When he was a young man, Martin Luther King wanted a career helping people. He felt that as a minister he could speak out against racial injustice. Following the example of the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. King chose nonviolence as the keystone of his fight for civil rights.

Dr. King became a leader of the civil rights movement. In 1955, he helped to organize the famous Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott. Freedom rides, sit-ins, and protest marches strengthened the battle against discrimination. As a result of these, in 1964 the United States Congress passed the historic Civil Rights Bill.

Dr. King received world acclaim when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Congress has recently established a national holiday commemorating the birthday of this great man who courageously led a peaceful struggle for equal rights for all Americans.