MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States in
1929. He was a minister in the Baptist Church and dedicated his life to achieving equality and
justice for all Americans of all colors. He didn’t use violence in his fight. He asked people to fight
peacefully. He was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.

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 and there were even separate
public restrooms for black people and white people. Black people's lives were not very good.

In his role as Christian Leader, Martin Luther King Jr. traveled across the country and around the
world, giving lectures on nonviolent protest and civil rights. He met with religious figures,
activists and political leaders, too.

He was arrested several times during his lifetime. In 1960, Presidential candidate John F.
Kennedy interceded to release King from jail. This action helped Kennedy to be elected
President.
He was the driving force behind events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on
Washington, which helped improve legislation as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting
Rights Act of 1965.

Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Nobel Prize for Peace from Gunnar Jahn, president of the
Nobel Prize Committee, in Oslo on December 10, 1964. One of the memorial speech of Martin
Luther King is “I have a dream” that was improvised.

Poner Video (speech).

Finally, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated by a white man, James Earl Ray, on April 4,
1968 on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel.

Every year on the third Monday of January, Americans remember Martin Luther King, Jr. They
try to remember how much America has changed. And they think about how much more
America should change in the future.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964

and is remembered each year as a U.S. holiday since 1986 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day).

King was assassinated by James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968 on the balcony of the
Lorraine Motel. Americans honor the civil rights activist on the third Monday of
January each year, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/martin-luther-king-jr

http://www.5minuteenglish.com/jan24.htm

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/history/martin-luther-king-jr/

bring about such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of
1965. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is remembered each year on Martin
Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday since 1986.

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 and there were even separate
public restrooms for black people and white people. Black people's lives were not very good.
Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1929,
never backed down in his stand against racism. He dedicated his life to achieving
equality and justice for all Americans of all colors. King believed that peaceful
refusal to obey unjust law was the best way to bring about social change.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a minister in the Baptist Church. He fought against racial
segregation. He wanted equal rights for all people. But he didn't use violence in his fight. 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.

Because of Martin Luther King, Jr., many laws began to change in the United States. But many
white people disagreed with him and his ways. In 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated
by a white man.

Every year on the third Monday of January, Americans remember Martin Luther King, Jr. They
try to remember how much America has changed. And they think about how much more
America should change in the future.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Have you heard of Martin Luther King, Jr.? Every year on the third Monday
of January, we have a holiday. It's called Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a famous man. Learn more about him.

Vocabulary

races/ racial- groups of people based on looks (skin color) and

background, for example- white people, Asian people, black people, etc.

to segregate/ segregation- dividing into groups, usually talking about race, for example-
black people and white people didn't go to the same schools and lived in different neighborhoods

minister- leader of a church

rights- freedoms, what you are allowed to do

violence- hurting other people

to assassinate- to kill

Reading

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States in 1929. 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 and there were
even separate public restrooms for black people and white people.
Black people's lives were not very good.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a minister in the Baptist Church. He

fought against racial segregation. He wanted equal rights for all
people. But he didn't use violence in his fight. 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.

Because of Martin Luther King, Jr., many laws began to change in the United States. But many
white people disagreed with him and his ways. In 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated
by a white man.

Every year on the third Monday of January, Americans remember Martin Luther King, Jr. They
try to remember how much America has changed. And they think about how much more
America should change in the future.

Questions

1. What is racial segregation?

2. What was Martin Luther King Jr.'s job?

3. How did he ask people to fight for their rights?

4. Did Martin Luther King, Jr. kill someone?

5. When do Americans celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?

Answers

1. When races of people are separated. For example, they cannot go to school together, eat in
the same restaurants, use the same toilets, or live in the same neighborhoods.

2. He was a minister.

3. He asked them to fight peacefully. They didn't use any violence.

4. No. But Martin Luther King was killed in 1968.

5. Americans celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on the third Monday of January.

For more information on Martin Luther King Jr., you can start here.