Who is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and why do we honor his legacy? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a social activist and Baptist minister who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. Dr. King sought equality and human rights for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and all victims of injustice through peaceful protest. He was the driving force behind events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington, which helped bring about such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”
Learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy