Martin Luther King (1929-1968) – Famous Public Figure (1649)

Martin Luther King was born into a black family in 1929 in Atlanta. As a child Martin saw that black people were not-allowed to work or live in the same places as whites and were often treated badly. He was deeply hurt by this but mother told him, "You are as good as anyone else, don't you forget it".

Martin won a place at college and trained to be a minister in the church. He got married in 1953 and started work in Alabama. However, in December 1955 his peaceful life ended suddenly. Rosa Parks, a black woman, was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white person. M. King joined the black civil-rights movement to protest against discrimination.

African-Americans were not only segregated on buses throughout the south. Equal housing was denied to them, and seating in many hotels and restaurants was refused. Demonstrations which began peacefully often ended up in violence and Martin and many others were often arrested.

Martin believed strongly in non-violent action and led peaceful marches throughout the United States. In 1963 a crowd of 250,000 people gathered in Washington D.C. and marched to the Capitol Building to support the passing of laws that guar anteed every American equal civil rights. Martin made his most famous speech: "I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream..."

One year later, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. The act guaranteed equal rights in housing, public facilities, voting and public schools. A civil rights commission would ensure that these laws were enforced. Martin Luther King and thousands of other supporters of civil-rights movement now knew that they had not straggled in vain.

In 1964 Martin was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He continued to campaign for black rights but in 1968 he was tragically shot by a white man. On his gravestone are the words 'Free at last'.

Check your comprehension.

1. What family was Martin Luther King born to? 2. What was he deeply hurt by in childhood? 3. Where did Martin study? 4. Where did he work after graduation from college? 5. What made King join the black civil-rights movement? 6. What event took place in Washington D. C. in 1963? 7. What speech did M. King make at the meeting? 8. What did the march of protest result in? 9. What prize was King awarded? 10. How did he die?

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