martin luther king jr martin luther king jr was born in atlanta georgia in 1929 as a young man he attended atlantas morehouse college where he planned to study medicine he later decided to study religion in 1955 king became the pastor of an african american church in montgomery alabama kings success in the montgomery bus boycott made him a national civil rights leader his sermons and speeches won both black and white followers king always stressed the importance of nonviolence king based his ideas of nonviolence on the bibles teaching “love your enemies” when his home was bombed in 1956 he refused to give into hatred he told one audience I want you to love our enemies we must meet hate with love