Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968) was an American Baptist minister and civil rights leader who played a central role in the struggle for racial equality in the United States. Born on January 15, 1929, He advocated nonviolent protest and led major movements such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington, where he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is remembered as one of the most influential figures in American history.