Marching Forward in Time

Martin Luther King, Jr. Born

Jan 15, 1929

Born on at noon on January 15, 1929.
Parents: The Reverend and Mrs. Martin Luther King, Sr.
Home: 501 Auburn Avenue, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia.

Graduates at age 15 from High School

Jun 1, 1944

Graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and was admitted to Morehouse College at age 15.

Becomes a Baptist minister

Feb 25, 1948

Graduates from Morehouse College and enters Crozer Theological Seminary.
Ordained to the Baptist ministry, February 25, 1948, at age 19.

Begins graduate studies at Boston University

Aug 1, 1951

Enters Boston University for graduate studies.

Marries Coretta Scott

Nov 6, 1953

Marries Coretta Scott and settles in Montgomery, Alabama.

Rosa Parks arrested

Dec 1, 1955

Joins the bus boycott after Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1. On December 5, he is elected president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, making him the official spokesman for the boycott.

Gives "I Have a Dream" speech

Aug 28, 1963

The March on Washington held August 28 is the largest civil rights demonstration in history with nearly 250,000 people in attendance. At the march, King makes his famous I Have a Dream speech.

President Kennedy assassinated

Nov 22, 1963

On November 22, President Kennedy is assassinated.

Awarded Novel Peace Prize

Dec 10, 1964

King is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on December 10. Dr. King is the youngest person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for Peace at age 35.

Dr. King assassinated

Apr 4, 1968

At sunset on April 4, Martin Luther King, Jr. is fatally shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.