Martin Luther King Jr.

===Adolescence===
[[File:Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta.jpg|thumb|The high school that King attended was named after African-American educator [[Booker T. Washington]].]]

As an adolescent, he initially felt resentment against whites due to the "racial humiliation" that he, his family, and his neighbors often had to endure.<ref>{{cite news|last=Blake|first=John|title=How MLK became an angry black man|date=April 16, 2013|work=[[CNN]]|url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/04/16/us/king-birmingham-jail-letter-anniversary/|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-date=July 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713045959/https://www.cnn.com/2013/04/16/us/king-birmingham-jail-letter-anniversary/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1942, when King was 13, he became the youngest assistant manager of a newspaper delivery station for the ''[[Atlanta Journal]]''.{{sfn|King|1992|p=82}} In the same year, King skipped the ninth grade and enrolled in [[Booker T. Washington High School (Georgia)|Booker T. Washington High School]], where he maintained a B-plus average.{{sfn|Manheimer|2004|p=16}}{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=15}} The high school was the only one in the city for African-American students.{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=7}}

Martin Jr. was brought up in a [[Baptist]] home; as he entered adolescence he began to question the [[biblical literalism|literalist]] teachings preached at his father's church.{{sfn|Manheimer|2004|p=16}}{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=14}} At the age of 13, he denied the [[Resurrection of Jesus|bodily resurrection of Jesus]] during [[Sunday school]].<ref name="Autobiography">{{cite web|url=http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/kingweb/publications/papers/vol1/501122-An_Autobiography_of_Religious_Development.htm|title=An Autobiography of Religious Development|website=The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute|publisher=Stanford University|archive-url=https://swap.stanford.edu/20141218230444/http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/kingweb/publications/papers/vol1/501122-An_Autobiography_of_Religious_Development.htm|archive-date=December 18, 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=November 15, 2018}}</ref>{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=14}} Martin Jr. said that he found himself unable to identify with the emotional displays from congregants which were frequent at his church; he doubted if he would ever attain personal satisfaction from religion.{{sfn|King|1998|p=14}}{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=14}} He later said of this point in his life, "doubts began to spring forth unrelentingly."{{sfn|King|1998|p=6}}<ref name=Autobiography/>{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=14}}

In high school, Martin King Jr. became known for his public-speaking ability, with a voice that had grown into an orotund [[baritone]].{{sfn|Fleming|2008|p=8}}{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=15}} He joined the school's debate team.{{sfn|Fleming|2008|p=8}}{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=15}} King continued to be most drawn to history and [[English studies|English]],{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=15}} and chose English and [[sociology]] as his main subjects.{{sfn|Patterson|1969|p=25}} King maintained an abundant [[vocabulary]].{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=15}} However, he relied on his sister Christine to help him with spelling, while King assisted her with math.{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=15}} King also developed an interest in fashion, commonly wearing polished [[patent leather]] shoes and [[tweed]] suits, which gained him the nickname "Tweed" or "Tweedie" among his friends.{{sfn|Frady|2002|p=17}}{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=16}}{{sfn|Davis|2005|p=18}}{{sfn|Muse|1978|p=17}} He liked flirting with girls and dancing.{{sfn|Davis|2005|p=18}}{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=16}}{{sfn|Rowland|1990|p=23}} His brother A.D. later remarked, "He kept flitting from chick to chick, and I decided I couldn't keep up with him. Especially since he was crazy about dances, and just about the best jitterbug in town."{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=16}}

On April 13, 1944, in his [[eleventh grade|junior year]], King gave his first public speech during an [[Original Oratory|oratorical contest]].<ref name="Elks"/>{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=16}}<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fraser |first1=C. Gerald |title=Thousands of Black Elks in City To Attend Annual Convention |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/11/archives/thousands-of-black-elks-in-city-to-attend-annual-convention.html |access-date=October 12, 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=August 11, 1974 |archive-date=March 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316022147/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/11/archives/thousands-of-black-elks-in-city-to-attend-annual-convention.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="crenshaw">{{cite news |last1=Crenshaw |first1=Wayne |title=King's 'journey to the mountain top' started in Dublin |url=https://www.macon.com/news/local/article224559455.html |access-date=October 12, 2020 |work=Macon Telegraph |date=January 18, 2019 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126184221/https://www.macon.com/news/local/article224559455.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In his speech he stated, "black America still wears chains. The finest negro is at the mercy of the meanest white man."{{sfn|Manheimer|2004|p=17}}<ref name="Elks">{{cite web |title=The Negro and the Constitution |url=https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/negro-and-constitution |website=The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute |publisher=Stanford University |access-date=October 12, 2020 |language=en |date=December 9, 2014 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> King was selected as the winner of the contest.<ref name="Elks"/>{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=16}} On the ride home to Atlanta by bus, he and his teacher were ordered by the driver to stand so that white passengers could sit.{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=16}}{{sfn|Fleming|2008|p=9}} The driver of the bus called King a "black son-of-a-bitch".{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=16}} King initially refused but complied after his teacher told him that he would be breaking the law if he did not.{{sfn|Fleming|2008|p=9}} As all the seats were occupied, he and his teacher were forced to stand the rest of the way to Atlanta.{{sfn|Oates|1983|p=16}} Later King wrote of the incident: "That night will never leave my memory. It was the angriest I have ever been in my life."{{sfn|Fleming|2008|p=9}}