Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.?

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism, death, and child death.

King and other Black leaders in Atlanta founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). In 1957, King became the head of the organization. Violence against Black activists intensified, and people’s houses and churches were bombed. King insisted that they not respond with violence. His speeches made him famous in Montgomery, and he became increasingly popular. That same year, he spoke during a march in Washington, DC. People gathered at the Lincoln Memorial and demanded a civil rights bill. King emphasized that an immediate request was the right to vote.

While King was marching and giving speeches, Coretta ran the household. She wanted to become actively involved in the movement, but King wanted her to stay home and care for their children.

In 1870, the 15th Amendment was issued, which gave all male US citizens the right to vote. Black and white women were granted the right to vote in 1920. However, throughout the South, Black people were barred from voting, which was against the law.

In 1959, King and Coretta visited India because King wanted to learn about Gandhi’s country. King saw how India was divided between the rich and the poor, yet people lived peacefully.