Ralph D. AbernathyBy: Luke Simmons

First, Ralph David Abernathy worked with the famous and well known Martin Luther King Jr. and he was a baptist minister. He gave

speeches as well as being a baptist minister.

What was he known for?

Early life-He was born on March 11, 1926 in Liden, Al

- He lived on a 500 acre farm -He went to linden academy what was a baptist school

- In World War II he was a Platoon Sergeant before earning an honorable discharge as a result of his bout of rheumatic fever in

Europe. - He then enrolled at Alabama state university -He was ordained a Baptist minister in 1948

-In 1950 he received a BS in Mathematics from Alabama State University.

-In 1951 he earned a Master of Science degree in sociology from Atlanta University.

-He preached his first sermon on Mother's Day, 1948, in honor of his recently deceased mother.

-He also married Juanita Odessa Jones

Close alliesIn 1954, Martin Luther king jr. became a minister at a church

close to where Ralph was working. So Ralph decided to mentor martin. They became leaders of the civil rights movement. In

1955, the pair founded the Montgomery Improvement Association and organized a Montgomery Bus Boycott. In 1957,

he and King helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. A few years later, Abernathy hosted a rally for the Freedom Riders, black and white activists who traveled by bus

to protest segregation in the South. When Martin was assassinated Ralph kept his spirit alive and became president of

the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (Sclc) .

Death/legacy In 1977 Ralph ran for U.S.

House of Representatives but didn't get elected. In 1989 his autobiography, And The Walls

Come Tumbling Down, got published. But sadly Ralph D. Abernathy died on April 17, 1990, in Atlanta, Georgia. In Martin's last speech he said

that Ralph was his best friend.

Where did I get my information

• http://www.biography.com/people/ralph-d-abernathy-9174397?page=2

THANKS FOR WATCHING!!!!!!!