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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968) led the American civil rights movement using Gandhian nonviolent resistance, achieving landmark legislation — the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the Voting Rights Act (1965) — that dismantled legal segregation. His 'I Have a Dream' speech, delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, is considered one of the greatest speeches in history.
King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at age 35 — the youngest recipient at the time. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. His birthday (January 15) is a US federal holiday. His strategy of nonviolent direct action — sit-ins, marches, boycotts — transformed American society and inspired movements worldwide.
# Top 10 Martin Luther King Jr facts
- 1King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at 35 — the youngest recipient at the time
- 2His 'I Have a Dream' speech was ranked the top American speech of the 20th century by a scholar survey
- 3The FBI wiretapped King for years, considering him a threat to 'national security'
Fascinating Facts
- ◆King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at 35 — the youngest recipient at the time
- ◆His 'I Have a Dream' speech was ranked the top American speech of the 20th century by a scholar survey
- ◆The FBI wiretapped King for years, considering him a threat to 'national security'
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