How to write a Biography on the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

The life of Martin Luther King, Jr. remains of great importance to much of the world. We'll go through some important facts that must be included in a biography written about this great man.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Instructions from your teacher/professor if working on a report
• Ability to access the Internet

A Biography About the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

1. 
    
   MLK's birthplace

   When writing a biography on the life of MLK, talk about where and when he was born. He was born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia.

2. Discuss his parents and siblings. His parents were "middle class" of the time. His father was a Baptist minister. His mother was a school teacher. He took great responsibility in watching his siblings and grandmother who lived with them. He was the middle child in his family of one younger brother and an older sister.

3. 
    
   Ebenezer Church in Atlanta, GA

   Talk about his education and what led him to his career decision. He completed elementary and high school, having skipped some grades. He graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1948 when he was only 19. It was then that he decided to attend Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. He felt called to be a minister and attended an institution that was predominantly white. He was very popular with classmates and had good friends who were both white and black. He was known to all of them as "Little Mike". While pursuing his doctoral degree he was asked to be a guest speaker at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. This led to MLK being invited to become the permanent pastor of the church.

4. Discuss his work regarding Civil Rights in America. During his studies, he developed a special interest in the religious intellectuals who believed that the power of Christian love could cause the advancement of social justice. At that time, he was truly inspired by Mohandas Gandhi. He came to truly believe in a non-violent approach to social change. His attempted murder at the signing of his book, STRIDE TOWARD FREEDOM, in 1958 remains relevant, in that to some it seems to have been a warning of what was to come. He became president of the Montgomery Improvement Association while working as pastor at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. He also encouraged blacks to boycott use of public buses. In 1957 the Southern Christian Leadership Conference was formed, and MLK was elected president. In 1964 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.

5. Make note of his marriage to Coretta Scott. The two were married in 1953 while MLK was attending Boston University working toward his doctoral degree in theology. They had four children together.

6. 
    
   MLK announced April 25, 1967, that he would not run for president of the United States.

   Discuss the assassination of MLK. It was April 4, 1968 when he was shot to death in Memphis, Tennessee on the balcony of the Lorraine Hotel. James Earl Ray was arrested for this assassination.It is important to note the speech he made in Memphis the day before his death:"I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land."

Tips & Warnings

• It's important to note that Atlanta was considered a "liberal" Southern city. Whereas in most areas of the South, blacks were treated with cruelty and hatred. They were not permitted to vote.
• They were not allowed to use the same drinking fountains, public restrooms or drinking fountains.
• The bus rides were just as racist, as if the seats were all taken, priority was shown to whites.
• There were separate schools for white and black children in the South.
• If you're writing a report for a class, be certain to know the format that your teacher wants in order to support this topic.
• Be careful about the websites that you use in order to research MLK. You definitely need something that is reputable. As a rule the URL will end with .gov, or. edu.

Resources

• The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute

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