Martin Luther King Jr.
Civil Rights leader, 'I Have a Dream' speech, Nobel Peace Prize winner
Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, activist, and prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement who championed nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, King earned a doctorate in systematic theology and became the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. He rose to prominence during the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956) and went on to organize numerous peaceful protests against racial segregation and discrimination. His most celebrated moment came on August 28, 1963, when he delivered the 'I Have a Dream' speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which became one of the most iconic speeches in American history. In 1964, at age 35, King became the youngest man to win the Nobel Peace Prize, recognized for his work to overcome racial discrimination through nonviolent means. His efforts contributed significantly to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, but his legacy as a moral leader and visionary for equality continues to inspire social justice movements worldwide.
Historical Figure
American
1929
1968
Thinking about the name
Luther
Germanic origin
“Derived from Germanic elements 'leod' (people) and 'heri' (army), meaning 'people's warrior' or 'famous warrior.' Luther became iconic through Martin Luther, the 16th-century theologian who sparked the Protestant Reformation, giving the name profound historical and spiritual weight. It carries both intellectual gravitas and accessible warmth, resonating across religious and secular contexts.”