Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Civil Rights Activism

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist who became a Baptist minister after earning two bachelor's degrees and starting a PhD program.
• He married Coretta Scott in 1953 and had four children.
• In 1955, he moved back to Montgomery, Alabama, and headed the civil rights movement there, which included the Montgomery bus boycott in response to Rosa Parks' arrest.
• King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his nonviolent approach to achieving racial integration.
• He founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and led many demonstrations, including in Birmingham, Alabama, where police used violence against protesters.
• King's vision of equality inspired people of all backgrounds to get involved in the civil rights movement.
• In 1963, an estimated 250,000 people marched in Washington, D.C. for job opportunities and equal rights for Black Americans.
• The Civil Rights Act was signed into law in 1964, outlawing segregation in public places and job discrimination based on race, sex, or religion.
• King continued his work until his assassination in 1968, and in 1983, a national holiday was established to honor his life and legacy.
• Across the country, people continue to work for justice and equality for all Americans in King's memory.

Test your knowledge of the life and activism of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent figure in the civil rights movement. Learn about his education, marriage, and his role as a Baptist minister in Montgomery, Alabama.