Martin Luther King Jr was Born

Posted on Jan 15, 2024 in Civil Rights | 0 comments

[wp_ad_camp_1]1929 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Born
Civil right leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on this date in 1929.  He was born in Atlanta, Georgia and his birth name was Michael King. His father changed both of their before they made a trip to Germany. He chose Martin Luther King after great German reformer. He graduated from Morehouse College in 1948 with a B.A. in Sociology and became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama in 1954. He was a leading civil rights leader, known for his “I Have a Dream” speech given during the March on Washington in 1963. He was presented the Nobel Peace prize in 1964. He was assassinated  on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. On November 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor Dr. King’s birthday, observed on the third Monday of January each year

[wp_ad_camp_2]1961 – Supremes Signed by Motown

On this date in 1961, Motown Records signed the the Supremes, a trio of singers that included Diana Ross, Flo Ballard and Mary Wilson. The group had performed together for several years under the name “The Primettes,” and kept showing up at Motown’s Hitsville Studio where they talked themselves in to being able to sing backup and clap their hand on recording of some of the Motown stars. They finally wore Motown President Berry Gordy down and he signed them providing they change their name. They were the sister group of the Prime, a group signed by Motown now operating as the Temptations. As the Supremes, the group found their groove and saw five straight singles reach number one on the US pop charts.