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Martin Luther King Jr. will forever be one of the most influential men in American history. Martin was a black American born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His mom worked as a school teacher and his father was a pastor. He had three siblings.
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When Martin was born, his parents originally named him Michael King Jr. However, when his father was in Germany five years later, he was greatly inspired by the story of Martin Luther. In the 1500s, Martin Luther protested against the Catholic church. Michael King Sr. was so inspired, he changed both his own name and his son's name to Martin Luther.
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Martin grew up in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta. From an early age, Martin had to face the harsh reality of prejudice in America. Prejudice is a negative feeling towards a person because of their social group.
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When he was just six years old, Martin's white friend told him they could not play together anymore because they were attending a segregated school. This meant that the black and white people were separated.
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While spending a summer on a farm in Connecticut, Martin was shocked to see how well white and black people got along in the North. It made him realize that black Americans did not have to be treated so poorly in the South.
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Martin was such a gifted student that he skipped both ninth and twelfth grade. He attended college when he was just 15 years old!
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In 1944, he started learning at the Morehouse college in Atlanta, Georgia. Both his father and grandfather attended Morehouse and it was a mainly black college with a large involvement in the civil rights movement.
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In 1953, Martin married Coretta Scott and they lived in Montgomery, Alabama. Coretta was also a civil rights activist. She was an author and singer who often incorporated songs into her speeches.
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Martin and Coretta had four children, two daughters and two sons. To this day, his children still carry on his legacy by giving speeches and protesting against racism and prejudice.
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In 1955, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began. It was a protest in which African Americans refused to take buses in Montgomery, Alabama. It began when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a city bus. During this time, black people were required to sit at the very back of the bus and give up their seat to any white person who wanted it. Martin was the leader and official spokesperson of the protests during the boycott.
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The Montgomery Bus Boycott led to the Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional. The protest was successful, but Martin wasn't done being involved in the civil rights movement.
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On August 28,1963,the March on Washington began for the civil rights movement. Martin was one of the head organizers of the event.
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During the march, Martin delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. It is still one of the most famous speeches in American history. His words became one of the most important moments for the civil rights movement.
I have a dream...
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hi
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That year, he was named "Man of the Year" by TIME Magazine. He also received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
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In March 1965, he led the Selma to Montgomery march. This was a protest against the violence between white segregationists and peaceful protests earlier that year.
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Martin Luther King Jr. will forever be one of the most influential men in American history. Martin was a black American born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His mom worked as a school teacher and his father was a pastor. He had three siblings.
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When Martin was born, his parents originally named him Michael King Jr. However, when his father was in Germany five years later, he was greatly inspired by the story of Martin Luther. In the 1500s, Martin Luther protested against the Catholic church. Michael King Sr. was so inspired, he changed both his own name and his son's name to Martin Luther.
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Martin grew up in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta. From an early age, Martin had to face the harsh reality of prejudice in America. Prejudice is a negative feeling towards a person because of their social group.
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