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DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
WHO IS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most astonishing men of the 20th century. He was born on January 15, 1929. His father was a faithful Baptist preacher and his mother was a school teacher. He entered college when he was only fifteen years old and graduated seven years later with a Ph.D. in Theology. Dr. King was one of the most heroic and respected leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. He sacrificed his life for the dream of equal rights. The consequences of being a Black person and standing up for fairness are unpredictable. For example, Dr. King's house was bombed in January of 1956. In January of 1957, a group of Black ministers formed what became known as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Dr.King was named its first president. As a committed leader he traveled abut 780,000 miles and made 208 speeches. Dr. King published his first book, Stride Toward Freedom, in 1958. In 1959, King went to India for a visit with Mohandas Gandhi, and learned Gandhi's passive resistance techniques for later use in the civil-rights movement. In 1962, Dr. King met with President John F. Kennedy, urging support for civil rights. In 1963, Dr. King led protests in Birmingham for desegregated department store facilities and fair hiring. While detained in jail for demonstrating against a court order he wrote "Letter From Birmingham Jail." In August, Dr. King gave his most famous speech, "I Have a Dream." In 1964, Dr. King published his second book, Why We Can't Wait. In December 1964, Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize. In February of the same year, Dr. King continued to protest against voter registration discrimination, and was arrested and jailed. In March, 1965, Dr. King and about 3,200 people made the famous march from Selma to Montgomery. On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee by James Earl Ray. His death saddened a whole nation, but his death was not in vain. He represents freedom and justice to millions of people. He will always be remembered in history and in many people's hearts. To remember and honor him, the United States Congress designated January 15 as National Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Dr. King could bring people's dreams to reality, but he did not have the opportunity to see those dreams come true. He could only celebrate this day in heaven. Dr. King is a hero. His example, his works, and his accomplishments changed the world Americans live in, and helped to built better relationships between races. Dr. King's life tells us about the importance and the value of freedom in our world. If the world is without freedom, justice, and equal rights, we need to change it, but it does take sacrifice. Kien Trinh
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