Martin Luther King by Amelie Harre TES1 (promotion

BAC 2017 mention bien)

 

Martin Luther King (1929-1968) was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15, 1929. He was a Baptist minister and social activist who played a key role in the American Civil Rights Movement from the mid-1950s until his death in 1968. Inspired by a famous non-violent  leader :  Mahatma Gandhi, MLK  defended equality for African Americans. He was the driving force behind historical events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington, that helped bring the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He is well-known for his famous speech about brotherhood « I have a dream », a national call for peace and equality that many consider as a masterpiece of rhetoric. Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial he shared his vision of a future with equality between all the « races » and without White segregationists and without violence for the Black people. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is remembered each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday since 1986. He inspired a lot of American citizens. Lots of African Americans were involved and revolted to impose their rights. Luther King was and will be a symbol of peace and equality in America. On the evening of April 4th 1968 King was shot dead while standing on the balcony of a motel in Memphis, where he had traveled to support a workers’ strike.