The Man & The Legend
Born in 1929, this was the original first name listed on his birth certificate before his father changed it.
Who is Michael?
His father, a pastor, traveled to Germany in 1934 and became so inspired by the legacy of Protestant reformer Martin Luther that he decided to change both his own name and his 5-year-old son’s name in honor of the theologian.
He rose to national fame leading this 381-day protest triggered by Rosa Parks' arrest.
What is the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
This was the first major large-scale demonstration against segregation in the U.S.
King practiced this method of protest, which involves refusing to obey certain laws without using physical violence.
What is Nonviolent Civil Disobedience?
This was influenced by the belief that moral "soul force" is more effective than physical force.
He famously dreamed of a day when his children would be judged by the "content of their character" rather than this.
What is "the color of their skin"?
This iconic line from the 1963 March on Washington remains one of the most cited phrases in American history.
This former South African President and Nobel winner frequently cited King as his inspiration for ending Apartheid.
Who is Nelson Mandela?
Mandela saw the parallels between the Jim Crow South and South African Apartheid.
A brilliant student, he was only this age when he graduated high school and began his studies at Morehouse College.
What is 15 years old.
King was an exceptionally gifted student who skipped both the 9th and 12th grades; he entered college in 1944 during World War II, a time when many universities were opening doors to younger students as older men were drafted.
Dr. King was the first president of this organization, often abbreviated as the SCLC.
What is the Southern Christian Leadership Conference?
Formed in 1957, the SCLC aimed to harness the moral authority and organizing power of Black churches.
This Indian leader’s success in using nonviolence against British rule became the primary blueprint for Dr. King.
Who is Mahatma Gandhi?
King traveled to India in 1959 to better understand Gandhi’s "Satyagraha" philosophy.
He stated, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice ________."
What is "everywhere"?
Found in his Letter from Birmingham Jail, this quote highlights the global interconnectedness of human rights.
In 2023, artist Hank Willis Thomas unveiled this 20-foot bronze sculpture in Boston to honor MLK and Coretta Scott King.
What is "The Embrace"?
The statue focuses on the arms of the couple, symbolizing the support required to sustain a movement.
Though known for his voice, he grew up in a musical home playing this instrument, often used in his mother's choir rehearsals.
What is the Piano?
His mother, Alberta Williams King, was an accomplished organist, and music was a foundational part of his childhood.
In 1963, he helped organize this massive event where he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech from the Lincoln Memorial.
What is the March on Washington (for Jobs and Freedom)?
It was one of the largest political rallies for human rights in U.S. history, with over 250,000 participants.
He often spoke of this "Goal," a society where people live together in peace and justice regardless of race.
What is the Beloved Community?
This term describes a global vision in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth and poverty is abolished.
He said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward ________."
What is "justice"?
This quote was meant to encourage activists that even when progress is slow, it is inevitable.
This contemporary lawyer and author of The New Jim Crow uses King’s framework to fight against mass incarceration today.
Who is Michelle Alexander?
She carries on King's work by highlighting how the legal system continues to target people of color.
Dr. King was arrested this many times throughout his career for his acts of civil disobedience.
What is 29?
He was often jailed on minor charges like "speeding" or "loitering" as a tactic by authorities to disrupt his organizing.
Late in his life, he launched this campaign to address economic inequality for all impoverished Americans, regardless of race.
What is the Poor People’s Campaign?
King shifted his focus to "Radical Reconstruction," arguing that civil rights were hollow without economic justice.
While in a Birmingham jail, he wrote that people have a "moral responsibility to disobey" these types of laws.
What are Unjust Laws?
He argued that any law that degrades human personality is unjust and must be challenged.
In 1967, he gave a controversial speech at Riverside Church titled "Beyond ________," opposing the Vietnam War.
What is "Vietnam"?
This speech cost him many political allies but was his most significant statement on international peace.
In 1971, King won a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Recording for this specific speech.
What is "Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam"?
The recording was praised for its oratorical power and bold stance against government policy.
Dr. King is one of only three Americans to have a national holiday in their honor, and the only one of the three who was not this {distinction}.
What is a U.S. President?
The other two are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln (celebrated on Presidents' Day). King is the only non-president with a solo federal holiday.
He was in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968 to support a strike led by this specific group of municipal workers.
Who are the Sanitation Workers?
The "I Am A Man" protest sought better wages and safety after two workers were crushed by a malfunctioning truck.
This theological concept, which King studied at Boston University, emphasizes that God is a "person" who is active in human history.
What is Personalism?
Personalism provided King with the philosophical grounding for the dignity and worth of every individual.
In his final speech, he told the crowd, "I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the ________."
What is the "Promised Land"?
This "Mountaintop" speech was delivered less than 24 hours before his assassination.
This modern "King of Pop" paid $28,000 for the original 1963 handwritten "I Have a Dream" speech to ensure its preservation.
Who is Harry Belafonte? (Or frequently associated with Michael Jackson in trivia circles, but Belafonte was the primary financier).
Many celebrities, like Belafonte, used their wealth to bail King out of jail and preserve his historical artifacts.