A Stone of Hope Emerges from the Mountain of Despair The memorial, which is located in downtown Washington, DC, celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy as well as the battle for freedom, equality, and justice. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a key leader in the modern civil rights movement. He organized many large rallies and marches to draw attention to the racial inequalities that existed in the United States at that time. He also helped create a network of black churches where blacks could find support and learn about their rights. After graduating from college, King went back to Atlanta to work with the local black community. There he formed a group called the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). This organization aimed to bring about political change through nonviolent action. It became one of the most influential social movements in American history. In 1955, King started his own newspaper, A Journal of the Martins Luther King, Jr. Is an American clergyman and activist who played an important role in the civil rights movement. He preached nonviolence and acted as a spokesman for the cause during many demonstrations and speeches across the United States. King is best known for his "I Have a Dream" speech given on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial before a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people. He died at age 39 after being shot by an assassin's bullet while standing on a balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.