01/19/2026
Today, we remember the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968). He is remembered for his monumental contributions to the American Civil Rights Movement.
He served as a member on the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, taking leadership in the organization of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted 382 days. In December of 1956, the Supreme Court declared bus segregation laws to be unconstitutional. During the time of the boycott, Dr. King was arrested and his home targeted, but nevertheless he persisted.
In 1957, Dr. King was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. In the years that followed, King spoke over 2,500 times, underscoring injustice, protest, and action across the United States. He directed a peaceful march on Washington, D.C of 250,000 people, where he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.
Dr. King was arrested nearly 20 times and was assaulted at least 4 times over the course of his career. He was awarded 5 honorary degrees and named Man of the Year by Time magazine. At the age of 35, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have ever received a Nobel Peace Prize.
On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis, TN, where he was intended to lead a march with striking garbage workers in the city. Today, he is remembered for his legacy of peaceful resistance in pursuit of equal rights for all.
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Information provided by the Nobel Prize Organization website.
