From Our Sister Publications

1929 Michael (later Martin) King born in Atlanta

1930 Black Muslims, a nationalist religious movement, formed in Detroit

1934 Elijah Muhammad assumes leadership of Black Muslims

1954 King becomes a pastor in Montgomery, Alabama

1955-56 Leads Montgomery bus boycott

1957 Becomes president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference

1960s Black Muslim leader Malcolm X preaches revolutionary violence to gain justice for blacks

1963 March on Washington culminates in King's "I Have a Dream" speech

1964 King wins the Nobel Peace Prize

1965 Leads Selma-to-Montgomery march; Malcolm X assassinated

1968 King assassinated in Memphis

1976 Black Muslim Louis Farrakhan leads a splinter group to form the Nation of Islam

1986 King's birthday becomes a national holiday

See also Christian History's articles on Martin Luther King Jr.:

1963: Martin Luther King, Jr. Leads the March on Washington | A Baptist preacher had a dream that guided one of the most profound social movements of our times. (Issue 28: The 100 Most Important Events in Church History)

Martin Luther King, Jr. | No Christian played a more prominent role in the 20th century's most significant social justice movement. (Issue 65: The 10 Most Influential Christians of the 20th Century)