In this episode, we take a look at Martin Luther King, Jr.'s early years in Atlanta, GA. We talk about the family the young King was born into and the religious and social environment in which he spent his childhood. Michael King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 into a family with a rich history of Baptist ministry. King noted, "My father is a preacher, my grandfather was a preacher, my great-grandfather was a preacher, my only brother is a preacher, my daddy’s brother is a preacher. So I didn’t have much choice." This family tradition and the strong family ties to the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA, undoubtedly influence young Martin to consider ministry for his future career. At the age of fifteen, King entered the Morehouse College still considering becoming a lawyer or a doctor. However, after encountering Dr. Benjamin Mays and Dr. George Kelsey, two men who greatly influenced his life, King decided to enter the ministry. “I had felt the urge to enter the ministry from my high school days, but accumulated doubts had somewhat blocked the urge. Now it appeared again with an inescapable drive. I felt a sense of responsibility which I could not escape.”

For more information, visit the King Institute.