Who Was Martin Luther King Jr 马丁·路德·金 Chapter 3 Martin Gets a Job

Two churches, one in Massachusetts and one in New York, wanted Martin to become their minister. While Martin was deciding which job to take, another letter came—from the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. The church, which had no minister, invited Martin to come down and preach 1.

On a clear winter day in January 1954, Martin set out to visit the church in Alabama. On the drive he listened to one of his favorite operas on the radio. The music and the beautiful countryside made the four-hour drive pass quickly.

During the drive, Martin practiced the sermon 2 he was going to deliver the next day in Montgomery. By the time he got there, he was nervous. He was not afraid to speak in front of people. At his father’s church, Martin stood up before crowds and preached 3. But Martin knew that if his sermon tomorrow was good, the job as minister would be his.

Martin wasn’t sure he wanted to live in the South. He knew that life in the North was easier for blacks. And fairer. Still, the church in Montgomery sounded like a wonderful place, and he wanted to make a good impression. Should he show the people that he was smart? Should he tell them all about his education? No. Martin knew that all he had to do was the same thing he had done before in churches: speak from his heart and help people pray.

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA: THE CRADLE 4 OF THE CONFEDERACY

On JANUARY 11, 1861, ALABAMA VOTED TO “SECEDE 5 FROM THE UNION.” THAT MEANT SEPARATING FROM THE REST OF THE UNITED STATES. In A SHORT TIME, TEN OTHER SOUTHERN STATES VOTED TO SECEDE AS WELL. ONE REASON THE STATES DIDN’T WANT TO REMAIN A PART OF THE UNITED STATES WAS THAT MANY PEOPLE In NORTHERN STATES WANTED TO END SLAVERY.

On FEBRUARY 18, 1861, In MONTGOMERY, JEFFERSON DAVIS WAS SWORN In AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA. THE FIRST CONFEDERATE FLAG WAS FLOWN FROM A BUILDING THAT IS NOW THE STATE CAPITOL. THIS IS WHY MONTGOMERY BECAME KNOWN AS THE CRADLE OF THE CONFEDERACY.

In APRIL 1865, THE NORTH WON THE CIVIL WAR, WHICH PUT An END TO SLAVERY AND THE CONFEDERACY.

Sure enough, Martin’s sermon was so good that the people at the Dexter Avenue Church asked him to become their pastor 6.

Martin talked with Coretta. She, too, shared Martin’s fears. Could she find a good job in the South? In the North there were more opportunities for black women. Martin and Coretta also talked about what it would be like raising children in the South.

In the end, Martin and Coretta decided 7 to live in Alabama. After all, the South was their home. And, more importantly, at the Dexter Avenue Church Martin could help fix some of the problems of local black people.

BROWN V. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

AROUND THE SAME TIME THAT THE KINGS DECIDED TO MOVE TO ALABAMA, A VERY IMPORTANT CASE CAME BEFORE THE SUPREME 8 COURT. In TOPEKA, KANSAS, A BLACK THIRD-GRADER NAMED LINDA BROWN HAD TO WALK A MILE EVERY DAY TO GET TO SCHOOL. LINDA’S FATHER TRIED TO ENROLL 9 HER In A SCHOOL THAT WAS CLOSER TO HOME. BUT THE PRINCIPAL REFUSED. THE SCHOOL WAS FOR WHITE CHILDREN ONLY.

THIS CASE, AND OTHER CASES LIKE IT, CAME BEFORE THE NINE JUDGES OF THE SUPREME COURT. On MAY 17, 1954, ALL NINE JUDGES OF THE COURT AGREED THAT “SEPARATE” THAT “SEPARATE” SCHOOLS BY DEFINITION COULD NOT BE “EQUAL.” WITH THAT REASONING, THE IDEA OF “SEPARATE BUT EQUAL” WAS STRUCK DOWN. ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAD TO ACCEPT BLACK AND WHITE CHILDREN.