Martin Luther

Martin Luther King Jr., an American clergyman and civil rights leader, was shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. He was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. King's death was followed by riots in many U.S. cities. He was a pivotal advocate for African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. King's legacy includes influencing the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established as a holiday in numerous cities and states beginning in 1971; the holiday was enacted at the federal level by legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986.

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