Martin Luther King, Jr. was a social activist and Baptist minister who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. King sought equality and human rights for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and all victims of injustice through peaceful protest. He was the driving force behind watershed events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington, which helped bring about such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is remembered each year on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday since 1986. - History.com

Martin Luther King Jr. was a scholar and minister who led the civil rights movement. After his assassination, he was memorialized by Martin Luther King Jr. Day. - Biography.com

"Letter from a Birmingham Jail [King, Jr.]" - "While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely." Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms..."

Donation Opportunities:
• The Dexter Avenue King Legacy Foundation
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Fund

Foundations:
• Dexter Avenue King Legacy Foundation

• The Memorial Foundation, Inc. - promotes awareness of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial located in Washington, DC and its tenets of democracy, justice, hope, and love as well as to support the general upkeep of the Memorial in future years.

• Martin Luther King Foundation - The MLK Jr. Foundation was created to fund programs which support his dream throughout New Mexico.

• Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation - a public charitable organization dedicated to helping unlock the promise in every person through programs and events that promote social, economic, and environmental justice; support health, wellness, and preparedness; and increase the joys of learning.

• Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Foundation - Jacksonville, FL

Churches:
• Pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia - It was the church where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was co-pastor from 1960 until his assassination in 1968.

• Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama - Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. first preached his message of hope and brotherhood at this church. This church was also a center point of the Montgomery bus boycott. A large mural in the church depicts King’s civil rights crusade from Montgomery to Memphis.

Accomplishments:
• The Nobel Peace Prize 1964
• 10 major accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. - Here are 10 prominent accomplishments of one of the greatest leaders of the twentieth century.

Centers

The King Center - Established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (“The King Center”) has been a global destination, resource center and community institution for over a quarter century.

Memorials:

• Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Research & Education Institute - Building upon the achievements of Stanford University's Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project, the King Institute supports a broad range of activities illuminating Dr. King's life and the movements he inspired.

• Visiting the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC - Everything you need to know about the national memorial to America’s greatest Civil Rights Movement leader.

Resources:

Martin Luther King Jr’s Words Fuel 12 Videos Created By Morgan Freeman To Run On MLK Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Saw Three Evils in the World - Racism was only the first

Hero for All: Martin Luther King, Jr. - National Geographic. Kids Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., never backed down in his stand against racism. Learn more about the life of this courageous hero who inspired millions of people to right a historical wrong.

A New Film Details the FBI’s Relentless Pursuit of Martin Luther King Jr. - Smithsonian scholar says the time is ripe to examine the man’s complexities for a more accurate and more inspirational history

The Power Of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Anger - When Martin Luther King, Jr. was in high school, he won an oratorical contest sponsored by the Negro Elks. He and a beloved teacher were returning home in triumph, riding on a bus, when some white passengers got on. The white bus driver ordered King and his teacher to give up their seats, and cursed them. King wanted to stay seated, but his teacher urged him to obey the law. They had to stand in the aisle for the 90 miles back to Atlanta, Ga.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - "We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice." – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.” Speech given at the National Cathedral, March 31, 1968.

10 Movies To Watch On Martin Luther King Jr. Day - "When I was growing up, I never understood the importance of Martin Luther King Jr. Now, keep that in mind, because if you scroll to the bottom, you’ll see that I’m a black dude. But there’s actually a good reason why I never understood the importance of MLK until I was much older: I went to mostly all-white schools. Now, of course, this is even MORE of a reason for why I should have known the importance of Dr. King." - Rich Knight

Kid's Biography: Martin Luther King, Jr. - Ducksters - Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights activist in the 1950s and 1960s. He led non-violent protests to fight for the rights of all people including African Americans.

"Kids Are Missing a Crucial Piece of History": How to Talk About Martin Luther King Jr. With Your Children - Daddy remembers. He grew up in rural Virginia, drinking out of “Coloreds Only” water fountains, going to segregated schools, and riding in the back of the bus. Separate and grossly unequal, that was my father’s life as a child — a painful part he tried to leave behind when he, along with countless African-American southerners, made the great migration North. Just as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., was preparing to lead the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, Daddy, still a teen, put all he knew and loved behind him. He left his parents and moved alone to Philadelphia and then New York so that he could lay some distance between himself and Jim Crow.

Follow The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center on Twitter @TheKingCenter.