30 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Quiz Questions and Answers

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the United States that honors the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., a prominent civil rights leader. The history of Martin Luther King Jr. Day dates back to the early 1980s when efforts were made to establish a national holiday in recognition of Dr. King’s contributions to the civil rights movement.

Following Dr. King’s assassination on April 4, 1968, there was a growing movement to honor his legacy. In 1969, a bill was introduced in Congress to create a federal holiday in his honor. However, the bill faced opposition and did not gain enough support to pass at that time.

The campaign for a national holiday continued throughout the 1970s, with various civil rights organizations and individuals advocating for its establishment. Coretta Scott King, Dr. King’s widow, played a significant role in leading these efforts. She worked alongside supporters, gathering signatures for petitions and promoting the idea of a holiday honoring her late husband.

Finally, on November 2, 1983, after years of advocacy and lobbying, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill into law that established Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday. The holiday was officially observed for the first time on January 20, 1986, marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., which falls on January 15th.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not only a commemoration of Dr. King’s life and achievements but also serves as a day of service and reflection. It is a time for Americans to engage in volunteer activities, participate in community events, and reflect on the ongoing struggle for equality and justice.

Article outline

• Part 1: 30 Martin Luther King Jr. Day quiz questions & answers
• Part 2: Download Martin Luther King Jr. Day questions & answers for free
• Part 3: Free online quiz creator – OnlineExamMaker

Part 1: 30 Martin Luther King Jr. Day quiz questions & answers

1. When is Martin Luther King Jr. Day observed annually?
a) January 1st
b) February 14th
c) July 4th
d) Third Monday in January
Answer: d) Third Monday in January

2. Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday in the United States in which year?
a) 1968
b) 1973
c) 1980
d) 1986
Answer: d) 1986

3. Which U.S. president signed the bill into law that established Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday?
a) Richard Nixon
b) Jimmy Carter
c) Ronald Reagan
d) Bill Clinton
Answer: c) Ronald Reagan

4. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated near which important date in Martin Luther King Jr.’s life?
a) His birthday
b) The anniversary of the March on Washington
c) The anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march
d) The date of his famous “I Have a Dream” speech
Answer: a) His birthday

5. Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent leader in which movement?
a) Women’s suffrage movement
b) Civil rights movement
c) Environmental conservation movement
d) Labor rights movement
Answer: b) Civil rights movement

6. Martin Luther King Jr. is best known for his advocacy of:
a) Gender equality
b) Racial justice and equality
c) LGBTQ+ rights
d) Disability rights
Answer: b) Racial justice and equality

7. Martin Luther King Jr. was a key figure in the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which protested:
a) Segregated public transportation
b) Police brutality
c) Voting rights discrimination
d) Housing segregation
Answer: a) Segregated public transportation

8. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech during which event?
a) March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
b) Selma to Montgomery march
c) Birmingham campaign
d) Albany Movement
Answer: a) March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

9. Which famous civil rights organization did Martin Luther King Jr. co-found?
a) National Urban League
b) Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
c) Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
d) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Answer: c) Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

10. Martin Luther King Jr. was influenced by the philosophy of nonviolent resistance advocated by:
a) Malcolm X
b) Rosa Parks
c) Mahatma Gandhi
d) Frederick Douglass
Answer: c) Mahatma Gandhi

11. In which city did Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his famous “I Have a Dream” speech?
a) Atlanta, Georgia
b) Memphis, Tennessee
c) Montgomery, Alabama
d) Washington, D.C.
Answer: d) Washington, D.C.

12. Martin Luther King Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize in which year?
a) 1963
b) 1965
c) 1968
d) 1971
Answer: b) 1964

13. Which civil rights legislation was signed into law in 196

4, following advocacy by Martin Luther King Jr. and others?
a) Civil Rights Act
b) Voting Rights Act
c) Fair Housing Act
d) Equal Pay Act
Answer: a) Civil Rights Act

14. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, which year?
a) 1963
b) 1965
c) 1968
d) 1971
Answer: c) 1968

15. Which state is home to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, including his childhood home and the Ebenezer Baptist Church where he preached?
a) Alabama
b) Georgia
c) Tennessee
d) Mississippi
Answer: b) Georgia

Part 2: Download Martin Luther King Jr. Day questions & answers for free

16. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was written in response to:
a) Threats of violence against civil rights activists
b) Segregation laws in Birmingham
c) Criticism from white clergy regarding his nonviolent protests
d) The bombing of a church in Montgomery
Answer: c) Criticism from white clergy regarding his nonviolent protests

17. True or False: Martin Luther King Jr. was the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize at the time of his award.
Answer: False

18. Which of the following is not a book written by Martin Luther King Jr.?
a) “Stride Toward Freedom”
b) “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?”
c) “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
d) “The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.”
Answer: c) “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” (It is a letter written by King, not a book authored by him.)

19. Martin Luther King Jr.’s activism was instrumental in the passage of which landmark voting rights legislation?
a) Voting Rights Act of 1965
b) 19th Amendment
c) Civil Rights Act of 1964
d) Equal Rights Amendment
Answer: a) Voting Rights Act of 1965

20. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in which U.S. state?
a) Georgia
b) Alabama
c) Mississippi
d) Tennessee
Answer: a) Georgia

21. Which historical figure greatly influenced Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of nonviolence?
a) Abraham Lincoln
b) Rosa Parks
c) Mahatma Gandhi
d) Malcolm X
Answer: c) Mahatma Gandhi

22. Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously by which U.S. president?
a) Lyndon B. Johnson
b) Richard Nixon
c) Jimmy Carter
d) Ronald Reagan
Answer: a) Lyndon B. Johnson

23. Which organization played a key role in organizing the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
a) Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
b) Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
c) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
d) Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)
Answer: c) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

24. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered during which year’s March on Washington?
a) 1955
b) 1963
c) 1968
d) 1971
Answer: b) 1963

25. Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent struggle against racial inequality in which country?
a) United States
b) South Africa
c) India
d) Norway
Answer: a) United States

26. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C., features a 30-foot-tall statue of Martin Luther King Jr. carved out of:
a) Granite
b) Marble
c) Limestone
d) Bronze
Answer: d) Bronze

27. What did Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech advocate for?
a) Economic equality
b) Voting rights
c) Racial justice and equality
d) Environmental protection
Answer: c) Racial justice and equality

28. Which organization spearheaded the movement to establish Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday?
a) National Urban League
b) Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
c) Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
d) King Holiday and Service Act Organization
Answer: c) Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change

29. Martin Luther King Jr. was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in which year?
a) 1964
b) 1978
c) 1991
d) 2004
Answer: c) 1991

30. True or False: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated exclusively in the United States.
Answer: True

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