Martin Luther King Jr.

Question 1

When and where was Martin Luther King Jr. born?

Answer 1

January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia

Question 2

What was Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth name?

Answer 2

Michael Luther King Jr.

Question 3

What educational achievement did King obtain at age 15?

Answer 3

He entered Morehouse College

Question 4

Who did Martin Luther King Jr. marry?

Answer 4

Coretta Scott

Question 5

What degree did Martin Luther King Jr. earn from Boston University?

Answer 5

Ph.D. in Systematic Theology

Question 6

What event led to the desegregation of Montgomery’s bus system?

Answer 6

The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956)

Question 7

What organization did King co-found in 1957?

Answer 7

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

Question 8

What famous speech did King deliver during the 1963 March on Washington?

Answer 8

‘I Have a Dream’

Question 9

At what age did Martin Luther King Jr. receive the Nobel Peace Prize?

Answer 9

35 years old

Question 10

What was one key result of the Selma to Montgomery marches?

Answer 10

The passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Question 11

What legal system of segregation did King fight against in the Southern U.S.?

Answer 11

Jim Crow laws

Question 12

What philosophy did King advocate for in the civil rights movement?

Answer 12

Nonviolent resistance

Question 13

Name two major pieces of legislation influenced by King’s activism.

Answer 13

Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965

Question 14

When is Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrated?

Answer 14

The third Monday of January

Question 15

Who led the FBI’s efforts to surveil and harass Martin Luther King Jr.?

Answer 15

J. Edgar Hoover

Question 16

How many times was Martin Luther King Jr. arrested during his activism?

Answer 16

Around 29 times

Question 17

What was Martin Luther King Jr.’s favorite TV show?

Answer 17

Star Trek

Question 18

How did King survive an assassination attempt in 1958?

Answer 18

A woman stabbed him with a letter opener, but he survived because the blade narrowly missed his aorta.

Question 19

Fill in the blank: Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech was delivered in _____ during the March on Washington.

Answer 19

1963

Question 20

Fill in the blank: King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in _____ at age 35.

Answer 20

1964

Question 21

What was a major influence on Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of nonviolence?

Answer 21

The teachings of Mahatma Gandhi

Question 22

What holiday commemorates Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy?

Answer 22

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Question 23

Why did Nichelle Nichols stay on the TV show Star Trek according to King’s advice?

Answer 23

King told her it was important for African Americans to see themselves in positive roles on television.

Question 24

What impact did the TV broadcast of civil rights protests have?

Answer 24

It helped gain national and international sympathy for the movement.

Question 25

Why did Martin Luther King Jr. continue to support nonviolent protest despite criticism?

Answer 25

He believed nonviolence was the most effective way to achieve lasting social change.

Question 26

Fill in the blank: The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was co-founded by King in _____.

Answer 26

1957