MARTIN LUTHER KING JR
1929 - 1968

Martin's real name was Michael Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr was born and raised in Atlanta. He was assassinated in Memphis.

Reverend King was a Baptist minister and led the civil rights movement.

Martin Luther King's wife was Coretta Scott King. She died January 31, 2006 age 78.

On September 20, 1958, Izola Ware Curry stabbed King with a letter opener at one of King's book signings in Manhattan, New York. King was rushed to a hospital and survived.

Here's the link to the I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King, Jr., from August 28, 1963.

Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

THE ASSASSINATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING
Reverend Martin Luther King was shot on the balcony of his hotel room, the Lorraine Motel, in Memphis, Tennessee, by James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968.

Using a 30.06 Remington 760 Gamemaster rifle with a Redfield 2x7 scope, James Earl Ray shot from a bathroom window at Bessie Brewer's rooming house about 300 feet away. He fired just one shot and hit King in the jaw. King died in the St Joseph Hospital.

On May 18, 1968, Ray was captured at Heathrow Airport, England.

In 1998, Ray died in prison.

In December 1999, a Tennessee jury decided King was the victim of a murder conspiracy.

Check out Assassinations in History.

Martin Luther King Jr Timeline