Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. preached love and believed nonviolent protest was the only way to freedom and equality for black Americans, and in return for his vision of peace, he was arrested, stabbed, and finally assassinated. Despite his tragic and untimely death, many successes filled the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., as kids will discover in this issue. For one thing, his tireless efforts to improve the lives of millions of Americans garnered him the Nobel Peace Prize at the young age of 35.

Martin Luther King Jr., for kids, examines how the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow laws, the KKK, segregation, and ongoing discrimination created a culture of violence and oppression around black communities. Then King, a passionate young pastor, suddenly emerged as the leader of the Alabama bus boycott in 1955 and quickly became the voice and the hope of the growing civil rights movement. As head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, he inspired the sit-ins, freedom rides, and marches that ultimately led to the passing of the Civil Rights Bill in 1964. However, his message proved too radical for many people, and bloodshed nearly always followed in his wake – ultimately claiming his life in 1967. Despite this, violence did not destroy the dream of Martin Luther King Jr.; for kids curious to learn more about his legacy, this issue also describes his contributions to many other campaigns to improve the lives of black Americans that continue today.

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