The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Minister, speaker, activist.
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News •
Martin Luther King Jr.'s handwritten draft of 'I Have a Dream' speech found in desk drawer
• Nov. 11, 2026, 6:16 PM ET (CBC)
Handwritten draft of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech to go on display in Atlanta
• Nov. 10, 2026, 12:37 PM ET (CBS)
Only known handwritten final draft of MLK Jr’s I Have A Dream speech to be auctioned
• Nov. 9, 2026, 4:08 PM ET (The Guardian)
Georgia Democrats take a victory lap from the pulpit of MLK’s church
• Nov. 8, 2026, 3:38 PM ET (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
500 Black Christian leaders arrive in Israel for 'Unfinished Business' pilgrimage
• Nov. 5, 2026, 6:25 PM ET (Jerusalem Post)
Transcript
Martin Luther King was born in 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Both his father and maternal grandfather were Baptist preachers, and King followed them into religious ministry.
King’s skill as a public speaker was recognized from a young age.
He was elected student body president while attending Crozer Theological Seminary, which mostly admitted white students.
He later received a doctorate in theology from Boston University.
In 1955 Martin Luther King, Jr., was chosen as president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, which led a boycott of segregated transit in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference gave King a national—and international—presence. He lectured on desegregation and nonviolent resistance in the United States and abroad.
His “Letter from the Birmingham Jail,” the March on Washington, and his “I Have a Dream” speech drew worldwide attention to the issue of racism in the United States.
King even received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Still, King’s protests drew opposition from local authorities, the federal government, and individual citizens.
On April 4, 1968, King was assassinated on his motel balcony.
Martin Luther King, Jr., and his legacy are honored with the celebration of his birthday on the third Monday of January, now an annual federal holiday established by law on November 3, 1983.
Learn more at britannica.com.
Both his father and maternal grandfather were Baptist preachers, and King followed them into religious ministry.
King’s skill as a public speaker was recognized from a young age.
He was elected student body president while attending Crozer Theological Seminary, which mostly admitted white students.
He later received a doctorate in theology from Boston University.
In 1955 Martin Luther King, Jr., was chosen as president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, which led a boycott of segregated transit in Montgomery, Alabama.
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference gave King a national—and international—presence. He lectured on desegregation and nonviolent resistance in the United States and abroad.
His “Letter from the Birmingham Jail,” the March on Washington, and his “I Have a Dream” speech drew worldwide attention to the issue of racism in the United States.
King even received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Still, King’s protests drew opposition from local authorities, the federal government, and individual citizens.
On April 4, 1968, King was assassinated on his motel balcony.
Martin Luther King, Jr., and his legacy are honored with the celebration of his birthday on the third Monday of January, now an annual federal holiday established by law on November 3, 1983.
Learn more at britannica.com.
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