina?
How Much Impact Did Martin Luther King Have in Black Rights?
Why Does Martin Luther King Have a Public Holiday but Not Malcolm X?
Why Martin Luther King Jr Is a Machiavellian Leader?
Why Some Activists Rejected the Approach of Martin Luther King to Civil Rights?
What Are the Three Important Facts about Martin Luther King?
How Did Martin Luther King Change the World?
What Are the Five Accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr?
How Racism Experience Shaped Martin Luther King?
Do All States Recognize Martin Luther King Day?
What Did Martin Luther King Speak Out Against?
What Is the Main Purpose of Martin Luther King’s Speeches?
For What Was Martin Luther King Imprisoned?
Who Inspired Martin Luther King on Nonviolence Fight?
How Martin Luther King’s Ideas Represented in “Conscience for Change”?
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Essay on Martin Luther King for Students | 500+ Words Essay

December 10, 2020 by Sandeep

Essay on Martin Luther King : Martin Luther King was an American activist & leader in the Civil Rights Movement. He was mostly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi , who was the flag bearer of Ahimsa or Non-Violence. He always fought for equal rights until James Earl Ray murdered him in 1968. He was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1964.

Essay on Martin Luther King 500 Words in English

Below we have provided Martin Luther King Jr. Essay in English, written in easy and simple words for class 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 school students

Martin Luther King was a Baptist minister who conducted the civil rights movement. He was an African-American leader in the United States. He also participated in civil rights activists, which began in the mid-1950’s, which had a seismic impact on race relations in American relations. With his constant efforts, King Martin became the SCLC leader (Southern Christian Leadership Conference). Being able to speak inspirationally and energetically, King Martin additionally played a major role in airing the legal segregation of African-American citizens in the US, and he also played a pivotal role in enacting the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Martin was born on January 15, 1929, as a second child of Alberta Williams King and Michael King Sr., A.D. Williams was his grandfather who had been a rural minister for many years and finally moved to Atlanta in 1893. He was able to take care of small and struggling Ebenezer Baptist church, having just 13 members, and wherein within a few time, he made it into a big and forceful congregation. Initially, King Martin was admitted in segregated public schools, while at the age 15, he got admission to Morehouse College to study Medicine and Law.

Since he was not interested in following the footstep of his father, thus, he changed his mind accordingly guided by Dr. Benjamin Mays, who was an advocate for racial equality. When he completed his graduation in 1948, he moved to Pennsylvania to pursue a Bachelor of Divinity degree, where he won a remarkable fellowship, and he was also chosen as the president of his predominantly white senior class. In 1953, he got admission at Boston University to accomplish his coursework, and after two years, he was also able to earn a doctorate in systematic theology.

Meantime, he met with Coretta Scott, studying at the New England Conservatory of Music. She was a single from Alabama. The two married in the same year and were blessed with four children named Martin Luther King III, Dexter Scott King, Yolanda Dennis King and Bernice Albertine King who were with them until their deaths. After his marriage, King Martin continued his research work at Boston Graduate School and in 1955, he was able to get his PHD. At the same time, King Martin was also an eminent Civil Right Activist who kept trying to get rid of discrimination and to abolish unfair segregation laws in the South.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

In 1956, two attempts were made by throwing bombs on to the porch of Martin Luther King Jr’s house, fortunately, both times, the bombs did not explode. In this same year, King Martin was arrested because of taking part in hindering operations of buses without having a legal cause. He also published a book named “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story” in 1958. In 1960, he along with his family moved to Atlanta where he became the co-pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church of his father’s old church.

Martin Luther King Jr. was pressurized to lead a march in Albany in 1962. Afterwards, he gave a speech that inspired millions of Africa-American people. Being a powerful speaker and influencing nature, he was elected as the leader of a group known as the Montgomery Improvement Association. After that, King Martin started a protest against segregated buses. This protest was started when an old lady named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, and later she was arrested.

After this protest, King Jr. encouraged the public to boycott the segregated buses also. All this made white people angry for King Martin, and they also wanted to kill them by throwing bombs in his house. To end this violence, Martin Luther, with other African-American ministers, established the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. During the conference, African-American College boys started occupying white tables only. This protest was interrupted by the southern police that was also shown on the television. Meanwhile, President Kennedy sent a bill to deal with this situation in favour of Congress. Soon, there was the end of segregation law.

Death and Memorial of King Martin

In 1968, Martin King was giving a speech in Tennessee in front of a massive crowd, named as “I’ve been to the mountain top”; unfortunately, James Earl Ray shot him and he died. That speech was about African-American garbage men. The attacker was caught, and unfortunately, he was sentenced to jail for only nine years. Every year, on King Martin’s birthday, Martin Luther King Day is celebrated in the US as a national holiday to honour his work.

Martin Luther King Civil Rights Sentence Outline

When you think about the champions of civil rights in America, Martin Luther King Jr. isn’t just a name; it’s a monumental force. His legacy, rooted in the fight for equality and justice, stretches far beyond the steps of the Lincoln Memorial or the eloquence of his “I Have a Dream” speech. King’s life was a masterclass in the power of nonviolent resistance and the strength of words to mobilize a nation toward change.

At the heart of King’s influence was his unwavering belief in nonviolence, a strategy he adopted from Mahatma Gandhi. This approach wasn’t just about the moral high ground; it was a tactical choice that proved incredibly effective. Imagine the scenes in Birmingham, 1963, where peaceful protesters faced off against the brutality of segregation with such dignity that the whole country had to take notice. It was this ability to draw the nation’s eye, to hold up a mirror to America’s conscience, that helped usher in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a monumental leap towards erasing institutionalized discrimination.

But King’s vision wasn’t just about ending segregation. He dreamed bigger. He spoke of a world where people wouldn’t be judged by the color of their skin but by who they were deep down. His fight wasn’t just for African Americans but for every underdog, every marginalized group. He saw the threads that connected poverty, racism, and injustice and fought to pull those threads to unravel the whole oppressive tapestry.

King’s path was anything but smooth. He faced hostility not just from the expected corners of society but also from within his own ranks, from those who questioned his methods or doubted his goals. His strength lay in his resilience, his ability to stand firm in the face of adversity, to keep loving when faced with hate. Even after his tragic assassination, his words, his dreams, didn’t fade; they reverberated louder, inspiring countless others to pick up the torch.

Reflecting on Martin Luther King’s journey, you see more than the milestones of a movement. You see the deep moral and ethical awakening he stirred in a country, challenging America to live up to its ideals of liberty and justice for all. His legacy isn’t just in the laws changed or the speeches given; it’s in the ongoing fight for civil rights, a fight that has found new champions in every generation since.

King’s story is a reminder of the long, often winding road to justice. It’s about the power of love over hate, the importance of standing up for what’s right, even when the odds are stacked against you. As we face the complexities of today’s social justice battles, King’s life and teachings light the way. He taught us that while the road to equality is long, every step taken with love and determination moves us closer to a world where everyone can live in dignity and peace. His dream is ours to fulfill, and the work continues, always with the hope that, indeed, the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice.

How it works

At the heart of King’s influence was his unwavering belief in nonviolence, a strategy he adopted from Mahatma Gandhi.

This approach wasn’t just about the moral high ground; it was a tactical choice that proved incredibly effective. Imagine the scenes in Birmingham, 1963, where peaceful protesters faced off against the brutality of segregation with such dignity that the whole country had to take notice. It was this ability to draw the nation’s eye, to hold up a mirror to America’s conscience, that helped usher in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a monumental leap towards erasing institutionalized discrimination.

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10 Lines Essay on Martin Luther King in English

Table of Contents

What is Luther King famous for?, How to write Martin Luther King, Jr?, What are 5 things Martin Luther was known for?, Who is also known as Martin Luther King?,

Martin Luther King Jr. was a legendary figure in American history and one of the Civil Rights Movement’s most important leaders. For millions of people worldwide, his steadfast dedication to justice, equality, and nonviolent activism made him a symbol of progress and hope. King, who was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15, 1929, devoted his life to the struggle against racial discrimination and segregation. His unwavering work ethic and outstanding leadership have permanently altered the path of history and left an enduring impression on society. 10 Lines Essay on Martin Luther King in English

Early life and education of Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King Jr. was born into a middle-class family. His father, Martin Luther King Sr., was a Baptist minister, and his mother, Alberta Williams King, was a former schoolteacher. Growing up in a racially divided America, King experienced firsthand the injustices and inequalities faced by African Americans. However, his parents instilled in him the values of compassion, empathy, and the importance of education. King excelled academically and went on to attend Morehouse College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He later pursued a theological education at Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania, and then completed his doctoral studies at Boston University.

Martin Luther King’s involvement in the Civil Rights Movement

Martin Luther King’s involvement in the Civil Rights Movement began in the mid-1950s when he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This peaceful protest against racial segregation on public buses lasted for 381 days and ultimately resulted in a Supreme Court ruling declaring segregation on buses as unconstitutional. This was just the beginning of King’s journey as a civil rights leader. He went on to co-found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which became a prominent organization in the fight for racial equality. Through his leadership and strategic planning, King organized numerous nonviolent protests and demonstrations, including the historic March on Washington in 1963, where he delivered his renowned “I Have a Dream” speech.

Key events and achievements of Martin Luther King

Throughout his life, Martin Luther King was involved in several key events and achieved significant milestones for the Civil Rights Movement. One of the most notable events was the 1963 March on Washington, which drew over 250,000 people and served as a platform for King to deliver his iconic speech. The March on Washington was instrumental in raising awareness about racial inequality and pressuring the government to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This landmark legislation prohibited segregation in public facilities and outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

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Another pivotal moment in King’s career was the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. These peaceful protests aimed to secure voting rights for African Americans in the face of violent opposition. The marches, along with the brutality faced by protesters, garnered national attention and ultimately led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which removed barriers that had prevented African Americans from voting. These achievements and many others solidified King’s reputation as a transformative leader and a tireless advocate for justice. 10 Lines Essay on Martin Luther King in English

Martin Luther King’s famous speeches and quotes

Martin Luther King was an eloquent and powerful speaker, and his speeches continue to resonate with people to this day. His “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered during the March on Washington, remains one of the most iconic speeches in American history. In it, King passionately expressed his vision of a future where racial equality and justice prevailed. He called for an end to racism and urged people to judge others not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

In addition to his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, King delivered numerous other speeches that reflected his unwavering commitment to nonviolent activism and social change. His words inspired millions and continue to inspire future generations. Some of his notable quotes include “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that” and “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” These quotes encapsulate King’s philosophy and serve as a reminder of the enduring power of his words.

Impact of Martin Luther King’s leadership on society

The impact of Martin Luther King’s leadership on society cannot be overstated. His unwavering commitment to nonviolence and his ability to mobilize people towards a common goal led to significant advancements in civil rights and racial equality. King’s leadership inspired a generation of activists and ordinary citizens to stand up against injustice and fight for a more inclusive and equitable society.

King’s leadership also had a profound impact on the trajectory of the Civil Rights Movement. His ability to unite diverse groups and organizations under a common mission propelled the movement forward and amplified its message. Through his leadership, King helped dismantle legal segregation and laid the foundation for future advancements in civil rights.

Legacy of Martin Luther King

The legacy of Martin Luther King is one of bravery, tenacity, and an unwavering dedication to justice. His unceasing efforts and selfless sacrifices cleared the path for important developments in equality and civil rights. Even today, people and organizations are still motivated by Dr. King’s moral guidance and leadership qualities. His legacy serves as a reminder that one person can have a significant impact and that persistent effort and a dedication to nonviolence are necessary in the fight for justice.

Martin Luther King’s influence on future generations

Martin Luther King’s influence extends far beyond his own lifetime. His leadership and advocacy continue to inspire generations of activists and leaders in their fight against racial injustice and inequality. King’s emphasis on nonviolent resistance and his calls for unity and understanding remain relevant and influential today. What is Luther King famous for?, How to write Martin Luther King, Jr?, What are 5 things Martin Luther was known for?, Who is also known as Martin Luther King?,

King’s teachings and philosophy have been incorporated into various social justice movements around the world. His vision of a just and equal society continues to be a guiding light for those working towards a more inclusive future.

Commemorations and celebrations of Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King’s impact is commemorated and celebrated in various ways. In the United States, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed every year on the third Monday in January. This federal holiday honors King’s life and achievements and serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for civil rights. On this day, people engage in community service projects, participate in marches and parades, and reflect on the principles that King fought for.

Beyond the United States, Martin Luther King’s legacy is recognized internationally. His speeches and writings are studied in schools and universities, and his life is celebrated through various cultural events and exhibitions. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C., stands as a testament to his enduring legacy and serves as a place of reflection and inspiration.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a visionary leader whose tireless efforts transformed history. His commitment to justice, equality, and nonviolent activism made him an icon of the Civil Rights Movement. From his early involvement in the Montgomery Bus Boycott to his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech and the passage of landmark civil rights legislation, King’s impact on society is immeasurable. His legacy continues to inspire and guide future generations in their pursuit of a more just and equitable world.

As we commemorate and celebrate Martin Luther King’s life and achievements, let us remember the power of his words and the enduring impact of his leadership. Let us continue the work he started and strive towards a society where justice and equality prevail for all What is Luther King famous for?, How to write Martin Luther King, Jr?, What are 5 things Martin Luther was known for?, Who is also known as Martin Luther King?,

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Guest Essay

What Martin Luther King Jr. Knew About Crime and Mental Illness

Blurred image of a white bird taking flight from a fence.

By Alvin L. Bragg Jr.

Mr. Bragg Jr. is the Manhattan district attorney.

In September 1958, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was stabbed with a seven-inch steel letter opener. He had been autographing copies of his first book in Blumstein’s department store in Harlem. The woman who stabbed him was named Izola Ware Curry .

When Dr. King found out she was schizophrenic, he harbored no ill will toward her , saying instead, “I know that we want her to receive the necessary treatment so that she may become a constructive citizen in an integrated society where a disorganized personality need not become a menace to any man.”

Dated description aside, King recognized that people in crisis need mental health care to be healthy and safe. The many Izola Ware Currys in New York today are far more likely to find themselves in jail, or relegated to street corners and subway stations, than they are to receive comprehensive treatment. This disconnect can set the stage for people with mental illness to be both victims and perpetrators of real violence.

Mental illness isn’t a crime, and jail isn’t the answer for those experiencing it. We must meet the needs of people in crisis with treatment and support. In order to do so, we need more funding.

Lawmakers in Albany right now are in the final stages of negotiating our state budget. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the leaders of the Senate and Assembly must make good on their earlier support for significant investments in mental health care — especially for New Yorkers who have been struggling, posing potential dangers to themselves and others. Doing so now can reduce assaults in our city by people experiencing mental health crises. They can also ensure that when those people do commit crimes, they are held accountable in a manner that reduces recidivism.

Around half of people in New York City jails — some 3,000 men and women — have been diagnosed with some degree of mental illness. On any given day, hundreds await evaluations or beds at dwindling and overwhelmed state psychiatric hospitals . On a typical day at Manhattan Criminal Court, you’ll witness the churn of people struggling with mental illness, caught up in a cycle of recidivism and incarceration instead of receiving the therapy, medication and other services that would help them lead healthy, productive lives.

And it’s not only New York. According to the Vera Institute of Justice, in the United States, people with serious mental illness are more likely to encounter law enforcement than they are to receive treatment . Since the 1950s, around the time King barely dodged death, the number of state hospital psychiatric beds has decreased by around 94 percent. In many cases, jails and prisons filled the void. While large-scale psychiatric institutionalization was far from perfect — to say the very least — meaningful community-based alternatives never materialized.

Today, corrections facilities double as de facto mental health hospitals across the nation — and about 63 percent of those with a history of mental illness do not receive treatment while incarcerated in state and federal prison.

But it is in New York City where the failed mental health system seems to be on starkest display.

Desperate scenes of people in clear distress on subway platforms, in city parks and on bustling street corners, are commonplace. And although overall crime is down , the city has witnessed terrifying acts of violence and alarming incidents of disorder. Innocent people shoved in front of oncoming trains is a citywide nightmare. Women fear being randomly punched while walking down the street. This is a humanitarian disaster, and a public health and safety crisis.

We must do better — for those with real and complex mental health needs, and for all New Yorkers who currently fear for their safety. But attaining a comprehensive mental health system won’t happen overnight.

In the past few years, I’ve committed $9 million to two programs, Neighborhood Navigators and Court Navigators . In both programs, individuals with lived experience — designated “navigators”— help guide our struggling neighbors through the complex landscape of social services. It’s a start, but so much more is needed.

This year’s state budget is another opportunity to continue to build New York’s mental health infrastructure. My office submitted a detailed proposal to Albany leaders outlining mental health investments that are urgently needed this year. If we fail to take systemic action, New Yorkers will continue to confront daily scenes of desperation, and risk falling victim to shocking — but not surprising — acts of arbitrary violence.

Most directly related to the work of the Manhattan district attorney’s office, I’ve asked Albany to invest at least $25 million to expand and strengthen New York’s problem-solving courts. Such courts provide precisely the kind of treatment options that King may have wanted for his attacker, but that did not exist then. In exchange for pleading guilty, participants are offered court-supervised treatment instead of incarceration.

If they comply with their treatment plan and avoid rearrest (typically for 18 to 24 months), their felony plea can be reduced to a misdemeanor or dismissed. One mental health court found that it reduced the likelihood of rearrest by 46 percent.

I also urged Albany leaders to fund community-based mental health treatment, investing $16.3 million to fund 20 new teams to provide support to justice-involved individuals with serious mental illness. Similar initiatives have been shown to reduce overall recidivism .

For those who cannot be safely diverted from incarceration to treatment in the community, Hope House , which recently broke ground in the Bronx, will soon offer a safe and humane alternative to the Rikers Island jail complex, with 24-hour security and therapeutic treatment. The state should commit $30 million in capital funding to scale up the Hope House model.

Supportive housing provides essential stability to those with mental illness who have been justice-involved. Thousands of individuals returning to New York City from state prison go straight to shelters. Homelessness increases the risk of incarceration, which in turn increases the risk of homelessness. To break this vicious cycle, Albany should invest in building 500 new re-entry apartments over the next three years, and should expand an existing housing program for people leaving city jails.

Since I took office, we have made substantial progress in driving down murders and shootings in Manhattan, but the rise in felony assaults remains a persistent challenge. To reverse the post-Covid rise in random assaults of and by people with untreated mental illness, prevention-oriented investments are critical; enforcement has little deterrence value for crimes committed by those experiencing a mental health crisis.

Following his brush with death at the hands of Izola Ware Curry, King recognized treatment as the best path to keep those with mental illness, and those around them, safe. With assaults like the one King suffered becoming more common, our leaders in Albany must heed his call today and invest in a comprehensive mental health network.

Now is the time for action to address our mental health emergency.

Alvin L. Bragg Jr. is the Manhattan district attorney.

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On this day in 1963

April 16, 1963

Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his “ Letter from Birmingham Jail ” on scraps of paper and in the margins of newspapers.

Jail trusties passed his words to his lawyers, who transformed the handwriting into a 21-page typed letter to eight white clergymen who had chastised him for breaking the law.

King reminded them that everything that Adolf Hitler did in Germany was “legal” and everything the freedom fighters did in Hungary was “illegal.”

“It is the duty of people to break unjust laws,” he wrote. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

In response to criticism that his protest was “unwise and untimely,” King responded, “I have never yet engaged in a direct-action movement that was ‘well timed,’ according to the timetable of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word ‘wait.’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with a piercing familiarity. This ‘wait’ has almost always meant ‘never.’”

He said he wished these ministers had praised the protesters “for their sublime courage, their willingness to suffer and their amazing discipline in the midst of the most inhuman provocation. One day, the South will recognize its real heroes.”

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by Jerry Mitchell, Mississippi Today April 16, 2024

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Jerry Mitchell Investigative Reporter

The stories of investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell have helped put four Klansmen and a serial killer behind bars. His stories have also helped free two people from death row, exposed injustices and corruption, prompting investigations and reforms as well as the firings of boards and officials. He is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a longtime member of Investigative Reporters & Editors, and a winner of more than 30 other national awards, including a $500,000 MacArthur “genius” grant. After working for three decades for the statewide Clarion-Ledger, Mitchell left in 2019 and founded the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting.

Martin Luther King III honors his father's legacy: 'This nation must come together'

The son of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the National Civil Rights Museum Thursday on the 56th anniversary of his father's assassination.

Standing at the exact point where King was shot on April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King III honored his father's legacy and lamented the connection that was taken from him.

"The loss of a parent can be transformative," King said, visibly emotional. It was his first time speaking at the annual event in Memphis. "At the age of 10 years old, I didn't get to have adult conversations with my father. He did not see me graduate from high school, or his beloved Morehouse College. He didn't get to meet my wife and our daughter."

King spoke during the "Remembering MLK: The Man. The Movement. The Moment.", a free public event organized by the National Civil Rights Museum to honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Hundreds congregated Thursday on the Memphis museum's courtyard.

Beyond his own personal loss, King spoke of the progress he believed the nation lost as well.

"Had my father lived, we would be on a totally different trajectory," he said. "We may have some issues to address, but they wouldn't be these. These have been repetitive, we keep going 'round and 'round."

King continued, addressing many problems he said the country and the world face today: warfare, a flawed democracy, a broken justice system and systemic poverty, to name a few. But ultimately, the central message he spoke echoed that of his father — one of unity and non-violence.

"This nation must come together, to live out the true promises of who it says it is," King said. "In life, we must decide whether we're... going to go along to get along, or whether we're going to create the climate for change and justice and righteousness and peace. We as human beings can do that. History has shown us that time and time again."

King's wife, Arndrea Waters King, also spoke during Thursday's event. Like her husband, she reaffirmed that Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream did not die with him.

"Here we are today. In some ways it seems even farther from [King's] dream," she said. "But what we know as a family, and why we decided to be here today, as difficult as it is, for us to stand here, is that there is something that man cannot ever destroy. And that love, faith and vision that lived inside of Martin Luther King Jr. now lives inside each and every one of us.

"He did not make it all the way to the mountaintop. But he ignited a vision and a dream, and now in 2024 it is up to each one of us to do our part... History is not about collective guilt. It's about collective responsibility."

Various city and state political leaders could be seen at the ceremony. Memphis Mayor Paul Young and Tennessee state Sen. Raumesh Akbari gave brief opening statements. State Rep. Justin Pearson, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy and the parents of Tyre Nichols, RowVaughn and Rodney Wells, attended as well.

The ceremony was interspersed with performances from the W. Crimm Singers of Tennessee State University, music from gospel singer Deborah Manning Thomas, and audio from the many speeches King gave over his lifetime. Members of King's fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, presented their own wreath to honor their brother. Winners of the museum's Youth Poetry and Spoken Word Competition performed as well.

The event closed, as it does every year, with the exchanging of the balcony wreath, during a moment of silence at 6:01 p.m., the exact time when King was shot on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. As the Kings and others lowered the massive wreath onto its resting place moments later, audio of King's final speech, "I've Been to the Mountaintop," rang out in an otherwise respectfully silent crowd.

Though it was a difficult day for Martin Luther King III, he ended his speech on a hopeful note, referencing the James Cleveland song "I Don't Feel Noways Tired."

"Do not get noways tired as the song says," King said. "Because we've come too far from where we started. No one ever told any of use that our roads would be easy. But I know our God... didn't bring any of us this far to leave us."

Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at [email protected] .

"The Humanity and Divinity of Jesus"

Author: King, Martin Luther, Jr. (Crozer Theological Seminary)

Date: November 29, 1949 to February 15, 1950 ?

Location: Chester, Pa. ?

Genre: Essay

Topic: Martin Luther King, Jr. - Education

This paper, written at the beginning of the second term of Davis’s course Christian Theology for Today, indicates King’s estrangement from the conservative Baptist theology he learned as a child. As he had done in his earlier outline of William Newton Clarke’s An Outline of Christian Theology , King dismisses the conception of an inherent divinity in Jesus and concludes: “The true significance of the divinity of Christ lies in the fact that his achievement is prophetic and promissory for every other true son of man who is willing to submit his will to the will and spirit [ of ] God.” By establishing Jesus as human, King allows for the possibility of progressive improvement in earthly society through individual action. Commenting on the essay, Davis warned: “You need to proofread your papers before turning them in. Note corrections on p. 4.” Nevertheless, he marked the work a B + and praised the paper as “a solution which would appeal to the liberal mind.”

Many years ago a young Jewish leader asked his followers a question which was all but astounding. He had been working with them quite assiduously. During their work together he was constantly asking them what his contemporaries were saying about him. But one day he pressed the question closer home. It is all very well to say what other people think of me, but what do you think? Who do you say that I am?

This question has gone echoing down the centuries ever since the young Jewish prophet sounded its first note. 1 Many have attempted to answer this question by attributing total divinity to Jesus with little concern for his humanity. Others have attempted to answer this question by saying that Jesus was a “mere” good man with no divine dimensions. Still others have attempted to get at the question by seeing Jesus as fully human and fully divine. This question, which was so prominent in the thinking of the early Christian centuries, was not answered once and for all at the council of Chalcedon, rather it lurks forth in modern theological thinking with an amazing degree of freshness. In grappling with the question of the person of Christ, modern Christian thinking is unanimous in setting forth the full humanity of Jesus, yet Christians have not been willing to stop there. Despite all the human limitations of Jesus, most Christian thinkers have been convinced that “God was in Christ.” 2 To be sure, Christian thinkers are often in conflict over the question of how and when Jesus became divine, but as to the presence of the divine dimension within him we find little disagreement in Christian circles. At this point we may turn to a detailed discussion of the humanity and divinity of Jesus.

The Humanity of Jesus

If there is any one thing of which modern Christians have been certain it is that Jesus was a true man, bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh, in all points tempted as we are. 3 All docetist, Eutychean, Monophysite errors which explained away the humanity of our Lord have now been jettisoned be all serious theological thought. 4 Theologians of all shades of opinions have declared that in respect to His human nature Christ is consubstantial with ourselves.

We need only read the Gospels to attest to the fact of Jesus’ genuine humanity. There is not a limitation that humanity shares that Jesus did not fall heir. Like the rest of us, he got hungry. When at the well of Sameria he asked the women who was drawing water for a drink. When he grew tired, he needed rest and sleep. He leared obedience, we are told, in the way we must learn it. When his disciples were unfaithful it was very cutting to his heart. The blindness of the city he longed to save moved him to tears. In the garden he experienced the normal agony of any individual in the same situation. On the Cross, he added to all physical tortures the final agony of feeling God-forsaken. 5

Notice how the unknown writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the humanity of Jesus. Nowhere in the New Testament is the humanity of Jesus set forth more vividly. We see him agonising in prayer (5:7) embracing the Cross with joy and faith (12:2). Springing from the tribe of Judah, He passed through the normal development of human life, learning obedience, even though a Son, by the things which he suffered (5:8). Like all other men he was tempted. Yet no corrupt strain existed in His nature to which temptation could appeal. Here we find a frank emphasis of the humanity of Jesus, paralleled nowhere in the New Testament.\[Footnote:] H. R. Mackintosh, The Doctrine of The Person of Jesus Christ, p. 78.\ 6

Again we may notice that Jesus was by no means omnicient. His knowledge was essentially limited by human conditions. This fact was set forth as for back as 1912 by the notable theologian, H. R. Mackintosh. In dealing with this question of Jesus’ omnicience He states: “The question can be decided solely by loyalty to facts; and these, it is not too much to say, are peremptory. Not only is it related that Jesus asked question to elicit information—regarding the site of Lazarus tomb, for example, or the number of the loaves, or the name of the demented Gadarene—but at one point there is a clear acknowledgment of ignorance. ‘Of that day or that hour,’ He said, respecting the Parousia, ‘knoweth no man, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.’ If he could thus be ignorant of a detail connected in some measure with his redemptive work, the conclusion is unavoidable that in secular affairs His knowledge was but the knowledge of His time.”\[Footnote:] Ibid, p. 397.\

Again we may notice the human character of our Lord’s moral and religious life. His religious experience was in the human realm. Certainly he had a human faith in God. As Dr. Baille has so cogently stated, “Our Lord’s life on earth was a life of faith, and His victory was the victory of faith. His temptations were real temptations, which it was difficult and painful for Him to resist.”\[Footnote:] D. M. Baille, God was In Christ, p. 14.\ Jesus overcame his temptations not by relience on some inherent divine dimension, but by the constancy of his will. 7 So we are moved to the conclusion, on the basis of peremptory evidence, that Jesus shared fully our human life.

The Divinity of Jesus

After establishing the full humanity of Jesus we still find an element in his life which transcends the human. To see Jesus as a “mere” good man like all other prophets is by no means sufficient to explain him. Moreover, the historical setting in which he grew up, the psychological mood and temper of the age and of the house of Israel, the economic and social predicament of Jesus family—all these are important. But these in themselves fail to answer one significant question: Why does he differ from all others in the same setting. Any explanation of Jesus in terms of psychology, economics, religion, and the like must inevitably explain his contemporaries as well. These may tell us why Jesus was a particular kind of Jew, but not why some other Jews were not Jesus. Jesus was brought up in the same conditions as other Jews, inherited the same traits that they inherited; and yet he was Jesus and the others were not. This uniqueness in the spiritual life of Jesus has lead Christians to see him not only as a human being, but as a human being surrounded with divinity. 8 Prior to all other facts about Jesus stands the spiritual assurance that He is divine. As Dr. Brown succinctly states in a recent book, “That God was in Christ is the very heart of the Christian faith. In this divine human person the ever recurring antinomy of the universe is presented in a living symbol—the antinomy of the eternal in the temporal, of the infinite in the finite, of the divine in the human.”\[Footnote:] W. A. Brown, How To Think of Christ, p. 9.\

As stated above, the conflict that Christians often have over the question of Jesus divinity is not over the validity of the fact of his divinity, but over the question of how and when he became divine. The more orthodox Christians have seen his divinity as an inherent quality metaphysically bestowed. Jesus, they have told us, is the Pre existent Logos. He is the word made flesh. He is the second person of the trinity. He is very God of very God, of one substance with the Father, who for our salvation came down from Heaven and was incarnate be the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary.

Certainly this view of the divinity of Christ presents many modern minds with insuperable difficulties. Most of us are not willing to see the union of the human and divine in a metaphysical incarnation. Yet amid all of our difficulty with the pre existent idea and the view of supernatural generation, we must come to some view of the divinity of Jesus. In order to remain in the orbid of the Christian religion we must have a Christology. As Dr. Baille has reminded us, we cannot have a good theology without a Christology. 9 Where then can we in the liberal tradition find the divine dimension in Jesus? We may find the divinity of Christ not in his substantial unity with God, but in his filial consciousness and in his unique dependence upon God. It was his felling of absolute dependence on God, as Schleiermaker would say, that made him divine. Yes it was the warmnest of his devotion to God and the intimatcy of his trust in God that accounts for his being the supreme revelation of God. All of this reveals to us that one man has at last realized his true divine calling: That of becoming a true son of man by becoming a true son of God. It is the achievement of a man who has, as nearly as we can tell, completely opened his life to the influence of the divine spirit.

The orthodox attempt to explain the divinity of Jesus in terms of an inherent metaphysical substance within him seems to me quite inadaquate. To say that the Christ, whose example of living we are bid to follow, is divine in an ontological sense is actually harmful and detrimental. To invest this Christ with such supernatural qualities makes the rejoinder: “Oh, well, he had a better chance for that kind of life than we can possible have.” In other words, one could easily use this as a means to hide behind behind his failures. So that the orthodox view of the divinity of Christ is in my mind quite readily denied. The true significance of the divinity of Christ lies in the fact that his achievement is prophetic and promissory for every other true son of man who is willing to submit his will to the will and spirit og God. Christ was to be only the prototype of one among many brothers.

The appearance of such a person, more divine and more human than any other, andstanding and standing in closest unity at once with God and man, is the most significant and hopeful event in human history. This divine quality or this unity with God was not something thrust upon Jesus from above, but it was a definite achievement through the process of moral struggle and self-abnegation. 10

Bibliography

1. Baille D. M., God was in Christ, Scribner’s, 1948.

2. Brown, William A., How To Think of Christ, Scribner, 1945.

3. Hedley, George, The Symbol of the Faith, Macmillan, 1948.

4. Mackintosh, H. R., The Doctrine of the Person of Jesus Christ, Scribner, 1912.

1. William Adams Brown, How to Think of Christ (New York: Scribner, 1948), p. 3: “Many years ago a young Jew put to a little group of his companions what in its setting seems a strange question. He had been asking them what his contemporaries were saying about him and they had repeated a variety of answers. Now he presses the questions closer home. It is all very well to tell me what other people are thinking about me. What do you think I am?… It has been so ever since. The question of the young Jewish Rabbi has gone echoing down the centuries.”

2. See Donald Macpherson Baillie, God Was in Christ (New York: Scribner, 1948), cited in King’s bibliography.

3. Brown, How to Think of Christ , pp. 6–7: “If there is any one thing of which Christians have been certain it is that Jesus is true man, bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh, in all points tempted as we are.”

4. Baillie, God Was in Christ , p. 20: “all serious theological thought has finished with the docetist, Eutychean, Monophysite errors which explained away the humanity of our Lord and thus the reality of the Incarnation.”

5. Brown, How to Think of Christ , p. 7: “If further evidence of Jesus’ genuine humanity were needed, one has only to read the Gospels. There is not a limitation to which our human kind is heir but Jesus shares it with us. Like the rest of us, he was hungry. At the well at Samaria he asked the woman who was drawing water for a drink. When he grew tired, he needed rest and sleep. He asked questions, and expected answers. He was a learner, and not from books alone. He learned obedience, we are told, in the way in which we must all learn it, by the things which he suffered. He was cut to the heart by the faithlessness of disciples. He knew what it was to be betrayed by a friend. The blindness of the city he longed to save moved him to tears. In the garden he was in agony and sweated blood. On the Cross, he added to all physical tortures the final agony of feeling God-forsaken.”

6. H. R. Mackintosh, The Doctrine of the Person of Jesus Christ (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1913), p. 79: “Nowhere in the New Testament is the humanity of Christ set forth so movingly … We see Him proclaiming salvation (2:3), agonizing in prayer (5:7), embracing the Cross with joy and faith (12:2), suffering the last penalty without the city gate (13:12) … Sprung from the tribe of Judah, He passed through the normal development of human life, learning obedience, even though a Son, by the things which He suffered (5:8).… Yet no corrupt strain existed in His nature to which temptation could appeal.… A frank emphasis, without parallel in the New Testament, is laid on His human virtues.”

7. Baillie, God Was in Christ , p. 15, quoting William Temple’s Christus Veritas , p. 147: “He overcame them exactly as everyman who does so has overcome temptation—by the consistency of his will.”

8. Davis underlined “surrounded with divinity,” and asked, “Was not divinity ‘in’ him?”

9. Baillie, God Was in Christ , pp. 42–43.

10. A version of this paragraph appears in a previous paper for Davis during the first term of Christian Theology for Today: “The appearance of such a person, more divine and more human, than any other, and standing in closest unity at once with God and man, is the most significant and hopeful event in human history. This divine character or this unity with God was nothing thrust upon Jesus from above, but it was a definite achievement” (“Six Talks in Outline,” 13 September–23 November 1949, p. 247 in this volume).

Source: MLKP-MBU, Martin Luther King, Jr., Papers, 1954-1968, Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Mass.

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0:04. 0:50. The son of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the National Civil Rights Museum Thursday on the 56th anniversary of his father's assassination. Standing at the exact ...
"The Humanity and Divinity of Jesus"
Author: King, Martin Luther, Jr. (Crozer Theological Seminary) Date: November 29, 1949 to February 15, 1950? Location: Chester, Pa.? Genre: Essay Topic: Martin Luther King, Jr. - Education Details. This paper, written at the beginning of the second term of Davis's course Christian Theology for Today, indicates King's estrangement from the conservative Baptist theology he learned as a child.

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The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr.

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What Martin Luther King Jr. Knew About Crime and Mental Illness

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April 16, 1963

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Jerry Mitchell Investigative Reporter

Martin Luther King III honors his father's legacy: 'This nation must come together'

"The Humanity and Divinity of Jesus"

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