Martin Luther King Jr. Pictures

There are many famous pictures depicting the era in which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lived and how Dr. King changed the face of history.

His famous "I Have A Dream Speech" is remembered by many pictures and documents.

One famous poster is the "Crossroads of Dreams" depicting the association of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Rosa Parks entered the spotlight on Dec. 1, 1955 when she was arrested in Montgomery, AL for not giving up her seat on a bus to a white bus rider.

At that time in the south it was expected that African American riders were to sit in the back of the bus and to also give up their seat to a white rider if it was needed.

When Rosa Parks was asked to give up her seat to a white rider, she refused and then the police were called and arrested her for that act.

At the time Dr. King was pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery. Dr. King and other African American community leaders decided that they needed to organize a protest of some kind.

Dr. King addressed a crowd of followers and told them that a boycott of the bus company was the way to fight back.

So, beginning on Dec. 5th most of the African-American residents refused to ride the buses. They either walked, rode mules or arranged a ride with some of the few who owned cars.

Dr. King and the same community leaders met to plan future action. Their organization became the Montgomery Improvement Association and Dr. King was named president.

The white community began to fight back as the boycott continued. They used terrorism and harassment tactics. Some of the car-pool drivers were arrested for picking up hitchhikers and those found waiting on street corners for a ride were arrested for loitering.

Things escalated to the point that Dr. King's home was bombed Jan. 30, 1956. Fortunately, his wife and daughter were not injured.

For over a year the boycott continued. It finally ended when the US Supreme Court declared illegal Alabama's state and local laws which required segragation on buses. This was Nov. 13, 1956. Federal injunctions were served on Dec. 20, 1956 on the city and bus company officials which forced them to follow the Supreme Court ruling.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a white minister, Rev. Glen Smiley, shared the front seat of a public bus on Dec. 21, 1956.

Rosa Parks one act of refusing to give up her seat steemed this 381 day boycott which successfully changed the bus laws of segragation forever.

Oct. 24th 2005, Rosa Parks passed away at the age of 92 years old.

Martin Luther King Pictures

Picture Book Biography

Fine-Art Photographic Print

Art Poster

I Have A Dream

Wood-Mounted Art Poster Print