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Martin Luther King jr is born
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King grew up in the African-American business district of Sweet Auburn. He was originally named Michael like his father, but after attending a religious conference in Berlin in 1934 his father changed both their names to Martin in tribute to German theologian and reformer Martin Luther.
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In 1941 life expectancy was 64 for whites and 53 for non-whites. In the South segregation was enforced in schools, restaurants and many other places.
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America abolished slavery and he had just won an oratory contest, with a speech about equal rights.
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After graduating he continued his training at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and received his doctorate from Boston University's School of Theology in 1955.
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King was chosen to lead an African-American bus boycott that eventually lasted 381 days. The action was successful and in 1956, the US Supreme Court ruled that Montgomery’s bus segregation policy was unconstitutional.
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In 1967 he instigated the Poor People’s Campaign working to end economic inequality.
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Martin Luther King Jr died on April 4, 1968
