Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist, who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. He is best known for his role in advancing civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs. He led the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, and was instrumental in organizing the March on Washington in 1963. King was also a prolific writer and speaker, and his "I Have a Dream" speech remains one of the most famous speeches in American history. His legacy continues to inspire people around the world in their fight for justice and equality