Martin Luther King, Jr.

PEACEMAKER HERO: DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. by julie m Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. He lived in Atlanta, Georgia. His original name was Michael, but it changed to Martin. His parent's names are Alberta and Martin King. Martin's father and grandfather were both Baptist ministers. At a young age of 13, Martin got a job at the Atlanta Journal. He became the youngest assitant manager of a newspaper delivery station for the company. He attended Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta. Martin was a smart child who skipped the ninth and twelfth grade. He entered college when he was only 15 years old. King entered morehouse College in Atlanta. In 1948 King was appointed assistant pastor at Ebenezer and received his Bachelor of Arts in sociology, from Morehouse College. In 1948, King was accepted to Crozer Theological Seminary. There he won the Pearl Plafker Award, for most outstanding student. Martin was also senior class president and received a fellowship to graduate work at any university of his own choice. He choose Ive League School - the Boston University of Theology. On December 5, 1955 the Montgomery Improvement Association is formed by leaders in a black community and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is named president. He had many meetings and lots of boycotts. During these times, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s house was bombed; he received threatening phone calls and was arrested and put into jail. In 1957 Dr. King was voted to head Southern Leaders Conference. In 1959 Dr. King left Montgomery to become a pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. In 1961 Dr. King continues the movement against segregation in Alabama. During this time chaos happend-Dr. King is put into jail again, and thousands get arrested for the same cause. On June 11, 1963 President Kennedy announces a new civil rights proposal. In 1964, Dr. King was awarded The Noble Peace Prize for his principals of nonviolence. On April 4, 1968 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot Outside the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is my hero because he was an itelligent and strong leader. It's sad that he isn't alive right now because I think that life would be much different and there probably wouldn't be segregation. He is my hero because he united people of different races and was nonviolent. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. changed the world in many ways!!!