Martin Luther King Jr. entered the world on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1934, Michael King Jr. and his father received new names from his father, who drew inspiration from Protestant Reformer Martin Luther. Martin Luther King Jr.'s father, Martin Luther King Sr., served as a Baptist minister and racial equality advocate, while his mother, Alberta Williams King, served as a schoolteacher. King was the middle child in his family, including his older sister, Christine, and his younger brother, A.D. He spent his youth under the religious influence of his parents in a disciplined household.

The experiences of racial segregation in the Southern United States, combined with the teachings of his father, defined King's early years. His father taught him both dignity and the importance of resisting racial injustice through his refusal to follow store clerk demands that the family stand behind white customers. King experienced his first encounter with racial discrimination during his early years after his white friend's parents prohibited their child from playing with him. This experience of segregation left a deep mark on his understanding of justice.

King demonstrated academic excellence by skipping two grades to enroll at Morehouse College at age 15. Through his association with Morehouse President Benjamin Mays, he deepened his belief in equality while learning about nonviolent resistance. He later enrolled at the Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and graduated as valedictorian in 1951.

The philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi introduced King to the power of nonviolent resistance as a means for social change. His activism and civil rights leadership developed around this central idea. He earned his doctorate in theology at Boston University before meeting Coretta Scott, an activist and talented singer. The couple wed in 1953 and later welcomed their children Yolanda, Martin III, Dexter, and Bernice.