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Martin Luther King, Jr., (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) was born Michael Luther King, Jr., but later had his name changed to Martin, In Atlanta, Georgia. Both his father and grandfather were Baptist preachers who had been actively involved in the civil rights movement.

Over the next few months King read several books on the ideas of Gandhi, and eventually became convinced that the same methods could be employed by blacks to obtain civil rights in America. He was particularly struck by Gandhi's words: "Through our pain we will make them see their injustice". King was also influenced by Henry David Thoreau and his theories on how to use nonviolent resistance to achieve social change.

At that time in America, black people didn't have equal rights with white people. Black people had to sit in the back of busses. The schools were segregated. There were separate public restrooms for black people and white people. Black people's lives were not very good.

King was a minister in the Baptist Church who fought against racial segregation (equal rights for all people). He stressed the importance of the ballot. He argued that once all African Americans had the vote they would become an important political force. He asked people to fight peacefully. For example, he asked black people to ride in the front of the bus. More than 200,000 people went to Washington D.C. to listen to him speak and ask the government to change unfair laws. End the racial segregation in public schools. Meaningful civil rights legislation, including a law prohibiting racial discrimination in employment.

Within six months restaurant and lunch-counter segregation in twenty-six southern cities had approximately ended. The 1964 Civil Rights Act made racial discrimination in public places, such as theaters, restaurants and hotels, illegal. Projects involving federal funds could now be cut off if there was evidence of discriminated based on color, race or national origin.

Statics In a 1963 Newsweek poll, 74% of whites said racial integration was "moving too fast," a viewpoint that seems shocking today when attitudes are very different. In a 2000 New York Times poll, 93% of whites said they would vote for a qualified black presidential candidate. More than 60% approved of interracial marriage. And 80% said they did not care whether their neighbors were white or black.

“We have made much of Dr. kings dream come true.” said Lewis, one of the civil rights leaders.

ag BI&feature=related Watch about: Assassination of Martin Luther King

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