Martin+Luther+King,+Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
 * Who was the most important voice in the American civil rights movement? If you answered Martin Luther King, Jr., you are correct. Learn more about Dr. King from this web page. He is best known for his nonviolent persistence in overcoming racial injustice. He fought to break down segregation laws; these were laws which prevented African Americans from entering specific public places. The U.S. Library of Congress sponsors this biography. From this web page, you can also access biographies of other activists.
 * URL: http://www.americaslibrary.gov

Music of the Civil Rights Movement
 * During the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s, music was almost always the common thread that brought people together. It inspired, comforted, and united those who had to fight for the same rights that the rest of Americans took for granted. Silver Burdett presents the history of some of the most famous songs of the civil rights movement, such as We Shall Overcome, and Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing and offers information on those who lent their voices to the cause, including Harry Belafonte, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan.
 * URL: http://www.sbgmusic.com

Letter From a Birmingham Jail by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
 * Civil rights activist and human rights martyr, the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is known the world over for his ideas of achieving social justice through peaceful protest demonstrations. When he was jailed for protesting the segregation policy of the local government as enforced by the Birmingham police in 1963, a group of eight men from the faith community in Alabama admonished Dr. King for the use of such aggressive tactics as mass protest. This Web site features a photograph of King, along with the full-text of his response to the eight individuals who wrote him the letter.
 * URL: http://www.stanford.edu

About Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Nonviolence: The Only Road to Freedom
 * Dr. King believed in a nation of freedom and justice for all, and encouraged all citizens to live up to the purpose and potential of America by applying the principles of nonviolence to make this country a better place to live—creating the Beloved Community. After a long struggle, legislation was signed in 1983 creating a federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The federal holiday was first observed in 1986. In 1994, Congress designated the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday as a national day of service and charged the Corporation for National and Community Service with leading this effort. Taking place each year on the third Monday in January, the MLK Day of Service is the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service – a day on, not a day off.
 * URL: http://mlkday.gov
 * While some in the Civil Rights movement advocated the use of violence particularly in cases of self-defense, Martin Luther King, Jr. continued to preach that nonviolence was the only road to freedom. While talk of violence and retaliation continued even on the fringes of the nonviolent movement, it only created more fear and prejudice. Rather than wage war against their oppressors, Dr. King continued to promote nonviolent protest as the key to reforming American society from within.
 * URL: http://teachingamericanhistory.org

The Meaning of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
 * Who better to explain the true meaning of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday than his wife, Coretta Scott King? This timeless article written for The King Center captures the essence of Dr. King and his message of nonviolence, unconditional love and tolerance. She also talks of her husband's courage in the face of repeated harassment, threats and beatings during his fight for freedom. Mrs. King urges you to honor her husband's legacy, not only by remembrance and tribute, but through active service to those in need. Visit this web site to learn more ways to commemorate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
 * URL: http://www.thekingcenter.org

Remember Segregation
 * Although there are only four words on the opening page of this web site, their message is striking. Choose the path you want to take to study segregation. This remarkable web site allows visitors to experience segregation from the perspective of both a black and a white person. Historical photographs are shared in the photo gallery. Learn how Martin Luther King, Jr. fought to end discrimination. There is a timeline covering events from 1954 to 2005 and a biography about King.
 * URL: http://www.remembersegregation.org

Coretta Scott King
 * Born in Alabama in 1927, Coretta Scott King walked five miles a day to attend a one-room school, while white students rode the bus to a school closer by. She was valedictorian of her high school, graduated from Antioch College and won a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music. She became involved in the civil rights movement during college. In 1953, she married Martin Luther King, Jr. Together they organized the Montgomery bus boycott, and advocated nonviolent civil disobedience against the injustices of segregation laws. After Dr. King's assassination, she continued to champion human rights until her death in 2006.
 * URL: http://www.achievement.org

Martin Luther King Jr.: The Legacy of a Leader
 * Photographer, Benedict Fernandez, took these compelling photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the last year of his life. This slide show captures Dr. King's everyday life as a husband, father and activist. There is also a biography included that details his leadership during the early civil rights movement and his pledge to avoid violence. His most famous speech, I Have a Dream, is available to read. Take the quiz and see how much you know about the Dr. King's life.
 * URL: http://teacher.scholastic.com

I have a Dream Speech
 * Hear a famous speech spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr. On October 28th, 1963, he delivered his I have a Dream speech at the March for Jobs and Freedom in Washington D.C. Also, you can read the transcript at this web site. As you may have already known, he begins his speech with the following words, I have a Dream. He ends his speech with the words Free at last, Free at last, We are Free at Last.
 * URL: http://www.hpol.org

Citizen King
 * The legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. began in August of 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., when he empowered millions with the dream of an America free from racism. Five years later, Martin Luther King was killed in Memphis, Tennessee. Explore the pages of this insightful web site and learn more about Citizen King. Maps and timelines are also available here marking the journey of his dream. The Public Broadcasting System (PBS) brings you Citizen King.
 * URL: http://www.pbs.org

Nobel Peace Prize 1964: Martin Luther King, Jr.
 * Martin Luther King Jr. was an influential leader for civil rights movements. At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement. Here you can find a biography on him as well as a copy of the presentation speech for the Nobel Peace Prize. There is also a video clip available of the event.
 * URL: http://www.nobelprize.org