Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr Martin Luther King, Junior (Atlanta, Georgia, 15 Januari 1929 – Memphis, Tennessee, 4 Aprili 1968) alikuwa Mkristo mwenye asili ya Afrika, mchungaji wa Kibaptisti na mwanaharakati mashuhuri kutoka nchi ya Marekani aliyepigania haki za binadamu, hasa Wanegro, wakati nchi hiyo ilipokuwa bado na sheria za ubaguzi wa rangi.

Baadhi ya madhehebu ya Marekani, hasa Waanglikana na Walutheri, yanamheshimu kama mtakatifu mfiadini.

Sikukuu yake huadhimishwa tarehe yake ya kuzaliwa au ya kuuawa.

Maisha 
Martin alizaliwa mjini Atlanta, Georgia, Marekani. Alikuwa mtoto wa mzee Martin Luther King Sr. ambaye pia alikuwa mchungaji na kiongozi wa kupigania haki za binadamu. Baba yake alimwita Martin Luther ili amheshimu huyu mtaalamu Mjerumani wa karne ya 16.

Aliwaongoza Waamerika Weusi kupinga ubaguzi wa rangi uliokuwepo katika sehemu za USA mpaka miaka ya 1960. Katika mapambano hayo alifuata mapokeo ya Mt. Agostino katika Kanisa. Alieleza ya kuwa kila mtu amepewa na Mungu heshima yake, hivyo sheria za nchi na serikali zinazovunja heshima hiyo si za haki. "Imetupasa kumtii Mungu kuliko wanadamu" (Mdo. 5:29).

Aliwaita watu kupinga ubaguzi hata dhidi ya serikali na polisi lakini bila kutumia mabavu. Watu waliongozwa na M. L. King waliandamana mahali pengi wakanyamaza wakipigwa na kukamatwa. Wakaingia katika hoteli, shule na vyombo vya usafiri vilivyotengwa kisheria kwa watu weupe, wakasubiri mpaka polisi ilipoitwa na kuwakamata. Wakapokea adhabu na mapigo. 

Baada ya miaka kadhaa mapambano kwa silaha hizo za amani yalishinda. Mahakama kuu ya Marekani na serikali kuu zilitangaza ya kuwa ubaguzi wa rangi katika mikoa mbalimbali hauruhusiwi kuendelea.
 
Mwaka 1964 alipokea Tuzo ya Nobel ya Amani kwa sababu ya kutetea haki bila ya kutumia mabavu. 

Hata hivyo aliuawa kwa kupigwa risasi na mteteaji wa ubaguzi wa rangi mwaka 1968.

Baada ya hapo ujumbe wake ulizidi kukubalika na sheria mbalimbali zilibadilishwa.

Anahesabika kama mmoja wa watu wakubwa wa Mungu katika historia ya Kanisa.

Tazama pia
Watakatifu wa Agano la Kale
Orodha ya Watakatifu Wakristo
Orodha ya Watakatifu wa Afrika
Orodha ya Watakatifu Wafransisko

Viungo vya nje 
 Martin Luther King, Jr. - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A permanent section of the newspaper dedicated to the life of Dr. King 
 The Coalition on Political Assassintions, A research and lobby group that also organize a conference on the assassination of Dr King.
 This black history resource offers a biography of MLK and links to other related articles. 
 Photo Essay: The Last Days of Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King's life and death recalled in images on Time.com (a division of Time Magazine)
 The Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers Project 
 The King Center
 National Civil Rights Museum
 MLK Online Martin Luther King Jr. Speeches, Pictures, Quotes, Biography, Videos, Information on MLK Day and more!
 Martin Luther King Jr.'s, A New Sense of Direction (1968) article  published in WorldView magazine.
 Martin Luther King Jr.'s FBI file
 Department of Justice investigation on King assassination
 Martin Luther King in New York 
 Martin Luther King Jr. Photographs  Photos by Benedict J. Fernandez
 The Seattle Times: Martin Luther King Jr.
 Winner of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Peace
 About.com's Lesser Known Wise and Prophetic Words of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. 
 Speeches of Martin Luther King
 Pamphlet on King and Socialism from the Socialist Party USA (PDF)
 "The MLK you don't see on TV" from FAIR
 The Martin Luther King Center (German)
 
 1956 Comic Book: "Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story"
 Kirk, John A. New Georgia Encyclopedia Short Biography 
 Declassified document, FBI's letter urging him to commit suicide.
 Dyson, Michael Eric. No Small Dreams: The Radical Evolution of MLK's Last Years. LiP Magazine, Januari 2003
 Wise, Tim. Misreading the Dream: The Truth About Martin Luther King Jr. and Affirmative Action. LiP Magazine, Januari 2003
 Summary of plagiarism controversy
 Shelby County Register of Deeds documents on the Assassination Investigation 
 
 Transcript of interview with Dr. Kenneth Clark

Waliozaliwa 1929
Waliofariki 1968
Wabaptisti
Wanaharakati wa Marekani
Wafiadini Wakristo
Watakatifu wa Marekani
Tuzo ya Nobel ya Amani
Atlanta, Georgia