What Made Martin Luther King Famous?
Martin Luther King’s leadership and belief in peaceful protesting during the Civil Rights Movement made him famous. In addition, King is famous for his “I Have a Dream” speech. Dr. King is also known for organizing the Selma to Montgomery March and the March on Washington. These events proved to be pivotal moments in the Civil Rights Movement.
Dr. King served as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement for 13 years until he was assassinated on April 4, 1968. In 1955, King became the spokesman for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. After over 300 days of continuous peaceful protests, the boycott resulted in the Supreme Court ruling that segregation in public transport was unconstitutional.
Dr. King also led the March on Washington in 1963 to peacefully protest racial discrimination in the labor market, This march resulted in the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. During this march, King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream Speech” on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
King served as the president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization that was partly responsible for the success of the Civil Rights Movement. King’s dedication to protesting for equality made him an iconic figure of the Civil Rights Movement. As a result of his work, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
