Martin Luther King, Jr.
Timeline of Key Events in the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This 16 page Martin Luther King Jr. timeline cut-out is an exercise in chronological order.
It can be used as a center activity or to create a display. Many different activities, based on students’ level, can be created from the timeline.
Exercises for Chronological Order 1. Mix up cut-outs and have each student select one. Call on students to read cards and stand in front of room. Each student determines where they should stand based on date on their card and dates on cards of students already standing.
2. Have students use the cut-outs to create their own timeline and insert related images to support the events in their timeline.
April 17, 1944 January 15, 1929 Martin Luther King Jr wins an Martin Luther King Jr. oratory contest in Dublin, is born in Atlanta, Georgia. Georgia for his speech “The Negro and the Constitution.”
September 20, 1944 June 8, 1948
Martin Luther King Jr. begins Martin Luther King Jr. graduates attending Morehouse College from Morehouse College. in Atlanta, Georgia.
September 14, 1948 May 8, 1951
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. enters receives a Bachelor of Divinity Crozer Theological Seminary in degree from Crozer Chester, Pennsylvania. Theological Seminary. September 13, 1951 June 5, 1955
Martin Luther King Jr. begins Martin Luther King Jr. receives attending Boston University’s doctorate degree in theology School of Theology in from Boston University. Boston Massachusetts.
June 18, 1953 October 31, 1954
Martin Luther King Jr. becomes Martin Luther King Jr. and pastor of Dexter Avenue Coretta Scott get married in Baptist Church in Marion, Alabama. Montgomery, Alabama.
December 1, 1955
November 17, 1954 Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus to a white Martin Luther King’s daughter man in Montgomery, Alabama Yolanda Denise is born. She is arrested for violating segregation laws. December 5, 1955 January 26, 1956
The city of Montgomery Martin Luther King Jr is elected instituted a “Get Tough” head of the Montgomery campaign against the bus Improvement Association (MIA), boycotters and Martin Luther the group formed to organize King Jr. is arrested and jailed the Montgomery bus boycott. for speeding.
January 30, 1956 February 21, 1956
Martin Luther King Jr. and other Martin Luther King’s MIA leaders are indicted for home is bombed. violating anti-boycott law.
December 21, 1956 November 13, 1956 The Montgomery Improvement The United States Supreme Association ends the boycott Court declares bus segregation and Martin Luther King Jr. is laws unconstitutional. one of the first passengers to ride desegregated buses. February 14, 1957 October 23, 1957 Martin Luther King Jr.
becomes head of the Martin Luther King III is born. Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
June 23, 1958 September 3, 1958
Martin Luther King Jr. and other Martin Luther King Jr is arrested civil rights leaders meet with in Montgomery, Alabama. President Eisenhower.
September 5, 1958 February 1, 1960 Martin Luther King Jr. is
convicted for failing to obey a Martin Luther King Jr. and his police officer. His fine is paid by family move to Atlanta, Georgia. the Montgomery police commissioner. February 1, 1960 October 19, 1960
The lunch counter sit-in Martin Luther King, Jr. is movement begins in arrested at an Atlanta sit-in. Greensboro, North Carolina.
December 15, 1961 January 30, 1961 Martin Luther King Jr. goes to Martin Luther King’s son Albany, Georgia to support Dexter Scott is born. residents in their efforts to end segregation.
December 16, 1961 March 28, 1963
Martin Luther King Jr. is Martin Luther King’s daughter, arrested with more than 700 Bernice Albertine, is born. Albany protesters. April 3, 1963 April 12, 1963 The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) Martin Luther King Jr. is and the Alabama Christian arrested for violating a Movement for Human Rights state circuit court injunction launch a protest campaign in against protests. Birmingham, Alabama.
April 15, 1963 April 16, 1963
President Kennedy calls Coretta Martin Luther King Jr. writes his Scott King and expresses now famous “Letter from a concern for her jailed husband. Birmingham Jail.”
May 11, 1963 April 20, 1963 Segregationists bomb the Martin Luther King Jr. is Gaston Motel where Martin released from jail. Luther King Jr. is staying in Birmingham, Alabama. June 11, 1963
President Kennedy makes a June 22, 1963 civil rights speech asking for
legislation giving all Americans Martin Luther King Jr. meets the right to be served in facilities with President Kennedy. which are open to the public and for greater protection for the right to vote.
August 28, 1963 September 15, 1963
Martin Luther King Jr. makes Four black girls are killed in his “I Have a Dream” speech Sunday school at the Sixteenth during the March on Street Baptist Church in Washington for Jobs and Birmingham, Alabama Freedom.
September 19, 1963 November 22, 1963
Martin Luther King Jr. and other President Kennedy is civil rights leaders meet with assassinated and Lyndon B. President Kennedy. Johnson becomes president. July 2, 1964 July 21, 1964 President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Martin Luther King Jr. goes to Mississippi to assist in the civil Martin Luther King Jr. attends rights efforts there. the signing ceremony.
August 22, 1964 December 10, 1964 Martin Luther King Jr. testifies at the Democratic convention Martin Luther King Jr. receives on behalf of the Mississippi the Nobel Peace Prize Freedom Democratic Party
February 1, 1965 March 7, 1965
Voting rights marchers, going Martin Luther King Jr. is jailed from Selma, Alabama to the with more than two hundred state capitol in Montgomery, others after voting rights march are beaten on the in Selma, Alabama Edmund Pettus Bridge. March 25, 1965 December 4, 1967
The 54 mile Selma to Martin Luther King Jr. and the Montgomery march for voting SCLC launch the Poor People’s rights concludes with Martin Campaign to bring attention Luther King Jr. giving his “How to those in need. Long, Not Long” speech.
March 18, 1968 March 28, 1968
Martin Luther King Jr. speaks to Martin Luther King Jr. leads a striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee march Memphis, Tennessee that is disrupted by violence.
April 3, 1968 April 4, 1968
Martin Luther King Jr. is Martin Luther King Jr. makes assassinated at the Lorraine his last speech. Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. November 2, 1983 January 20, 1986 President Ronald Reagan
signs Public Law 98-144 The first official celebration of making the third Monday in Martin Luther King Day January a federal holiday to as a national holiday. commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Edmund Pettus Bridge Selma, Alabama
Dr. King and Civil Rights Leaders meeting with President Eisenhower
Dexter Avenue Baptist Church Montgomery, Alabama
Gaston Motel Birmingham, Alabama President Johnson signing Civil Rights Act of 1964
President John F. Kennedy
Lorraine Motel Memphis, Tennessee Coretta Scott King
Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at March on Washington
President Kennedy meeting with leaders of the
Rosa Parks and Marting Luther King Jr. March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
Selma to Montgomery marchers
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church
Birmingham, Alabama March on Washington
President Ronald Reagan signing bill making Dr. King’s birthday a federal holiday
House where Martin Luther King Jr. was born Atlanta, Georgia
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Chronological Order
Order the dates on the lines below
On June 22, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. met with President Kennedy.
On December 1, 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus.
On November 2, 1983, Martin Luther King Day became a federal holiday.
On June 8, 1948, Martin Luther King, Jr. graduated from Morehouse College.
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. made his “I Have a Dream” speech.
On December 10, 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize.
On April 17, 1944, Martin Luther King, Jr. won an oratory contest.
On July 2, 1964, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Date Order
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