2. Martin Luther King Jr.
•Martin Luther King Jr is one of
the most important activists in
African-American history.
•He was the leader of the Civil
Rights Movement, an
organization that wanted to
end racial discrimination
against Blacks.
•King and his movement are
respected for achieving their
political goals without violence
and for fighting for unity
between Blacks and Whites.
3. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Martin Luther King Day is
celebrated on the third
Monday of January. It is a
holiday and people do not
go to work or school.
• Americans don’t celebrate
this holiday through
reunions or meals.
Usually, universities invite
guest speakers and
churches hold services to
conmemorate King.
• In many cities and
towns, people march in the
streets to honor him.
4. Martin Luther King Jr.
• King was born in January 15,
1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His
father was a reverend and
both of his parents were
devout Christians.
• He became a pastor at the
age of twenty-five and
received his doctorate in
theology in 1955.
• A few years after graduation,
King visited India to learn
about Mahatma Gandhi, the
person who influenced him
not to use violence in his
struggle.
5. Martin Luther King Jr.
• What did the Civil Rights
Movement achieve?:
• African Americans gained
the right to vote.
• Schools became
desegregated.
• Discrimination was
outlawed in many areas
besides
education, including the
military, public
transportation, work, and
housing.
• It represented hope for
African-Americans and it
was the precedent to
continue their fight.
6. Death
• Martin Luther King was
assassinated in April 4, 1968
while giving a speech in
Memphis. He was shot by a
crazy man.
• His death caused many race
riots accross the country as
well as accusations of a
conspiracy by the FBI.
• While the US government
once considered him a
danger, today he is admired
by most Americans because
he fought for unity between
blacks and whites without
using violence.
7. I Have a Dream
• I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true
meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men
are created equal."
• I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former
slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down
together at the table of brotherhood.
• 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.
• I have a dream today!
• I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and
mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the
crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be
revealed and all flesh shall see it together.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V57lotnKGF8
9. Story of Emmett Till
• Emmett Till, a fourteen-year old black boy from Chicago, was
visiting relatives in a small town in Mississippi. His mother had
warned him not to talk to whites, but he disregarded her.
• At a grocery store, Emmett supposedly said "Bye, baby" to Carolyn
Bryant, a white cashier at the store. The woman was scared and
went to her car to grab a gun. Emmett and his friends ran away.
That day, Emmett’s cousin told him to leave the town, but he did
not.
• Some days later, the cashier’s husband and his friend found where
Emmett was staying and took him from the house. They beat him to
death and threw his body in the river.
• An all-white jury found the two men not guilty. Emmett's mother
insisted on an open-casket funeral where his face was visible to the
public.
11. True or False?
• Tell us if these questions are true or false. If they are
false, correct them:
• The Civil Rights Movement helped African-Americans gain the
right to vote and admission into universities that were only for
whites.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated on the second Monday
of March.
• Besides not going to work or school on this day, Americans hold
multicultural reunions with friends and eat turkey.
• Emmett Till was an important African-American activist in the
Civil Rights Movement.
• The Civil Rights Movement wanted to have a violent revolution
to change things.
