![The civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. waves to supporters on Aug. 28, 1963 on the Mall in Washington D.C. (Washington Monument in background) during the "March on Washington."](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/urA4ap7gtrKEQHZ66qjaea-320-80.jpg)
Martin Luther King Jr.: The iconic civil rights leader
REFERENCE Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights leader who fought for racial and economic justice. His oft-quoted "I Have a Dream" speech made an incredible impact on the country's racial, cultural and intellectual landscape.