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Martin Luther King Jr National Historic SiteVoting Rights March
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Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site
Frequently Asked Questions about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1.  Was this a middle class neighborhood during Martin’s childhood?

 

Yes. This neighborhood was considered middle class at that time.

 

2.  Did the family plant a garden?

 

Yes. Martin’s grandmother planted a vegetable garden in the backyard. She also had a flower garden, rose bushes, and flower boxes.

 

3.  Who were Daddy King’s parents?

 

Daddy King’s parents were James and Delia King. They were sharecroppers from Stockbridge, Georgia.

 

4.  Did Daddy King and Rev. Williams attend college?

 

Yes. Both men attended MorehouseCollege and earned degrees in theology. Rev. Williams graduated in 1898 and Daddy King graduated in 1930.

 

5.  In what disciplines did Dr. King earn his degrees?

 

Martin earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from MorehouseCollege, his Bachelor of Divinity from Crozier Theological Seminary and his Doctorate of philosophy from BostonUniversity.

 

6.  Is Coretta Scott King from Atlanta?

 

Coretta Scott King was born in Marion, Alabama.

 

7.  Where did Coretta Scott King attend college?

 

Mrs. King attended AntiochCollege in Ohio and the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. She studied voice at the Conservatory and music and education at Antioch.

 

8.  Did Coretta King ever live in the Birth Home?

 

Mrs. King never lived in the Birth Home. By the time she met Dr. King the King family was living on Boulevard.

 

9.  Where did Coretta meet Martin?

 

Coretta and Martin met while both were attending college in Boston.

 

10.  Was Mrs. King a member of a sorority?

 

Mrs. King is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

 

11.  Was Dr. King a member of a fraternity?

 

Dr. King was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He pledged while attending MorehouseCollege but was initiated while he was attending BostonUniversity.

 

12.  What was the name of the church in Montgomery that Dr. King pastored?

 

While in Montgomery Martin pastored DexterAvenueBaptistChurch, now the DexterAvenueKingMemorialBaptistChurch.

 

13.  How old was Dr. King when he received the Nobel Peace Prize?

 

Dr. King received the Nobel Peace prize in 1964 at the age of 35 years old, making him the youngest recipient to that time.

 

14.  Who was the first Afro-American Nobel Peace Prizewinner?

 

Ralph Bunche won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for negotiating the first Arab-Israeli peace in 1948 while he was a diplomat for the United Nations.

 

15.  Where did Dr. King live when he was shot?

 

Dr. King and his family lived on the West Side of Atlanta near AtlantaUniversity when Dr. King was killed. Rev. and Mrs. King purchased the home in 1965.

 

16.  Is Dr. King’s brother still living?

 

No. A. D. Williams King drowned in his swimming pool in July of 1969.

 

17.  Is there any suspicion about A. D.’s drowning?

 

A. D.’s drowning was officially concluded to be an accident. Many private individuals question that conclusion but not the King family.

 

18.  Where are Dr. King’s parents and brother buried?

 

They are buried at SouthviewCemetery, located in southeast Atlanta.

 

19.  Where does the King family live now?

 

Mrs. King resided in the home she and Dr. King bought in 1965.

 





20.  Are any of Dr. King’s children ministers?

 

His youngest daughter Bernice King is a Baptist minister.

 

21.  What became of Mrs. Farris?

 

She became a teacher and instructor at SpelmanCollege in Atlanta.

 

22.  When was Dr. King killed?

 

Dr. King was assassinated on Thursday, April 4, 1968 at 39 years of age.

 

23.  Where was Dr. King killed?

 

Dr. King was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7:05 PM.

 

24.  Who shot Dr. King?

 

James Earl Ray confessed to the killing of Dr. King. He was tried, found guilty and sentenced to 99 years in prison. He died in 1999 still imprisoned.

 

25.  Was James Earl Ray guilty?

 

After his conviction, Ray recanted his confession and claimed that he was an innocent member of an assassination plot against Dr. King. No credible evidence has been found to prove his claim.

 

26.  Did Dr. King smoke or drink?

 

Dr. King was a smoker.

 

27. Did  Mrs. King work?

 

Mrs. King retired as president of the KingCenter in 1995 and was a lecturer and speaker.

 

28.  How many awards did Dr. King Win?

 

Dr. King won several hundred awards. They include the Nobel Peace Prize, the Spingarn Medal of the NAACP and the Medal of Freedom (presented posthumously).

Reverends Martin Luther King, Sr. and Jr.  

Did You Know?
Daddy King was named Michael Luther King by his mother. His first son was Michael Luther King, Jr. When the son was five, Daddy King changed his name to Martin Luther King and the son became Martin Luther King, Jr. when both were baptized in 1934

Last Updated: August 24, 2006 at 20:37 EST