Martin Luther King Jr Timeline by Rodney Payne

Jan 15, 1929 - Martin Luther King Jr. was born

rodneypayne — 2024-01-29 17:44:59 UTC

Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia. His father was a minister, civil rights activist, and missionary.

1944 - Martin Luther King Jr. starts college

rodneypayne — 2024-01-29 18:06:38 UTC

Martin Luther King Jr. at the age of 15 began his journey on to college. He went to Morehouse in 1944 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology. He also went to Boston University at the age of 22. He graduated in 1955 with a doctorate in Systematic Theology.

June 18, 1953 - Second Degree/Meeting Coretta Scott

rodneypayne — 2024-01-29 19:17:23 UTC

After college, he went into seminary. This was the Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. He became class valedictorian as well as student body president. There is where he got a second bachelor's degree, in divinity. As he traveled on to Boston University he met his future wife Coretta Scott in Boston. At this time she was attending the New England Conservatory.

September 1, 1954 - Dr. King's first job

rodneypayne — 2024-01-30 12:24:29 UTC

At the young age of 25, Dr. King was called by the Lord to be a pastor. He served at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church Montgomery, Alabama.

December 5, 1955 - Dr. King gave his Boycott Speech

rodneypayne — 2024-01-30 15:31:31 UTC

This amazing speech in history was given on December 5, 1955. This speech was a boycott against the city buses. Dr. King urges the audience to continue to protest and boycott for equal rights against the bus system. This led to the historical event that took place in 1956. This is when the U.S. Supreme Court declared Montgomery's bus segregation laws unconstitutional.

1957 - Dr. King founded the Southern Leadership Conference.

rodneypayne — 2024-01-30 15:50:21 UTC

In 1957, Dr. King founded the Southern Leadership Conference. He didn't do it alone though, he got help from Bayard Rustin, Ralph Abernathy, Fred Shuttlesworth, as well as many others that may have participated. The SCLC was founded in order to have an organization that could better plan events such as civil rights protests activities across the South.

April 12, 1963 - Dr. King protested race mixing & was arrested in Birmingham.

rodneypayne — 2024-01-30 15:57:43 UTC

Dr. King led a protest against race mixing. In result, he was arrested on April 12, 1963. He was kept at Birmingham jail. While he was in jail, he wrote the "Letter from Birmingham Jail." This is because local religious leaders condemned the campaign.

August 28, 1963 - MLK Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

rodneypayne — 2024-01-30 16:02:43 UTC

Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech on August 28th 1963 with an estimate of 250,000 people at the March.

March 25, 1965 - Martin Luther King Jr. led the Selma march

rodneypayne — 2024-01-30 16:08:20 UTC

MLK led a 5 day, 54 mile march from Selma to Montgomery. This helped voters to earn their rights.

April 4, 1968 - Dr. King lost his life

rodneypayne — 2024-01-30 16:16:41 UTC

At 6:05 P.M. on Thursday, April 4, 1968 Dr. King was assassinated while standing on a balcony outside his room at the Lorraine Motel by James Earl Ray.