The Autobiography Of Martin Luther King

“The Autobiography Of Martin Luther King, Jr.” is a first hand account of the life of one of America’s greatest civil rights activist. Martin Luther King Jr. , also known as Dr. King, was most known for his contribution to events such as the Selma to Montgomery March, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the march on Washington where he would deliver his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
All of these events in turn changed America’s view on racial bias, segregation, and African American rights. I chose to read on Dr.King because on every January 21 on MLK day and I was curious why he is being celebrated. I later learned how Dr.King dramatically impacted the United States of America gifting equal opportunity to everyone no matter their race or religion.
Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta Georgia. His mother was a teacher and his father was a Baptist minister, which got him into religion at a young age.Martin was a bright student skipping 9th and 11th grade going on to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta at age 15. He continued his religious education eventually becoming a Baptist minister at the age of 19 like his father. While Martin was pursuing his doctorate at Boston University he met his future wife Coretta Scott. They would marry in the summer of 1953 and the following year he received his first preaching job at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery Alabama.

In 1955 King received his doctorate in systematic theology from Boston University. Later that year on December 1 Rosa Parks was arrested after refusing to give her seat to a white man and sit in the back of the bus. This event caused MLK and other civil rights activist to join forces and boycott the Montgomery city buses on December 5, 1955. On January 30, 1956 MLK was speaking to a mass meeting when his home was bombed. Luckily no one was injured but people were angry at those who bombed his home.
King addressed the angry crowd and pleading nonviolence, something he learned from Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. Later that year on November 13 the U.S. Supreme Court declared the Montgomery and Alabama bus segregation laws unconstitutional. On August 28, 1963 King joined The March on Washington witch attracted more than two hundred thousand demonstrators. On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. In 1964 he was named Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year” and won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Toward the end of his life King continued to be a political figure voicing his position on controversies and leading movements. Some include equal voting rights, opposing the Vietnam War, and even organising a mass civil disobedience campaign called the “Poor People’s Campaign”. On April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel by a man named James Earl Ray. Dr. King passed away at the young age of 39.
This autobiography was an insightful first hand account of the life of MLK and I would recommend it to a classmate. This book really inspired me to accomplish my goals in life much like Dr.King did. King overcame struggles such as violence, racism, and imprisonment to accomplish his goals. If I met Dr. King I would thank him for his sacrifices and strides he made for equality. He had a dream that we are all living out today, an equal opportunity to succeed.