This sentence beginning leads one of the most famous Quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. a. Maybe you’ve already talked about him and his famous “I have a Dream” speech in English class? In the speech, Martin Luther King not only proclaims his Goals but also wishes for the future that continue to this day Inspiration for civil rights movements of Afro-American society.
But what did Martin Luther King achieve with his? Actions? About what practiced Martin Luther King criticism and which Awards did he receive for his achievements? The following Characteristics gives you information about it.
Martin Luther King – Profile
Table of Contents
To give you an initial idea of who Martin Luther King was, you will find a short profile below: Martin Luther King – profile
- Name at birth: Michael King Jr.
- Date of birth: 15. January 1929.
- Birth place: Atlanta, USA.
- Died on 4th April 1968.
- Cause of death: Assassination.
- Parents: Michael King Sr. and Alberta Christine WIlliams King.
- Profession: Pastor in a Babthist congregation.
Michael becomes Martin Luther King Jr.
At the January 15, 1929 became Martin Luther King Jr. under the name Michael King Jr. in Atlanta born. Below you can see a short CV of the later Martin Luther King. As the son of a teacher and a priest, he grew up in one religious family up.
1934 be traveled Father Michael King Sr. after Germany and was deeply impressed by the Augustinian monk Martin Luther, who brought about the Reformation in the 16th century. He then named himself Martin Luther King Sr. and his son named Martin Luther King Jr. rename. For simplicity, with Martin Luther King usually the Son Martin Luther King Jr. meant.
Dr. Martin Luther King – religion, education and career
The religion of his parents not only shaped Martin Luther King’s name, but also the rest of his life: at the age of 17, he began working as an assistant preacher in his father’s Babtist congregation.
Babtism refers to a branch of the Protestant faith. The focus is on this babtism i.e. the baptism of the individual. You can learn more about different religions in the USA in the explanation “Religion USA”.
Martin Luther King’s studies were also influenced by his religion and beliefs:
- In 1948, Martin Luther King completed his studies in sociology
- In 1951, Martin Luther King also completed a degree in theology.
- In 1955, Martin Luther King received a doctorate in philosophy.
During his studies, Martin Luther King was fascinated by various philosophers such as:
- Aristotle
- John Locke
- Henry David Thoreau.
He was particularly impressed Mahatma Gandhi who offered peaceful resistance against England in India.
After his studies, Martin Luther King moved to Montgomery and began working in the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church on, as Pastor to work. At the same time, Martin Luther King married the author Coretta Scott Williams, with whom he later had four children.
Assassination attempt on Martin Luther King
After a few years in which Martin Luther King advocated for African-American rights, his life came to an end on April 4, 1968. He became Victim of an assassination attempt:
- The location of the attack was the balcony of a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee
- The racist James Earl Ray was convicted as a lone perpetrator.
So how old was Martin Luther King, you ask? The civil rights activist was just 39 years old.
After the announcement of Martin Luther’s death, there was a big one riots in over 100 cities in the USA. The riots led to widespread looting, house fires and arrests of around 10,000 people. 39 people lost their lives in these riots.
Martin Luther King – Goals
Martin Luther King’s goals during his lifetime can be summarized as follows: one fairer world for everyone.
He demanded through non-violent protests a world in which everyone is in treated in the same way the following should be included Factors don’t matter play:
- Origin
- Skin color
- Religion
In his early years, Martin Luther King practiced primarily Criticism of the so-called “racial segregation”later topics such as:
- Equality in the Choice.
- Anti-war movements during the Vietnam War.
- the reunion Germany.
During his time as a civil rights activist, Martin Luther King met with many other activists. One of them was Clarence L. Franklinto his children Aretha Franklin belonged. The singer also often Queen of Soul is called, Martin Luther King was regularly found at his home.
Martin Luther King – human rights instead of racial segregation
Martin Luther King was particularly committed to the human rights of the African-American population. That’s why he criticizes the Racial segregation. Although a third of Montgomery’s population were black, they had few rights and continually had to contend with racism and discrimination.
The law of segregation separated among other things, the use of everyday spaces, such as
- Schools.
- Churches.
- Public transportation.
Although African-American citizens were legally equal to white citizens, the reality was different. Martin Luther King therefore demands actual equality in the form of
- More rights for African American citizens.
- More Career opportunities.
- More Educational opportunities.
- Better Apartments.
Martin Luther King – Actions against racism
Through his faith and growing up in Montgomery, Martin Luther King himself experienced racism and racism Racial segregation noticed. As a result, he started and led several campaigns against racism, some of which you can find in the following table:Martin Luther King’s actionsDate Action/Type of actionEffect/impactMongomery Bus Boycott, December 5, 1955 to December 20, 1956
- Boycott Montgomery buses
- The trigger was the African American Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat on the bus for a white person on December 1, 1955.
- The Supreme Court ruled in 1956 that racial segregation on public transportation was illegal.
Albany1961
- Organizing an unauthorized protest
- King brought many smaller groups, the so-called Freedom Rides together.
- no effect
- many arrests by the police
Birmingham3. April 1963
- Sit-down strikes lasting several days
- At the same time, regular meetings in churches and encouragement from King
- King’s arrest and release after eight days
March on Washington, 1963
- Demonstration in front of the White House
- Broadcast of the famous “I have a Dream” speech on the radio
- 1964: Racial segregation was legally abolished through the Civil Rights Act.
Martin Luther King organized many more Demonstrations and traveled a lot through the south of the USA. Although the Civil Rights Act ended racial segregation in the USA in 1964, Martin Luther King continued his peaceful protests.
Martin Luther King – Berlin & Amsterdam
Martin Luther King also gained popularity through his “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington Europe celebrity. For example, a year after this speech, Martin Luther King traveled to Berlin. There he pleaded for the reunion from East and West Germany.
During this time he preached in three Berlin churches:
- West Berlin Waldbühne
- St. Mary’s Church at Alexanderplatz
- Sophia Church
Martin Luther King was particularly criticized for his sermons in East Berlin because he traveled from West to East Berlin unannounced.
Martin Luther King criticized the electoral system
Another significant protest organized by King involved Martin Luther King Criticism of the electoral system of the USA. In the March 1965 planned Martin Luther King Protest marches from the small town Selma to the neighboring town of Montgomery.
After the protest, President Lyndon B. Johnson King pledged a new voting rights law to sign. After the “Voting Rights Act” was passed, it was possible for the entire black population to vote.
In total there were three marches from Selma to Montgomery. However, the first two marches were brutally pushed back by police officers at the Selma city limits.
Martin Luther King-Mississippi
The year 1966 was a particularly active year in Martin Luther King’s life, including in Mississippi. King led one with a few other organizers March from Memphis, Tennessee to Jacksonthe capital of Mississippi.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was still not consistently enforced, which is why the march sought to draw attention to it. In total, the demonstration or Martin Luther King covered 350 kilometers and 15,000 people took part at the end.
Martin Luther King – Speech
The March on Washington is not just one of Martin Luther’s most effective protests, but also to the places where famous speeches were written. Although his advisors advised him not to leave out the part about his dream of a united nation, Martin Luther King decided to include it. This is how the famous quote came about I have a dream.
There was talk in the US and Europe about this radio transferred and thereby acquired worldwide Notoriety.
“I have a Dream” – Martin Luther King
I have a dream were the closing words of Martin Luther King’s speech August 28, 1963. In his speech, Martin Luther King expressed his dream of one peaceful and fair Worldin which it no racial segregation there will be more. More than 250,000 adults and children, including white people, peacefully participated in the demonstration and watched his speech. By the way, the full quote is:
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.1
In German you can read this quote from Martin Luther King as “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Sayings by Martin Luther King – Quotes in English & German
In addition to these well-known words, there are many other quotes from Martin Luther King. This quote, for example, also comes from his speech “I have a Dream”:
We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatique of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.1
You can translate this quote into German as follows: “We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies – exhausted from travel – do not find rest in the motels on the highways and the hotels in the cities.”
The next quote comes from Martin Luther King’s Nobel Prize speech when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo in 1964.
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.2
In German, his words here are: “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love have the last word in reality. Therefore, the law that is temporarily defeated is stronger than triumphant evil.”
Even after his famous speech in Washington DC. Martin Luther King was still politically and civil rights active. At the anti-war conference in Los Angeles in 1967…