Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is widely considered the most influential leader of the American civil rights movement. He fought to overturn Jim Crow segregation laws and eliminate social and economic differences between blacks and whites. Mr. King led a mass struggle for racial equality. In 1955, Martin Luther King received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University. He was gunned down in Memphis TN in 1968. Martin Luther King Jr.'s family played a large role in his life. He often talked about them in speeches. Martin Luther King believed in nonviolence. He believed in the importance of the ballot. He believed in direct action. Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist who was a leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs. He led protest marches; published five books, numerous articles and essays, and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
