Martin Luther King - Atlanta Dreamer. Martin Luther King - the man who changed the history of America What is Martin Luther King known in history

The first black political and public figure in the United States is Martin Luther King. He dared to challenge the social inequalities of society and the powerful state apparatus that supported racism and discrimination. He challenged and won at the cost of his own life.

Protest movement in America

After the end of World War II, an era of prosperity began in the United States. But not all segments of the population could benefit from the fruits of the state’s economic power. America was continually shaken by large-scale protests of citizens who did not agree with their position in society. Thus, after the adoption of a law restricting the activities of trade unions in the late 40s, more than 4 million people took part in strikes throughout the country.

By the early 50s, a social explosion was brewing among African Americans. Racial discrimination in the United States had an extreme form of expression. And this could not but lead to significant upheavals in society, the longest in the history of the state.

Childhood and youth of the future preacher

The Kings lived in a black neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia. The father of the family was a pastor of the Evangelical Christian Baptist Church community. In 1929, on January 15, Martin Luther King was born. His biography shows that he was an extraordinary child. Martin masters the school curriculum on his own and, at the age of 15, takes college exams at Atlanta University. Here it becomes a revelation to him that the racist policies of the authorities are not approved by a significant number of the white population. As a second-year student, he takes a prize in a public speaking competition. Having met like-minded people, young King joins social movement progress of the colored population.

In 1947 he took holy orders. The following year, having received a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree, he graduated from college and entered the theological seminary in Philadelphia. After seminary, Martin King defended his dissertation at Boston University and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Formation of social views

Raised in an environment of conservative Christian ethics, Martin experienced the acute injustice of American society from childhood, manifested in the open hatred of whites towards African-Americans. At the age of five, white peers were forbidden to play with him on the street. While traveling with their parents in the train's dining car, they dined behind a screen separating them from the rest of the passengers. Such experiences could not help but leave an imprint on the child’s mind.

Years later, when he became a priest, Martin realized that religion should not only be a means of consolation, giving hope for a better future life, but also real life actively participate in the fight against injustice. A Christian pastor must be modern, educated and intellectually developed. It was this image of a spiritual father that Martin Luther King sought to embody. Preacher Quotes in the best possible way illustrate his position. According to King, any religious doctrine that is concerned only with the moral aspect of its adherents and does not want to take part in their decisions social problems, spiritually bankrupt and “only waiting for the day of her funeral.”

The ideas of communism had a significant influence on his worldview. After reading the works of K. Marx, King finds confirmation of his thoughts about the need for open peaceful action of the masses against social and economic inequality in society.

Family and children

While studying in Boston, Martin Luther King met Coretta Scott. She studied at the Conservatory in vocal and violin classes. After six months of dating, he invited her to visit his home in Atlanta. The parents liked the bride and gave their consent to the engagement. In June 1953, at the house of Coretta's mother, King's father performed the wedding ceremony. The happy couple had two daughters and two sons.

First victory

In 1954, Martin Luther King was appointed pastor of the Montgomery Baptist congregation. A year later, unrest began in the city. The reason was the arrest of a certain Rosa Parks, accused of not giving up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. King led a black protest movement that boycotted bus lines. Mass actions lasted 13 months and were accompanied by significant opposition from racists and authorities.

At the end of 1956 Supreme Court The United States recognized the unconstitutional nature of the principles of racism in Alabama. Within a month, whites and blacks shared public transport.

Priest-politician

In 1957, King became leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The public organization coordinated the struggle of African Americans for their rights. King's homiletical gifts contributed to the fact that his political speeches before the people had a great resonance. Some of his speeches are recognized as examples of oratory. In just three years, a little-known black pastor turns into a world-famous political figure.

In the second half of the 60s, marches, demonstrations, strikes, and economic boycotts began to be held en masse in America. The ideological inspirer of most protests was Martin Luther King. Quotes from his speeches are published in the central press of many countries.

Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru invites Martin King to visit the country in 1960. The trip gave the preacher the opportunity to become more familiar with the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.

Four years later, King's first book was published, and a few months later it was awarded Nobel Prize peace. "Why can't we wait?" is a letter of appeal to clergy, written in Birmingham City Prison.

"I have a dream"

A demonstration took place in Washington in 1963, attracting more than 300 thousand participants. At the Presidential Residence on March 28, black leaders conferred with John Kennedy on the issue of civil rights. On this day, at the foot of the Lincoln Monument, King gave a speech that began with the words: “I have a dream.” This pathetic performance became legendary. In his speech, the preacher called for an end to interracial conflicts and to define new goals for American democracy. Martin Luther King's speech expressing his belief in the brotherhood of man became widely known throughout the world.

Death of a fighter

In the spring of 1968, Martin Luther King helped organize an event in downtown Memphis. Six thousand people who gathered for the protest march expressed solidarity with the striking workers. A few days later, in his speech, the preacher spoke about the inevitable victory of the peaceful protest movement. But he made a reservation, obviously anticipating his death, that he would not be able to share in the general celebration. This year, the preacher planned to hold a mass rally for the socially disadvantaged in Washington.

These plans were not destined to come true: on April 4, King was wounded sniper shot on the hotel balcony and died in the hospital the same day. The treacherous murder provoked mass protests in dozens of major US cities.

The circumstances of the death of the great public figure still raise many questions. American writer William Pepper conducted a personal investigation of the events in Memphis. The publicist uncovered a conspiracy by the secret services, the target of which was Martin Luther King. The film, which is being filmed based on Pepper's materials, is called, like his book, “Orders to Kill.”

In Atlanta there is public organization, bearing the name of the deceased preacher. Since 1986, Martin Luther King Day has been celebrated in America in January. The date of memory of the great fighter for racial equality is considered a national holiday.

Martin Luther King is America's greatest figure, a fighter for human rights and freedom. A natural speaker, he won the Nobel Peace Prize, and his ideas of equality became the basis for a modern decent society. This man became a national icon of the fight against segregation in the United States, and most people around the world agree with his opinion.

Childhood and youth

20th century in Europe. Although slavery was abolished in December 1865 due to civil war, the attitude towards the colored sections of the population in a prejudiced society has not changed, because the state has done nothing at the legislative level to protect dark-skinned people.

People of color were discriminated against and considered second-class citizens. They could not get a normal job and were deprived of the right to choose. In America after the Civil War, unofficial John Crow laws were in force, according to which the colored minority could not stand on an equal footing with white people. People with at least a small share of black blood were classified as the colored population.

During this time of social strife, Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929 in the city of Atlanta, located in the state of Georgia, in the southern part of America. Most of the black middle class population was concentrated in the south.

The boy's father, Martin Luther King Sr., was a pastor in a Baptist church, and his mother, Alberta Williams King, worked as a teacher before her marriage. The head of the family was originally named Michael, but he changed his name and the name of his son when he was 6 years old.

Martin Jr. was the second child in the family, and it cannot be said that the Kings lived poorly: the family of the future fighter for equality belonged to the upper-middle class and lived in abundance.

King was brought up in a strict and religious atmosphere; his parents sometimes used physical punishment for misdeeds. But Martin Sr. and Alberta Williams tried to protect their son from the flourishing racist hatred.

When the boy was 6 years old, his friend, who was playing with him in the yard, unexpectedly announced that his mother would not allow him to be friends with Martin anymore because he was black. After the incident, Alberta Williams tried to console the boy and said that Martin was no worse than others.

When King was 10 years old, he sang in the choir of a Baptist church. At the time, the film Gone with the Wind was premiering in Atlanta, and the choir participated in the event.

The future politician was precocious; Martin Luther King studied with honors in a black school. The boy did not have to finish grades 9 and 12, as he independently studied school curriculum and entered Morehouse University as an external student at age 15. In 1944, Martin won a public speaking competition held in Georgia among people of color.

At his new place of study, King joins the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and learns that both blacks and some whites are opposed to racism.

In 1948, Martin graduated from the university and received a bachelor's degree in sociology. As a student, Martin Luther King helps his father at Ebenezer Church. The future of King Sr.'s workplace public figure was a frequent visitor: in 1947, the guy accepted the rank of assistant in the church.

The politician continues his studies at Crowser Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. There, the future revolutionary received a Doctor of Theology degree in 1951, but continued his studies at Boston graduate school and in 1955 received a Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Activity

Martin Luther King followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, and in 1954 the politician became a pastor in the Baptist church. Throughout his life, the man was driven by the ideas of freedom and equality of people. King had extraordinary oratorical abilities, which he channeled in the right direction.

Martin was active in the NAACP, but in 1955 he became director of the Montgomery Improvement Association.

Martin Luther King led the Montgomery bus boycott. By unofficial agreement, non-white transport passengers were not allowed to occupy the first four rows of the bus, which were reserved for white citizens. Also, some bus drivers behaved uncivilly and made insults against African Americans. Black public figure Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a “privileged” man, for which she was arrested by local police. And this is not the first case of public outrage; in the United States there was a frequent practice of arresting innocent black people. The bus driver was in no danger even if he shot an African-American passenger.

Martin Luther King, who disagreed with this social problem, organized a nonviolent boycott of transportation, in which blacks participated. The protest lasted more than a year, 382 days. People of color refused to travel on public transport and walked on foot calling for freedom and equality. Sometimes African-American car drivers gave rides to the boycotters, but they absolutely did not use public transport. About 6 thousand people took part in the action.

The long-term campaign was successful; in 1957, the supreme US government decided that the infringement of the rights of other segments of the population in the state of Alabama was contrary to the US Constitution, and Time published a photo and interview with Martin on the cover.

Not all people supported King; during the protest, there were multiple attempts on his life, and they also tried to blow up his house. Martin Luther King became an idol of people of color, as well as a symbol of the struggle for equality of freedom and rights. Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his method of nonviolent opposition.

King also organized demonstrations for any manifestation of segregation. So, in 1962, Martin joined the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights community. King encouraged university students to take part in the demonstrations and attend rallies. Although Martin Luther King's "movements" were not violent, the police interfered with the demonstrators, for example, by unleashing police dogs on protesting students. Martin King himself was arrested several times.

In 1962, Mississippi State University admitted black student James Meredith, who became the first person of color to enroll at the university. educational institution. In the USA there were special schools for people of color, who did not have the right to study on an equal basis with whites.

This was progress in American society, but not everyone agreed with the enrollment of African Americans in universities, for example, Alabama Governor George Wallace agreed with racial prejudice and blocked the path to the university for two black students.

Martin defended the honor and dignity of those violated in human rights and continued the long-term struggle against segregation.

But the greatest fame for the black figure was brought by another action, which took place in 1963 and expanded political biography Martina. About 300 thousand American residents gathered at the “March on Washington” rally. King gave his most memorable speech, which begins with the words: “I have a dream.” Martin praised racial reconciliation and said that it doesn’t matter what nationality a person is, it’s what’s inside that matters. The march leaders met with the US President and discussed socially important issues. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was signed into law, which prohibited racial discrimination against people of color.

Ideas and views

King's focus was not limited to the issue of segregation. This politician advocated equality and freedom for all citizens of the United States of America; he was dissatisfied with the level of unemployment and hunger.

Martin often traveled and spoke, encouraging people to fight for the rights that should be guaranteed to every person from birth. Moreover, according to Martin Luther King, any social struggle should be non-violent, because it is possible to reach an agreement using language, and not through riots and wars. Luther wrote many books that became the basis for his doctrine of law and order in society.

Personal life

During his lifetime, Martin Luther was a cheerful man with a surprisingly kind look; he set an example of a family man, a decent husband and father who loved four children. Scott Martin met conservatory student Coretta in 1952 while in Boston.

His parents liked King’s chosen one, and they agreed to the marriage. In the summer of 1953, King and Coretta got married at the girl's mother's house. Martin King Sr. married the lovers.

In the fall of 1954, the King family moved to the city of Montgomery, Alabama, where Martin Luther's active work began.

Death

In February 1968, a strike by African-American garbage workers was organized in Memphis, Tennessee. The workers were dissatisfied with non-payment of wages, as well as with the conditions and attitude of the management, which was similar to segregation: whites had a number of privileges and could not work due to bad weather, unlike the blacks, who had to collect garbage even in a thunderstorm.

People turned to civil rights activist Martin Luther King, the only champion of people of color.

On April 3, King again went to Tennessee, but the politician had to change his flight because a bomb threat was discovered on the plane. In town, a civic leader booked room 306 at the Lorraine Motel.

A day later, Martin Luther King stood on the balcony of his hotel room while white-skinned criminal James Earl Ray aimed a rifle at the politician. James fired once: the bullet hit Martin Luther King in the jaw. The politician died at St. Joseph's Hospital at 7:05 p.m. On the eve of his death, Martin gave his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. Listeners remembered this quote from the speech:

“Like anyone, I would like to live a long life. Longevity matters. But I don't think about it now. I just want to do the will of the Lord."

James was caught by the police: the young man wrote a sincere confession. The guy believed that if he admitted guilt, the punishment would be reduced. In court, the criminal was given 99 years in prison. Then Ray stated that he did not commit murder, but the court insisted on the defendant’s guilt.

However, there are many unclear and murky circumstances in the King murder case. For example, it remains unknown what weapon the sniper used for the murder, and there is no clear evidence of James’s involvement in the assassination attempt on King. Martin's wife was dissatisfied with the court's decision because, in her opinion, it was not a criminal who escaped from prison for theft, but a political conspiracy, that was to blame for her husband's death. Therefore, Coretta was saddened by the news of the death of Ray, the only witness.

Who killed Martin King and with what rifle is a mystery that has not yet been solved.

In memory of politician In America, every third Monday of January is celebrated as federal “Martin Luther King Day.” The holiday finally took root only in 2000.

Also filmed in memory of Martin documentaries, telling about his activities. The grave is located at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site.

Quotes

Martin Luther King is famous for his statements not only about human rights, but also about morality. Courage, boldness, perseverance and nobility are perhaps a small part of the characteristics that the American politician possessed.

• Love is the only force that can turn any enemy into a friend.
• If a person has not discovered something for himself that he is ready to die for, he is not able to live fully
• If they told me that the world would end tomorrow, I would plant a tree today.
• Science research has overtaken spiritual development. We have guided missiles and unguided people.
• The ultimate measure of a person's worth is not how he behaves in times of comfort and convenience, but how he carries himself in times of struggle and controversy.
• Cowardice asks - is it safe? Expediency asks - is it prudent? Vanity asks - is this popular? But conscience asks - is this right? And the time comes when you have to take a position that is neither safe, nor prudent, nor popular, but it must be taken because it is right.

Elder Camara Abraham Kuyper Daniel Berrigan Philip Berrigan Martin Luther King Walter Rauschenbusch Tommy Douglas Organizations Confederation of Christian Trade Unions Catholic Worker Movement Key Concepts Christian anarchism Christian humanism Christian socialism Christian communism Marxism Praxis school Liberation Theology Subsidiarity Human dignity Socially oriented market economy Communitarianism Distributism Catholic social teaching Neo-Calvinism Neo-Thomism Communalism Law of Consecration United Order of Enoch Bishop's Vault Key documents Rerum Novarum (1891) Princeton Stone Lectures (1898) Populorum Progressio (1967) Centesimus Annus (1991) Caritas in Veritate (2009) Portal:Christianity

Biography

Childhood and youth

Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta (Georgia) in the family of a Baptist church pastor. The Kings' home was located on Auburn Avenue, a middle-class area of ​​Atlanta where blacks lived. At the age of 13, he entered the Lyceum at Atlanta University. At age 15, he won a public speaking competition sponsored by an African-American organization in Georgia.

The King couple had four children:

• Yolanda King ( English) - daughter (November 17, Montgomery, Alabama - May 15, Santa Monica, California)
• Martin Luther King III - son (born October 23 in Montgomery, Alabama)
• Dexter Scott King ( English) - son (born January 30, Atlanta, Georgia)
• Bernice Albertine King ( English) - daughter (born March 28, Atlanta, Georgia)

Activity

With his performances (some of them are now considered classics oratory) he called for achieving equality through peaceful means. His speeches gave energy to the civil rights movement in society - marches began, economic boycotts, mass departures to prison, and so on.

Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech became widely known. I have a dream"), which was listened to by about 300 thousand Americans during the March on Washington in 1963 at the foot of the Lincoln Monument. In this speech he celebrated racial reconciliation. King redefined the essence of the American democratic dream and ignited a new spiritual fire in it. King's role in the nonviolent struggle to pass legislation prohibiting racial discrimination was recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize.

As a politician, King was a truly unique figure. In laying out the essence of his leadership, he spoke primarily in religious terms. He defined the leadership of the civil rights movement as a continuation of earlier pastoral service and used the African American religious experience in most of his messages. According to the traditional American standard political views, he was a leader who believed in Christian love.

Like so many others bright personalities American history, King resorted to religious phraseology, thereby evoking an enthusiastic spiritual response from his audience.

Murder

The murder sparked nationwide outrage, with black people rioting in more than a hundred cities. In the federal capital, houses burned six blocks from the White House, and machine gunners were stationed on the balconies of the Capitol and the lawns around the White House. Across the country, 46 people were killed, 2.5 thousand were wounded, and 70 thousand soldiers were sent to quell the unrest. In the eyes of activists, King's assassination symbolized the incorrigibility of the system and convinced thousands of people that nonviolent resistance was a dead end. More and more blacks turned their attention to organizations like the Black Panthers.

The killer, James Earl Ray, received a 99-year prison sentence. It was officially accepted that Ray was a lone killer, but many believe that King fell victim to a conspiracy. The Episcopal Church in the United States recognized King as a martyr who gave his life for the Christian faith, and his statue is placed in Westminster Abbey (England) among the martyrs of the 20th century. King was nominated as God's anointed [ ] and was considered to be at the origins of the democratic achievements of the civil rights movement.

King was the first black American to have a bust erected in the Great Rotunda of the Capitol in Washington. The third Monday in January is celebrated in America as Martin Luther King Day and is considered a national holiday.

Speeches and performances

• "The Shepherd Leading His Flock"

Views

Religion

As a Christian minister, King was primarily influenced by religious ideas and almost always quoted or referred to certain texts of the relevant kind not only in church sermons, but also in secular speeches. He, in particular, was convinced of the need to follow the covenant of the need to love your neighbor as yourself, and not only in relation to God, but also to your enemies or opponents - to bless them and pray for them. His ideas about peaceful resistance also go back to the ideas expressed in the Sermon on the Mount, according to which, having received a blow on one cheek, it is necessary to turn the other, and in the Gospel of Matthew, which contains the words of Christ about returning the sword to its scabbard. In his letter from Birmingham prison, King sought inspiration in Christ's all-encompassing love for people, and also, as was his wont, quoted many Christian ideologues of pacifism. In his speech “I visited the top of the mountain...” he said that he only wanted to fulfill the divine will.

Non-violence

King was also encouraged by the results that Mahatma Gandhi achieved by following the ideas of non-violence. By his own account, he had been wanting to travel to India for a long time, and in April 1959, with the help of the Quaker American Friends Service Committee, he was able to make the trip. This experience had a significant impact on him and deepened his understanding of the ideas of peaceful resistance, as well as his desire to devote himself to the fight for civil rights in America. In his radio speech on the last day of his stay in India, King said that now, after his visit to this country, he is still to a greater extent I am more convinced than before of the power of nonviolent protest as a way for oppressed people to fight for justice and human dignity. In a sense, you can say that he was influenced by moral principles Mahatma Gandhi, although the latter, in turn, himself learned them from L.N. Tolstoy’s work “The Kingdom of God is Within You,” where the principle of non-resistance to evil through violence was outlined. However, King, like Gandhi, was also familiar with Tolstoy’s work and resorted to quotes from War and Peace.

King was influenced to some extent by another black civil rights activist, Bayard Rustin, who was also familiar with Gandhi's ideas and is said to have been the one who initially recommended that King devote himself to the principles of nonviolence, subsequently serving as a key adviser and mentor in his early years. years of his social and political activity. Rustin was also the main organizer of the 1963 March on Washington. Then, due to Rustin's open homosexuality, as well as his previous ties to the American Communist Party, King was actively advised to distance himself from him, to which King eventually agreed.

In addition, King's method of peaceful resistance was influenced by the ideas of Henry Thoreau, presented in his essay “On Civil Disobedience,” which the human rights activist became familiar with as a student. In particular, his attention was drawn to the provisions on refusal to cooperate with a malicious public system. King’s acquaintance with the works of Protestant theologians Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Tillich, as well as Walter Rauschenbusch’s work “Christianity and the Social Crisis,” also had a certain effect. King himself wrote in a letter to Niebuhr that his and Tillich’s ideas influenced his ideology of peaceful resistance even more than the principles of Mahatma Gandhi. In addition, in the final stages of his socio-political career, King used the concept of "agape" (Christian brotherly love), which may have been due to the assimilation of the views of Paul Ramsey.

Policy

King held the views that he should not publicly support any US political party or a particular candidate and should remain in a position of non-alignment in order to be able to impartially judge both major parties of the state and serve as their conscience, and not the slave or master of one. them. In a 1958 interview, he stated that neither party is perfect, neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have divine omnipotence and have their own shortcomings and weaknesses, and he is not inextricably linked to either of them.

King also criticized the work of both parties in the field of racial equality, saying that American blacks were betrayed by both representatives of the Republican Party and supporters of the Democratic Party: both of them gave in to reactionaries of one kind or another and allowed them to successfully block all liberal initiatives in the field of civil rights population

Despite his lack of public support for any party or candidate, King wrote in a letter to a civil rights activist in October 1958 that he was unsure whether to vote for Stevenson or Eisenhower, but had always voted for democrats In his autobiography, King wrote that in 1960 he privately voted for J. Kennedy, the Democratic candidate, because he felt that he would become the best president from possible; in addition, he noted that it was likely that he would make an exception to his non-alignment rules if Kennedy ran for a second term.

“The most effective method of combating poverty is its direct abolition by introducing a guaranteed income.” (1967)

Original text(English)

I am now convinced that the simplest approach will prove to be the most effective - the solution to poverty is to abolish it directly by a now widely discussed measure: the guaranteed income.

- Martin Luther King Jr. Where do we go from here: Chaos or community? - New York: Harper & Row, 1967.(King's last book)

King claims that Boston University professor Edgar Sheffield Brightman had a significant influence on his views and thinking.

Memory

• Martin Luther King Square in Moscow.

Cinema

• TV series King (English)Russian (King, NBC , )
• Film directed by Ava DuVernay "Selma"

Martin Luther King wore a gold Rolex Datejust on a signature Jubilee bracelet.

See also

Write a review of the article "King, Martin Luther"

Notes

1. Paul R. Krugman.. - W. W. Norton & Company, 2009. - P. 84. - ISBN 978-0-393-33313-8.
5. Borovik G. A. part 2 “Investigation” // Prologue. - M.: Pravda, 1985.
7. King, Jr. Martin Luther.. - University of California Press, 2005. - P. 231. - ISBN 0-520-24239-4.
8. King, Jr. Martin Luther.. - University of California Press, 2005. - P. 149, 269, 248. - ISBN 0-520-24239-4.
9. Kahlenberg, Richard D.. , Washington Monthly. from the original source July 8, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2008.
10. Bennett Scott H. Radical Pacifism: The War Resisters League and Gandhian Nonviolence in America, 1915–1963. - Syracuse University Press, 2003. - P. 217. - ISBN 0-8156-3003-4.
11. Farrell James J. The Spirit of the Sixties: Making Postwar Radicalism. - Routledge, 1997. - P. 90. - ISBN 0-415-91385-3.
12. De Leon David. Leaders from the 1960s: a biographical sourcebook of American activism. - Greenwood Publishing, 1994. - P. 138. - ISBN 0-313-27414-2.
13. Arsenault Raymond. Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice. - Oxford University Press, 2006. - P. 62. - ISBN 0-19-513674-8.
14. King, M. L. Morehouse College (Chapter 2 of The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.)
16. Oates Stephen B.. - HarperCollins. - P. 159. - ISBN 978-0-06-092473-7.
17. King, Jr. Martin Luther.. - University of California Press, 2000. - P. 364. - ISBN 978-0-520-22231-1.
18. King, Jr. Martin Luther.. - University of California Press, 2000. - P. 84. - ISBN 978-0-520-22231-1.
19. King, Jr. Martin Luther.. - University of California Press, 1992. - P. 384. - ISBN 978-0-520-07951-9.
20. King, Jr. Martin Luther.. - Hachette Digital, 1998. - P. 187. - ISBN 978-0-446-52412-4.
21. at stanford.edu

Literature

• Miller W.R. Martin Luther King: Life, Suffering and Greatness / Trans. from English V. T. Oleinik. - M.: Rudomino; Text, 2004.

Links

• King M. L.- article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
• King M. L. // Encyclopedia “Around the World”.
• King M. L. // Reformation and Protestantism

	King, Martin Luther in Wikiquote

• on IMDB
• King M. L.. - M.: Science, 1970.
• King M. L.
• Kiselev V.// Experience of nonviolence in the 20th century / Ed. R. G. Apresyan. - M.: Aslan, 1996.

Mohammed Mossadegh (1951) Elizabeth II (1952) Konrad Adenauer (1953) John Dulles (1954) Harlow Curtis ( English) (1955) Hungarian Freedom Fighter (1956) Nikita Khrushchev (1957) Charles de Gaulle (1958) Dwight Eisenhower (1959) US scientists: Linus Pauling + Isidore Isaac + Edward Teller + Joshua Lederberg + Donald Arthur Glaser + Willard Libby + Robert Woodward + Charles Stark Draper + William Shockley + Emilio Segre + John Enders + Charles Towns + George Beadle + James Van Allen + Edward Purcell (1960) John Kennedy (1961) Pope John XXIII (1962) Martin Luther King (1963) Lyndon Johnson (1964) William Westmoreland (1965) Generation 25 and younger. "Baby Boomers" (1966) Lyndon Johnson (1967) Apollo 8 crew: Frank Borman + James Lovell + William Anders (1968) Residents Middle America (1969) Willy Brandt (1970) Richard Nixon (1971) Henry Kissinger + Richard Nixon (1972) John Sirica ( English) (1973) King Faisal (1974) American woman: Betty Ford + Carla Hills ( English) + Ella Grasso ( English) + Barbara Jordan ( English) + Susie Sharp ( English) + Jill Conway ( English) + Billie Jean King + Susan Brownmiller ( English) + Eddie Wyatt ( English) + Firstly, the marriage was not brilliant in terms of kinship, wealth and nobility. Secondly, Prince Andrei was not in his first youth and was in poor health (the old man was especially careful about this), and she was very young. Thirdly, there was a son whom it was a pity to give to the girl. Fourthly, finally,” said the father, looking mockingly at his son, “I ask you, postpone the matter for a year, go abroad, get treatment, find, as you want, a German for Prince Nikolai, and then, if it’s love, passion, stubbornness, whatever you want, so great, then get married. “And this is my last word, you know, my last...” the prince finished in a tone that showed that nothing would force him to change his decision. Prince Andrei clearly saw that the old man hoped that the feeling of him or his future bride would not withstand the test of the year, or that he himself, the old prince, would die by this time, and decided to fulfill his father’s will: to propose and postpone the wedding for a year. Three weeks after his last evening with the Rostovs, Prince Andrei returned to St. Petersburg. The next day after her explanation with her mother, Natasha waited the whole day for Bolkonsky, but he did not come. The next, third day the same thing happened. Pierre also did not come, and Natasha, not knowing that Prince Andrei had gone to his father, could not explain his absence. Three weeks passed like this. Natasha did not want to go anywhere and, like a shadow, idle and sad, she walked from room to room, cried secretly from everyone in the evening and did not appear to her mother in the evenings. She was constantly blushing and irritated. It seemed to her that everyone knew about her disappointment, laughed and felt sorry for her. With all the strength of her inner grief, this vain grief intensified her misfortune. One day she came to the countess, wanted to tell her something, and suddenly began to cry. Her tears were the tears of an offended child who himself does not know why he is being punished. The Countess began to calm Natasha down. Natasha, who had been listening at first to her mother’s words, suddenly interrupted her: - Stop it, mom, I don’t think, and I don’t want to think! So, I traveled and stopped, and stopped... Her voice trembled, she almost cried, but she recovered and calmly continued: “And I don’t want to get married at all.” And I'm afraid of him; I have now completely, completely calmed down... The next day after this conversation, Natasha put on that old dress, which she was especially famous for the cheerfulness it brought in the morning, and in the morning she began her old way of life, from which she had fallen behind after the ball. After drinking tea, she went to the hall, which she especially loved for its strong resonance, and began to sing her solfeges (singing exercises). Having finished the first lesson, she stopped in the middle of the hall and repeated one musical phrase that she especially liked. She listened joyfully to the (as if unexpected for her) charm with which these shimmering sounds filled the entire emptiness of the hall and slowly froze, and she suddenly felt cheerful. “It’s good to think about it so much,” she said to herself and began to walk up and down the hall, not stepping in simple steps on the ringing parquet floor, but at every step, shifting from heel (she was wearing new, favorite shoes) to toe, and just as joyfully as she listened to the sounds of her voice, listening to this measured clatter of the heel and the creaking of the sock. Passing by the mirror, she looked into it. - “Here I am!” as if the expression on her face when she saw herself spoke. - “Well, that’s good. And I don’t need anyone.” The footman wanted to enter to clean something in the hall, but she did not let him in, again closing the door behind him, and continued her walk. This morning she returned again to her favorite state of self-love and admiration for herself. - “What a charm this Natasha is!” she said again to herself in the words of some third, collective, male person. “She’s good, she has a voice, she’s young, and she doesn’t bother anyone, just leave her alone.” But no matter how much they left her alone, she could no longer be calm and she immediately felt it. The entrance door opened in the hallway, and someone asked: “Are you at home?” and someone's steps were heard. Natasha looked in the mirror, but she did not see herself. She listened to sounds in the hall. When she saw herself, her face was pale. It was him. She knew this for sure, although she barely heard the sound of his voice from the closed doors. Natasha, pale and frightened, ran into the living room. - Mom, Bolkonsky has arrived! - she said. - Mom, this is terrible, this is unbearable! – I don’t want... to suffer! What should I do?... Before the countess even had time to answer her, Prince Andrei entered the living room with an anxious and serious face. As soon as he saw Natasha, his face lit up. He kissed the hand of the Countess and Natasha and sat down near the sofa. “We haven’t had the pleasure for a long time...” the countess began, but Prince Andrei interrupted her, answering her question and obviously in a hurry to say what he needed. “I wasn’t with you all this time because I was with my father: I needed to talk to him about a very important matter.” “I just returned last night,” he said, looking at Natasha. “I need to talk to you, Countess,” he added after a moment of silence. The Countess, sighing heavily, lowered her eyes. “I am at your service,” she said. Natasha knew that she had to leave, but she could not do it: something was squeezing her throat, and she was discourteously, directly, with open eyes looked at Prince Andrei. "Now? This minute!... No, this can’t be!” she thought. He looked at her again, and this look convinced her that she was not mistaken. “Yes, now, this very minute, her fate was being decided.” “Come, Natasha, I’ll call you,” the countess said in a whisper. Natasha looked at Prince Andrei and her mother with frightened, pleading eyes, and left. “I came, Countess, to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage,” said Prince Andrei. The countess's face flushed, but she said nothing. “Your proposal...” the countess began sedately. “He was silent, looking into her eyes. – Your offer... (she was embarrassed) we are pleased, and... I accept your offer, I’m glad. And my husband... I hope... but it will depend on her... “I’ll tell her when I have your consent... do you give it to me?” - said Prince Andrei. “Yes,” said the countess and extended her hand to him and, with a mixed feeling of aloofness and tenderness, pressed her lips to his forehead as he leaned over her hand. She wanted to love him like a son; but she felt that he was a stranger and a terrible person for her. “I’m sure my husband will agree,” said the countess, “but your father... - My father, to whom I communicated my plans, made it an indispensable condition for consent that the wedding should not be before a year. And this is what I wanted to tell you,” said Prince Andrei. – It’s true that Natasha is still young, but for so long. “It couldn’t be otherwise,” Prince Andrei said with a sigh. “I will send it to you,” said the countess and left the room. “Lord, have mercy on us,” she repeated, looking for her daughter. Sonya said that Natasha is in the bedroom. Natasha sat on her bed, pale, with dry eyes, looking at the images and, quickly crossing herself, whispering something. Seeing her mother, she jumped up and rushed to her. - What? Mom?... What? - Go, go to him. “He asks for your hand,” the countess said coldly, as it seemed to Natasha... “Come... come,” the mother said with sadness and reproach after her fleeing daughter, and sighed heavily. Natasha did not remember how she entered the living room. Entering the door and seeing him, she stopped. “Has this stranger really become everything to me now?” she asked herself and instantly answered: “Yes, that’s it: he alone is now dearer to me than everything in the world.” Prince Andrei approached her, lowering his eyes. “I loved you from the moment I saw you.” Can I hope? He looked at her, and the serious passion in her expression struck him. Her face said: “Why ask? Why doubt something you can’t help but know? Why talk when you can’t express in words what you feel.” She approached him and stopped. He took her hand and kissed it. – Do you love me? “Yes, yes,” Natasha said as if with annoyance, sighed loudly, and another time, more and more often, and began to sob. - About what? What's wrong with you? “Oh, I’m so happy,” she answered, smiled through her tears, leaned closer to him, thought for a second, as if asking herself if this was possible, and kissed him. Prince Andrei held her hands, looked into her eyes, and did not find in his soul the same love for her. Something suddenly turned in his soul: there was no former poetic and mysterious charm of desire, but there was pity for her feminine and childish weakness, there was fear of her devotion and gullibility, a heavy and at the same time joyful consciousness of the duty that forever connected him with her. The real feeling, although it was not as light and poetic as the previous one, was more serious and stronger. – Did maman tell you that this cannot be earlier than a year? - said Prince Andrei, continuing to look into her eyes. “Is it really me, that girl child (everyone said that about me) Natasha thought, is it really from this moment that I am the wife, equal to this stranger, sweet, intelligent man, respected even by my father. Is this really true? Is it really true that now it’s no longer possible to joke with life, now I’m big, now I’m responsible for my every deed and word? Yes, what did he ask me? “No,” she answered, but she did not understand what he was asking. “Forgive me,” said Prince Andrei, “but you are so young, and I have already experienced so much of life.” I'm scared for you. You don't know yourself. Natasha listened with concentrated attention, trying to understand the meaning of his words and did not understand. “No matter how difficult this year will be for me, delaying my happiness,” continued Prince Andrei, “in this period you will believe in yourself.” I ask you to make my happiness in a year; but you are free: our engagement will remain a secret, and if you were convinced that you do not love me, or would love me ... - said Prince Andrei with an unnatural smile. - Why are you saying this? – Natasha interrupted him. “You know that from the very day you first arrived in Otradnoye, I fell in love with you,” she said, firmly convinced that she was telling the truth. - In a year you will recognize yourself... - A whole year! – Natasha suddenly said, now only realizing that the wedding had been postponed for a year. - Why a year? Why a year?...” Prince Andrei began to explain to her the reasons for this delay. Natasha didn't listen to him. – Can’t it be otherwise? – she asked. Prince Andrei did not answer, but his face expressed the impossibility of changing this decision. - It's horrible! No, this is terrible, terrible! – Natasha suddenly spoke and began to sob again. - I will die waiting a year: this is impossible, this is terrible. “She looked into the face of her fiancé and saw on him an expression of compassion and bewilderment. “No, no, I’ll do everything,” she said, suddenly stopping her tears, “I’m so happy!” – Father and mother entered the room and blessed the bride and groom. From that day on, Prince Andrei began to go to the Rostovs as a groom. There was no engagement and Bolkonsky’s engagement to Natasha was not announced to anyone; Prince Andrei insisted on this. He said that since he was the cause of the delay, he must bear the entire burden of it. He said that he was forever bound by his word, but that he did not want to bind Natasha and gave her complete freedom. If after six months she feels that she does not love him, she will be within her right if she refuses him. It goes without saying that neither the parents nor Natasha wanted to hear about it; but Prince Andrei insisted on his own. Prince Andrei visited the Rostovs every day, but did not treat Natasha like a groom: he told her you and only kissed her hand. After the day of the proposal, a completely different, close, simple relationship was established between Prince Andrei and Natasha. It was as if they didn't know each other until now. Both he and she loved to remember how they looked at each other when they were still nothing; now both of them felt like completely different creatures: then feigned, now simple and sincere. At first, the family felt awkward in dealing with Prince Andrei; he seemed like a man from an alien world, and Natasha spent a long time accustoming her family to Prince Andrei and proudly assured everyone that he only seemed so special, and that he was the same as everyone else, and that she was not afraid of him and that no one should be afraid his. After several days, the family got used to him and, without hesitation, continued with him the same way of life in which he took part. He knew how to talk about the household with the Count, and about outfits with the Countess and Natasha, and about albums and canvas with Sonya. Sometimes the Rostov family, among themselves and under Prince Andrei, were surprised at how all this happened and how obvious the omens of this were: the arrival of Prince Andrei in Otradnoye, and their arrival in St. Petersburg, and the similarity between Natasha and Prince Andrei, which the nanny noticed on their first visit Prince Andrei, and the clash in 1805 between Andrei and Nikolai, and many other omens of what happened were noticed by those at home. The house was filled with that poetic boredom and silence that always accompanies the presence of the bride and groom. Often sitting together, everyone was silent. Sometimes they got up and left, and the bride and groom, remaining alone, were still silent. Rarely did they talk about their future lives. Prince Andrei was scared and ashamed to talk about it. Natasha shared this feeling, like all his feelings, which she constantly guessed. One time Natasha started asking about his son. Prince Andrei blushed, which often happened to him now and which Natasha especially loved, and said that his son would not live with them. - Why? – Natasha said in fear. - I can’t take him away from my grandfather and then... - How I would love him! - Natasha said, immediately guessing his thought; but I know you want there to be no excuses to blame you and me. The old count sometimes approached Prince Andrei, kissed him, and asked him for advice on the upbringing of Petya or the service of Nicholas. The old countess sighed as she looked at them. Sonya was afraid at every moment of being superfluous and tried to find excuses to leave them alone when they didn’t need it. When Prince Andrei spoke (he spoke very well), Natasha listened to him with pride; when she spoke, she noticed with fear and joy that he was looking at her carefully and searchingly. She asked herself in bewilderment: “What is he looking for in me? He's trying to achieve something with his gaze! What if I don’t have what he’s looking for with that look?” Sometimes she entered into her characteristic insanely cheerful mood, and then she especially loved to listen and watch how Prince Andrei laughed. He rarely laughed, but when he laughed, he gave himself entirely to his laughter, and every time after this laugh she felt closer to him. Natasha would have been completely happy if the thought of the impending and approaching separation did not frighten her, since he too turned pale and cold at the mere thought of it. On the eve of his departure from St. Petersburg, Prince Andrei brought with him Pierre, who had never been to the Rostovs since the ball. Pierre seemed confused and embarrassed. He was talking to his mother. Natasha sat down with Sonya at the chess table, thereby inviting Prince Andrey to her. He approached them. – You’ve known Bezukhoy for a long time, haven’t you? – he asked. - Do you love him? - Yes, he is nice, but very funny. And she, as always speaking about Pierre, began to tell jokes about his absent-mindedness, jokes that were even made up about him. “You know, I trusted him with our secret,” said Prince Andrei. – I have known him since childhood. This is a heart of gold. “I beg you, Natalie,” he said suddenly seriously; – I’ll leave, God knows what might happen. You might spill... Well, I know I shouldn't talk about it. One thing - no matter what happens to you when I’m gone... - What will happen?... “Whatever the grief,” continued Prince Andrei, “I ask you, m lle Sophie, no matter what happens, turn to him alone for advice and help.” This is the most absent-minded and funny man, but the most golden heart. Neither father and mother, nor Sonya, nor Prince Andrei himself could foresee how parting with her fiancé would affect Natasha. Red and excited, with dry eyes, she walked around the house that day, doing the most insignificant things, as if not understanding what awaited her. She did not cry even at that moment as he, saying goodbye, last time kissed her hand. - Don't leave! - she just said to him in a voice that made him think about whether he really needed to stay and which he remembered for a long time after that. When he left, she didn't cry either; but for several days she sat in her room without crying, was not interested in anything and only sometimes said: “Oh, why did he leave!” But two weeks after his departure, just as unexpectedly for those around her, she woke up from her moral illness, became the same as before, but only with a changed moral physiognomy, just as children with a different face get out of bed after a long illness. The health and character of Prince Nikolai Andreich Bolkonsky, in this last year after his son’s departure, became very weak. He became even more irritable than before, and all the outbursts of his causeless anger mostly fell on Princess Marya. It was as if he was diligently looking for all her sore spots in order to morally torture her as cruelly as possible. Princess Marya had two passions and therefore two joys: her nephew Nikolushka and religion, and both were favorite topics for the prince’s attacks and ridicule. Whatever they talked about, he turned the conversation to the superstitions of old girls or the pampering and spoiling of children. - “You want to make him (Nikolenka) an old girl like yourself; in vain: Prince Andrey needs a son, not a girl,” he said. Or, turning to Mademoiselle Bourime, he asked her in front of Princess Marya how she liked our priests and images, and joked... He constantly and painfully insulted Princess Marya, but the daughter did not even make an effort to forgive him. How could he be guilty before her, and how could her father, who, she still knew, loved her, be unjust? And what is justice? The princess never thought about this proud word: “justice.” All the complex laws of humanity were concentrated for her in one simple and clear law - the law of love and self-sacrifice, taught to us by the One who lovingly suffered for humanity, when he himself is God. What did she care about the justice or injustice of other people? She had to suffer and love herself, and that’s what she did. In winter, Prince Andrei came to Bald Mountains, he was cheerful, meek and gentle, as Princess Marya had not seen him for a long time. She had a presentiment that something had happened to him, but he did not say anything to Princess Marya about his love. Before leaving, Prince Andrei talked for a long time about something with his father, and Princess Marya noticed that before leaving, both were dissatisfied with each other. Soon after the departure of Prince Andrei, Princess Marya wrote from Bald Mountains to St. Petersburg to her friend Julie Karagina, whom Princess Marya dreamed of, as girls always dream, of marrying her brother, and who at that time was in mourning on the occasion of the death of her brother, killed in Turkey. “Sorrow, apparently, is our common destiny, dear and gentle friend Julieie.” “Your loss is so terrible that I cannot otherwise explain it to myself, as a special mercy of God, who wants to experience - by loving you - you and your excellent mother. Ah, my friend, religion, and only religion, can, let alone console us, but save us from despair; one religion can explain to us what a person cannot understand without its help: why, why beings who are kind, sublime, who know how to find happiness in life, who not only do not harm anyone, but are necessary for the happiness of others - are called to God, but remain to live evil, useless, harmful, or those who are a burden to themselves and others. The first death that I saw and which I will never forget - the death of my dear daughter-in-law, made such an impression on me. Just as you ask fate why your beautiful brother had to die, in the same way I asked why this angel Liza had to die, who not only did not do any harm to a person, but never had anything but good thoughts in her soul . And well, my friend, five years have passed since then, and I, with my insignificant mind, am already beginning to clearly understand why she needed to die, and how this death was only an expression of the infinite goodness of the Creator, all of whose actions , although we mostly do not understand them, they are only manifestations of His infinite love for His creation. Perhaps, I often think, she was too angelically innocent to have the strength to endure all the responsibilities of a mother. She was impeccable, like a young wife; perhaps she could not be such a mother. Now, not only has she left us, and especially Prince Andrei, the purest regret and memory, she will probably get that place there that I do not dare hope for for myself. But, not to mention her alone, this early and terrible death had the most beneficial influence, despite all the sadness, for me and for my brother. Then, in a moment of loss, these thoughts could not come to me; Then I would have driven them away with horror, but now it is so clear and undeniable. I am writing all this to you, my friend, only to convince you of the gospel truth that has been done for me. life rule: Not a single hair of the head will fall without His will. And His will is guided only by boundless love for us, and therefore everything that happens to us is all for our good. Are you asking if we will spend next winter in Moscow? Despite all my desire to see you, I don’t think and don’t want it. And you will be surprised that the reason for this is Buonaparte. And here's why: my father's health is noticeably weakening: he cannot tolerate contradictions and becomes irritable. This irritability, as you know, is directed primarily at political matters. He cannot bear the thought that Buonaparte is dealing as equals with all the sovereigns of Europe and especially with our grandson Great Catherine! As you know, I am completely indifferent to political affairs, but from the words of my father and his conversations with Mikhail Ivanovich, I know everything that is happening in the world, and especially all the honors given to Buonaparte, who, it seems, is still only in Lysykh Mountains on everything globe is not recognized as either a great man, much less a French emperor. And my father can't stand it. It seems to me that my father, mainly due to his view of political affairs and foreseeing the clashes that he will have, due to his manner of expressing his opinions without hesitation with anyone, is reluctant to talk about a trip to Moscow. Whatever he gains from treatment, he will lose due to the controversy about Buonaparte, which is inevitable. In any case, this will be decided very soon. Our family life continues as before, with the exception of the presence of brother Andrei. He, as I already wrote to you, has changed a lot lately. After his grief, he is now only this year, completely morally revived. He became the same as I knew him as a child: kind, gentle, with that golden heart that I don’t know equal to. He realized, it seems to me, that life is not over for him. But along with this moral change, he physically became very weak. He became thinner than before, more nervous. I am afraid for him and am glad that he took this trip abroad, which doctors have long prescribed for him. I hope this fixes it. You write to me that in St. Petersburg they talk about him as one of the most active, educated and intelligent young people. Sorry for the pride of kinship - I never doubted it. It is impossible to count the good that he did here to everyone, from his peasants to the nobles. Arriving in St. Petersburg, he took only what he should have. I’m surprised how rumors from St. Petersburg reach Moscow in general, and especially such incorrect ones as the one you are writing to me about - the rumor about the imaginary marriage of my brother to little Rostova. I don’t think Andrei will ever marry anyone, and especially not her. And here's why: firstly, I know that although he rarely talks about his late wife, the sadness of this loss is too deeply rooted in his heart for him to ever decide to give her a successor and stepmother to our little angel. Secondly, because, as far as I know, this girl is not the type of woman that Prince Andrei might like. I don’t think that Prince Andrei would choose her as his wife, and I’ll say frankly: I don’t want this. But I started chatting, I’m finishing my second piece of paper. Farewell, my dear friend; May God keep you under His holy and mighty protection. My dear friend, Mademoiselle Bourienne, kisses you.

Martin Luther King. Born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA - died April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Famous African-American Baptist preacher, brilliant speaker, leader of the Black Civil Rights Movement in the United States. King became a national icon in the history of American progressivism.

Martin Luther King became the first active figure in the US black movement and the first prominent fighter for the civil rights of blacks in the US, fighting discrimination, racism and segregation. He also actively opposed US colonial aggression, in particular in Vietnam. For his important contribution to the democratization of American society, Martin was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Killed in Memphis, Tennessee, allegedly by James Earl Ray.

In 2004 (posthumously) he was awarded the highest US award, the Congressional Gold Medal.

Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta (Georgia) in the family of a Baptist church pastor. The Kings' home was located on Auburn Avenue, a middle-class area of ​​Atlanta where blacks lived. At the age of 13, he entered the Lyceum at Atlanta University. At age 15, he won a public speaking competition sponsored by an African-American organization in Georgia.

In the fall of 1944, King entered Morehouse College. During this period he became a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Here he learned that not only blacks, but also many whites, were opposed to racism.

In 1947, King was ordained as a minister, becoming his father's assistant in the church. After receiving a bachelor's degree in sociology from college in 1948, he attended Crowser Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania, where he received a bachelor's degree in divinity in 1951. In 1955, Boston University awarded him a Doctor of Theology degree.

King often attended Ebenezer Baptist Church, where his father served.

In January 1952, after living in Boston for about five months, King met conservatory student Coretta Scott. Six months later, King invited the girl to go with him to Atlanta. Having met Coretta, the parents gave their consent to their marriage.

Martin Luther King and his wife Coretta Scott King were married at her mother's home on June 18, 1953. The newlyweds were married by the groom's father. Coretta received a diploma in voice and violin from the New England Conservatory. After graduating from the conservatory, she and her husband moved to Montgomery, Alabama, in September 1954. The King couple had four children: Yolanda King - daughter (November 17, 1955, Montgomery, Alabama - May 15, 2007, Santa Monica, California); Martin Luther King III - son (born October 23, 1957 in Montgomery, Alabama); Dexter Scott King - son (born January 30, 1961, Atlanta, Georgia); Bernice Albertine King - daughter (born March 28, 1963, Atlanta, Georgia).

In 1954, King became pastor of a Baptist church in Montgomery, Alabama. In Montgomery, he led a major black protest against racial segregation on public transportation following the December 1955 Rosa Parks incident. The boycott of bus lines in Montgomery, which lasted more than 380 days, despite the resistance of the authorities and racists, led to the success of the action - the US Supreme Court declared segregation in Alabama unconstitutional.

In January 1957, King was elected head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization created to fight for civil rights for the African-American population. In September 1958, he was stabbed in Harlem. In 1960, King visited India by invitation, where he studied activities.

With his speeches (some of them are now considered classics of oratory), he called for achieving equality through peaceful means. His speeches gave energy to the civil rights movement in society - marches began, economic boycotts, mass departures to prison, and so on.

Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech, which was heard by about 300 thousand Americans during the March on Washington in 1963 at the foot of the Lincoln Monument, became widely known. In this speech he celebrated racial reconciliation. King redefined the essence of the American democratic dream and ignited a new spiritual fire in it. King's role in the nonviolent struggle to pass laws prohibiting racial discrimination was recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize.

As a politician, King was a truly unique figure. In laying out the essence of his leadership, he spoke primarily in religious terms. He defined the leadership of the civil rights movement as a continuation of earlier pastoral service and used the African American religious experience in most of his messages. By the traditional standard of American political opinion, he was a leader who believed in Christian love.

Like so many other prominent figures in American history, King resorted to religious phraseology, thereby evoking an enthusiastic spiritual response from his audience.

From 1963 until his death, Martin Luther King was pursued by the FBI under secret program COINTELPRO.

On March 28, 1968, King led a 6,000-strong protest march in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, to support striking workers. On April 3, speaking in Memphis, King said: “We have difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter. Because I've been to the top of the mountain... I looked ahead and saw the Promised Land. Maybe I won’t be there with you, but I want you to know now - all of us, all the people will see this Earth.” On April 4, at 6:01 p.m., King was mortally wounded by a sniper while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.

The killer, James Earl Ray, received a 99-year prison sentence. It was officially accepted that Ray was a lone killer, but many believe that King fell victim to a conspiracy. The Episcopal Church in the USA recognized King as a martyr who gave his life for the Christian faith; his statue is placed in Westminster Abbey (England) among the martyrs of the 20th century. King was nominated as an anointed man of God and was considered to be at the forefront of the democratic achievements of the civil rights movement.

King was the first black American to have a bust erected in the Great Rotunda of the Capitol in Washington. The third Monday in January is celebrated in America as Martin Luther King Day and is considered a national holiday.

In Atlanta (Georgia, USA) in the family of a Baptist church pastor. At birth he was given the name Michael, but the boy's name was later changed to Martin.

Studied at elementary school David Howard, and then in high school Booker Washington. In 1944, at the age of 15, he passed the exams and entered Morehouse College in Atlanta. At the same time, he became a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAPAC).

In September 1958, while signing autographs in Harlem (New York), he was stabbed in the chest by a mentally ill woman.

In 1960, at the invitation of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Martin Luther King spent a month in India, where he studied the activities of Mahatma Gandhi.

That same year he returned to Atlanta and became pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church.

In 1960–1961, King took part in sit-ins and freedom marches.

In March and April 1963, he led mass demonstrations in Birmingham, Alabama, against segregation in work and home life. For violating the ban on demonstrations, Martin Luther King was arrested for five days. During this time, he wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” in which he called on clergy to support the fight for equal rights for all citizens.

On August 28, 1963, King co-organized the March on Washington, which drew more than 200,000 participants and during which he delivered his famous “I have a Dream” speech.

This march contributed to the passage of the Civil Rights Act (1964), and King himself was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (1964) for his contributions to the movement of nonviolent resistance to racial oppression.

In 1965, Martin Luther King became the leader of the voter registration movement in Alabama. In 1965–1966, he led a campaign against racial discrimination in housing policy in Chicago, Illinois. In 1966, King became the first leading African American leader to publicly oppose the Vietnam War. In 1968, he organized the Poor People's Campaign to unite poor people of all races in the fight against poverty.

On March 28, 1968, he led a protest march of six thousand people in downtown Memphis (Tennessee), the purpose of which was to support striking workers.

On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King was fatally shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. He died from his wound at St. Joseph's Hospital and was buried in Atlanta. Over one hundred thousand people came to the funeral.

James Earl Ray, who had a previous conviction, was charged with the murder of Martin Luther King. In July 1968, the killer was caught in London (UK) and transferred to the United States. At his trial, Ray pleaded guilty to the crime and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. He later recanted his testimony, saying that he had been made a “pawn” and framed by the real killers. James Earl Ray died in prison in 1998.

Martin Luther King was the author of several books, including Stride Toward Freedom (1958), Why We Can't Wait (1964), Which Direction Will We Go? chaos or community? "(Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967).

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources