Martin Luther King Jr Popular Books
Martin Luther King Jr Biography & Facts
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Christian minister, activist, and political philosopher who was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. A black church leader and a son of early civil rights activist and minister Martin Luther King Sr., King advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States through the use of nonviolent resistance and nonviolent civil disobedience against Jim Crow laws and other forms of legalized discrimination. King participated in and led marches for the right to vote, desegregation, labor rights, and other civil rights. He oversaw the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott and later became the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). As president of the SCLC, he led the unsuccessful Albany Movement in Albany, Georgia, and helped organize some of the nonviolent 1963 protests in Birmingham, Alabama. King was one of the leaders of the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and helped organize two of the three Selma to Montgomery marches during the 1965 Selma voting rights movement. The civil rights movement achieved pivotal legislative gains in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The SCLC put into practice the tactics of nonviolent protest with some success by strategically choosing the methods and places in which protests were carried out. There were several dramatic standoffs with segregationist authorities, who frequently responded violently. King was jailed several times. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director J. Edgar Hoover considered King a radical and made him an object of the FBI's COINTELPRO from 1963 forward. FBI agents investigated him for possible communist ties, spied on his personal life, and secretly recorded him. In 1964, the FBI mailed King a threatening anonymous letter, which he interpreted as an attempt to make him commit suicide. On October 14, 1964, King won the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolent resistance. In his final years, he expanded his focus to include opposition towards poverty and the Vietnam War. In 1968, King was planning a national occupation of Washington, D.C., to be called the Poor People's Campaign, when he was assassinated on April 4 in Memphis, Tennessee. James Earl Ray, a fugitive from the Missouri State Penitentiary, was convicted of the assassination, though the King family believes he was a scapegoat; the assassination remains the subject of conspiracy theories. King's death was followed by national mourning, as well as anger leading to riots in many U.S. cities. King was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2003. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established as a holiday in cities and states throughout the United States beginning in 1971; the federal holiday was first observed in 1986. Hundreds of streets in the U.S. have been renamed in his honor, and King County in Washington was rededicated for him. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was dedicated in 2011. Early life and education Birth Michael King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta; he was the second of three children born to Michael King Sr. and Alberta King (née Williams). Michael Jr. had an older sister, Christine King Farris, and a younger brother, Alfred Daniel "A. D." King. Alberta's father, Adam Daniel Williams, was a minister in rural Georgia, moved to Atlanta in 1893, and became pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in the following year. Williams married Jennie Celeste Parks. Michael Sr. was born to sharecroppers James Albert and Delia King of Stockbridge, Georgia; he was of African-Irish descent. As an adolescent, Michael Sr. left his parents' farm and walked to Atlanta, where he attained a high school education, and enrolled in Morehouse College to study for entry to the ministry. Michael Sr. and Alberta began dating in 1920, and married on November 25, 1926. Until Jennie's death in 1941, their home was on the second floor of Alberta's parents' Victorian house, where King was born. Shortly after marrying Alberta, Michael King Sr. became assistant pastor of the Ebenezer church. Senior pastor Williams died in the spring of 1931 and that fall Michael Sr. took the role. With support from his wife, he raised attendance from six hundred to several thousand. In 1934, the church sent King Sr. on a multinational trip, one of the stops on the trip was Berlin for the Congress of the Baptist World Alliance [BWA]). He also visited sites in Germany which are associated with the Reformation leader Martin Luther. In reaction to the rise of Nazism, the BWA made a resolution saying, "This Congress deplores and condemns as a violation of the law of God the Heavenly Father, all racial animosity, and every form of oppression or unfair discrimination toward the Jews, toward colored people, or toward subject races in any part of the world." After returning home in August 1934, Martin Sr. changed his name to Martin Luther King Sr. and his five-year-old son's name to Martin Luther King Jr. Early childhood At his childhood home, Martin King Jr. and his two siblings read aloud the Bible as instructed by their father. After dinners, Martin Jr.'s grandmother Jennie, whom he affectionately referred to as "Mama" told lively stories from the Bible. Martin Jr.'s father regularly used whippings to discipline his children, sometimes having them whip each other. Martin Sr. later remarked, "[Martin Jr.] was the most peculiar child whenever you whipped him. He'd stand there, and the tears would run down, and he'd never cry." Once, when Martin Jr. witnessed his brother A.D. emotionally upset his sister Christine, he took a telephone and knocked A.D. unconcious with it. When Martin Jr. and his brother were playing at their home, A.D. slid from a banister and hit Jennie, causing her to fall unresponsive. Martin Jr. believing her dead, blamed himself and attempted suicide by jumping from a second-story window, but rose from the ground after hearing that she was alive. Martin King Jr. became friends with a white boy whose father owned a business across the street from his home. In September 1935, when the boys were about six years old, they started school. King had to attend a school for black children, Yonge Street Elementary School, while his playmate went to a separate school for white children only. Soon afterwards, the parents of the white boy stopped allowing King to play with their son, stating to him, "we are white, and you are colored". When King relayed this to his parents, they talked with him about the history of slavery and racism in America, which King would later say made him "determined to hate every white person". .... Discover the Martin Luther King Jr popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Martin Luther King Jr books.
Best Seller Martin Luther King Jr Books of 2024
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I am Martin Luther King, Jr.
Brad Meltzer & Christopher EliopoulosThe eighth biography in this New York Times bestselling series features one of America's greatest civil rights heroes, Martin Luther King, Jr. (Cover may vary)As a child,...
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What Truth Sounds Like
Michael Eric DysonNamed a 2018 Notable Work of Nonfiction by The Washington Post NOW A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Winner, The 2018 Southern Book Prize NAMED A BEST/MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2018 BY: ...
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Once in a Great City
David Maraniss“A fascinating political, racial, economic, and cultural tapestry” (Detroit Free Press), Once in a Great City is a tour de force from David Maraniss about the quintessential Americ...
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Martin Luther King Jr.
AcadeMix“Sueño que un día, justo ahí en Alabama niños negros y niñas negras podrán darse la mano con niños blancos y niñas blancas, como hermanas y hermanos. Hoy tengo un sueño”…lo que com...
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The Ways of White Folks
Langston HughesA collection of vibrant and incisive short stories depicting the sometimes humorous, but more often tragic interactions between Black people and white people in America in the 1920...
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A Lesson for Martin Luther King Jr.
Denise Lewis PatrickIn this Level 2 ReadytoRead story, young Martin Luther King Jr. is having some problems with his best friend, Bobby. First, they are going to different schools this year. Next, Bob...
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A More Beautiful and Terrible History
Jeanne Theoharis“A bracing corrective to national mythology” about the American civil rights movementfrom the author of The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks (New York Times) The civil rights mo...
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Martin Luther King, Jr., on Leadership
Donald T. PhillipsRead the detailed and absorbing chronicle of Martin Luther King's leadership during the most tumultuous period in America's recent pastfeaturing a foreword by Dr. Bernice King.Mart...
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Martin Luther King Jr. Keep The Dream Alive.
McConnon's KidsMrs. McConnon’s first grade class shares information about the life of Martin Luther King Jr.
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I Never Had It Made
Jackie Robinson & Alfred DuckettThe bestselling autobiography of American baseball and civil rights legend Jackie RobinsonBefore Barry Bonds, before Reggie Jackson, before Hank Aaron, baseball's stars had on...
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Martin Luther King Jr.
John KirkCombining the latest insights from King biographies and movement histories, this book provides an uptodate critical analysis of the relationship between King and the wider civil ri...
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Martin Luther King, Jr.
Russel MoldovanMoldovan explores an aspect of Martin Luther King's legacy that has been largely overlooked by scholars until now. Martin Luther King Jr. is a unique study of Dr. King's preaching ...
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Martin Luther King, Jr.
Peter J. LingPeter Ling’s acclaimed biography of Martin Luther King Jr provides a thorough reexamination of both the man and the Civil Rights Movement, showing how King grew into his leadership...
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Reading Comprehension for 5th Grade - Martin Luther King Jr. Theme
Courseware Solutions IncReading Comprehension for 5th Grade Martin Luther King Jr. Theme is a collection of five stories about Martin Luther King Jr. for students in 4th to 6th grade. The stories include...
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Martin Luther King Jr.
Tanya Savory"The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice." Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr., dedicated his life to bringing equal rights to African Americans through...
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The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. & Clayborne CarsonA collection of the most wellknown and treasured writings and speeches of Dr. King, available for the first time as an ebookThe Essential Martin Luther King, Jr. is the ultimate co...
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Margaret McNamaraMrs. Connor's students honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with their own dreams and hopes in this Level 1 ReadytoRead!The class imagines how to make the world a better place in this ...
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All About Martin Luther King Jr
McConnon's KidsThe first grade class at Mabel Hoggard Elementary School shares highlights of life of Martin Luther King Jr.
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Meet Martin Luther King, Jr.
James T. de KayLearn about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with this revised edition of the popular Random House Step Up(TM) Biography of the great civilrights leader and advocate for pe...
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Martin Luther King, Jr.
John J. AnsbroExamines his contribution as a philosopher and theologian to issues of racial and social justice and his drive to eradicate oppression through the doctrine of nonviolence.
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day Anthology
Martin Luther KingMartin Luther King Jr. Day Anthology by Martin Luther King.
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His Truth Is Marching On
Jon Meacham & John Lewis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An intimate and revealing portrait of civil rights icon and longtime U.S. congressman John Lewis, linking his life to the painful quest for justice in...
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How Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rejected the Christian Doctrines
Be ScofieldIn this fascinating essay Dr. King scholar Be Scofield explores Dr. King's liberal theological interpretation of the Christian doctrines. King is best known for being a Baptist min...
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Good Night Martin Luther King Jr.
Adam Gamble, Mark Jasper & Julissa MoraGood Night Martin Luther King Jr. features the iconic Civil Rights leader's childhood, education, family members, and leadership, the Great March on Washington, speeches, peaceful ...
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 1995, Memorial Issue
Various AuthorsIt is a biographical book. Many years ago, the few readers of radical Abolitionist papers must often have seen the singular name of Sojourner Truth, announced as a frequent speaker...
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Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dharathula H. MillenderOne of the most popular series ever published for young Americans, these classics have been praised alike by parents, teachers, and librarians. With these lively, inspiring, fictio...
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Martin Luther King Jr.
David ColbertDiscover ten crucial days in the life of activist and civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., in this installment of the 10 Days series.Martin Luther King, Jr., lived 14,325 d...
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Death of a King
David Ritz & Tavis SmileyA revealing and dramatic chronicle of the twelve months leading up to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. Martin Luther King, Jr. died in one of the most shocking assassin...
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Mrs. McConnon'sMrs. McConnon’s first grade class shares information about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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Martin Luther King, Jr.
Marshall Frady"a quick introduction to the life of a great American" The New York TimesAn inspiring portrait of the incredible life and lasting influence of Dr. Martin Luther KingMarshall Frady...
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The FBI and Martin Luther King, Jr.
David J. GarrowThe author of Bearing the Cross, the Pulitzer Prize–winning biography of Martin Luther King Jr., exposes the government’s massive surveillance campaign against the civil rights lea...
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The Butler
Wil HaygoodThis mesmerizing companion book to the awardwinning film, The Butler traces the Civil Rights Movement and explores crucial moments of twentieth century American history through the...
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Martin Luther King Jr.
Jon M. FishmanMartin Luther King Jr. was an influential and inspiring leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s. His life, work, and death are brought to life for readers like n...
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My Little Golden Book About Martin Luther King Jr.
Bonnie Bader & Sue CornelisonLearn all about Martin Luther King Jr. Day with this Little Golden Book biography all about the civil rights leader! The perfect introduction to nonfiction for preschoolers. Th...
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Martin Luther King Jr.
Angela Farris WatkinsIn this “handsome photoessay . . . family members across generations and a few close friends remember the man they knew as ‘M. L.’” (Booklist).Martin Luther King Jr....
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When Martin Luther King Jr. Wore Roller Skates
Mark Andrew WeaklandMartin Luther King Jr. led the American Civil Rights Movement. But do you know what he was like as a child? From roller skating to playing football and basketball, Martin was a fun...
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Coming of Age in Mississippi
Anne MoodyThe unforgettable memoir of a woman at the front lines of the civil rights movementa harrowing account of black life in the rural South and a powerful affirmation of one person’s a...
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Martin Luther King Jr.
Cheri MerwinMartin Luther King Jr. still impacts our lives today. A class of second graders took the time to research, study, learn about this great leader. This is what they discovered about ...
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Hellhound on His Trail
Hampton SidesNATIONAL BESTSELLEREdgar Award NomineeOne of the Best Books of the Year: O, The Oprah Magazine, Time, The Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, St. Louis PostDispatch, Sa...
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Martin Luther King Jr.
Maria Isabel Sánchez VegaraIn this ebook from the critically acclaimed, multimillioncopy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Martin Luther King Jr., the inspiring minister and ...