Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968)
King was a clergyman turned political activist from Atlanta, Georgia in the heart of Americas’ deep South.
Inspired by Gandhi, he supported civil disobedience (non-violent struggle), mobilising both the Black and pro-equality white community in sit-ins, freedom rides (bus rides where Black and white people sat together in solidarity, a direct legacy of Rosa Parks’ work) and mass rallies, including his iconic I have a dream… speech.
His work focused on Black equality and justice through voting rights, better housing and education, but tragically was assassinated before his vision became reality.
