Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King.

Martin Luther King born in 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, of a reverend father.
At 6 years old, he was segregated for the first time when two children told him that they no longer had the right to play with him.

At 9 years old, he won a degree in sociology ans was ordained a Baptist pastor.

In 1955, in support of Rosa Parks, he took the lead in the Montgomery city bus Boycott Movement and fought segregation in public transit.

Inspired by his christian faith and the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, he imposed a non-violent struggle and became the leading figure in the civil rights struggle. He is regularly harassed and receives death threats.

At 34 years old, he organized the famous Washington walk for the civil rights of African-Americans.

On August, 28, 1963 in front of 250,000 people, he delivers a speech entitled: "I have a dream", that will go down in History.[pic 1]

"[…] I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content
of their character. [...]"

[pic 2]

  At 35 years old, he receives the
  Nobel Peace Price which
  devotes his non-violent fight.

A year later, in March 1965, he became the leader of the « Marches de Selma » in Montgoremy for the voting rights of African-Americans.

On April 3, 1968, he went to Memphis to support a strike by the African-American garbage collectors and gave a premonitory speech. Here are excerpts from the moving end of the speech:

          "Well, I do not know what will happen now. We have before us difficult days. But I do not care what will happen to me now, because I went to the top of the mountain.

          I do not worry anymore. Like everyone else, I would like to live a long time. Longevity has its price. But I do not care now. I just want the will of God to be done.

          And it allowed me to reach the top of the mountain. I looked around me. And I saw the promised land. I may not enter it with you. But I want to let you know tonight that our people will reach the promised land.

         So, I'm happy tonight. I do not worry about anything. I do not fear any man. My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

The next day, April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, before going to dine with Pastor Kyles at his house, went out onto the balcony overlooking the motel's parking lot. It is 6:01pm when a shot is fired. He was shot by a sniper. He was 39 years old, a wife and 4 very young children. He died of having loved, having had a dream, dreaming for his children, dreaming for you and me, dreaming of a more beautiful and fraternal humanity.

Martin Luther King remains the face of the civil rights struggle. An important man walked the soil of our land in this 20th century. His action deserves his memory to continue.

Today, 50 years after his death, his 9 year old granddaughter takes up her fight again and says:

"My grandfather had a dream that his four children would no longer be judged on the color of their skin but on the value of their character. I have a dream in which too much is too much. And this world should be rid of all weapons. Point."

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