Born into a ministerial family, Martin, named Michael Jr. at birth, lived in this home until he was 12. The house is part of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park, in Atlanta, Georgia. The 39 acre park, managed by the National Park Service, encompasses 38 structures, including the Ebenezer Baptist Church and the King Center, where Dr. and Mrs. King are buried.

In 1934, King’s father, Michael King Sr., visited Rome, Tunisia, Egypt, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. He then attended the Baptist World Alliance meeting in Berlin. While touring, he gained great respect for German theologian Martin Luther, whose 95 Theses, presented in 1517, challenged the Catholic Church—ultimately splitting western Christianity. Martin Luther King Sr. changed his and his young son’s names in honor of the Protestant reformation leader. - Father and son at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Martin Luther King Jr. attended segregated public schools in Georgia, before skipping two grades and entering college at the age of 15. He was admitted to Morehouse College in 1944 and graduated in 1948 with a B.A. in Sociology at the age of 19. The Morehouse president, Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, became an inspirational figure in King’s life. Today, Morehouse is home to the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel.

After graduating from Morehouse College, Martin Luther King Jr. studied theology and completed his doctorate in Boston, where he met his future wife and key partner in activism, Coretta Scott. Marrying in 1953, they moved to Montgomery, Alabama, and in 1954 he became pastor at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.

In December 1955, King was selected by local activists to lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott, sparked by Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to give up her seat to a white man. In 1957, King became president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. His philosophy of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience focused on ending the “The Triple Evils: Poverty, Racism, and Militarism,” which he asserted were “interrelated, all-inclusive, and stand as barriers to our living in the beloved community.”

On September 20, 1958, King was at a Blumstein’s department store in Harlem for a book signing when a young woman, Izola Ware Curry, asked if he was really Martin Luther King Jr. and after he replied “yes,” she thrust a seven-inch letter opener into his chest. Curry claimed she believed he had ties to the Communist Party. The stab wound narrowly missed King’s heart. King would later issue a statement affirming his nonviolent beliefs and stated he had no malice feelings towards his attacker.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested 29 times. His charges (many of which were dropped) ranged from civil disobedience to traffic violations. Here King is arrested for loitering outside of a courtroom where his friend Ralph Abernathy is appearing for a trial in Montgomery, Alabama. In his 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" King wrote, “Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in its application.”

In 1963, King was a member of the leadership group organizing the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. An estimated 250,000 people journeyed to the Nation’s Capital and heard him deliver his famous “l Have a Dream” speech. Although he removed the famous lines from his prepared remarks, he was encouraged by gospel singer Mahalia Jackson to “tell them about the dream, Martin.” King then departed from his script to deliver one of the most famous and influential speeches of the 20th century.

King was named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963, and in 1964, at the age of 35, he became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Here he is presented with the medal at the University of Oslo by Nobel Committee Chair Gunnar Jahn. King's wife, Coretta Scott King is just behind them.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s efforts helped turn a global spotlight on the inequality, injustice, unequal citizenship, and violence faced by African Americans. King’s ability to galvanize activists, coupled with his powerful oratory, led to laws enacted by Congress to advance African American civil rights, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Here, King stands behind President Lyndon B. Johnson as he signs the 1964 Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964.

In 1968, King worked on a campaign to lobby on behalf of the poor. While planning a march in Washington, D.C. to urge further Civil Rights legislation, King was called to Memphis to assist sanitation workers seeking equal pay and better working conditions. On April 3rd he gave his last speech, known as the “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” sermon. King stated the famous words: “…I’m not worried about anything, I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”

On April 4, 1968, shortly after 6 p.m., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray while standing on the balcony outside the Lorraine Motel, room 306. King’s death evoked sadness nationwide and many African Americans were not only in mourning, but were outraged. A series of riots followed in over 100 cities. Subsequently, the Civil Rights Act of 1968, known as the Fair Housing Act, was passed and signed in April. The Lorraine Motel is home to the National Civil Rights Museum.

After his death, the King family filed a civil case against the government and won. The trial included four weeks of testimony and over 70 witnesses. On December 8, 1999, a unanimous jury found that King’s death was a result of a conspiracy. Overwhelming evidence showed James Earl Ray was not the shooter but was set up to take the blame. In 1968 Coretta Scott King established the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, a global destination and community institution.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by an Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. The Museum has collected more than 40,000 artifacts and nearly 300,000 individuals have become members. The 19th museum of the Smithsonian Institution opened on 9/24/2016.