A Leader for Justice

Martin Luther King Jr. was a minister and civil rights leader who worked to make the United States fairer. In the 1950s and 1960s, laws and customs in many places treated Black Americans unfairly. In the South, for example, segregation kept Black and white people apart in public places, including schools and buses. Black Americans also faced barriers to voting and other forms of discrimination. Dr. King believed people could challenge unjust laws without using violence. He supported boycotts, marches, speeches, and other forms of nonviolent action. In 1955, after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, Black residents of Montgomery, Alabama, organized a bus boycott. Dr. King helped lead the protest, which lasted for more than a year. The boycott showed how people working together could demand change. In 1963, Dr. King spoke to a large crowd at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Washington, D.C. His speech, remembered for the words “I Have a Dream,” called for a nation where people would be judged by their character rather than their skin color. The march helped build support for civil rights. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act became law, prohibiting discrimination in many public places and workplaces. The Voting Rights Act followed in 1965, protecting the right to vote. Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his work against racial injustice through nonviolent action. He was assassinated in 1968. Today, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a U.S. federal holiday observed in January. People remember his leadership and consider how they can help make their communities more just.