Michael King Jr., later Martin Luther King Jr., is born in Atlanta, Georgia.
At a Glance
- Date
- 15 January 1929
- Location
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Key people
- Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King Sr., Alberta Williams King
- Category
- Civil Rights Movement
- Source
- Birth records; King Institute biography · Stanford King Institute
What It Meant Then
He would become the most prominent leader of the modern civil rights movement.
What It Means Now
His birthday is observed as a U.S. federal holiday on the third Monday of January.
Also on 15 January
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Martin Luther King Jr. Is Born.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/martin-luther-king-jr-is-born/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Martin Luther King Jr. Is Born. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/martin-luther-king-jr-is-born/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Martin Luther King Jr. Is Born.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/martin-luther-king-jr-is-born/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.