King, Lonnie C., Jr., 1936-2019

Lonnie C. King Jr. (August 30, 1936 – March 5, 2019) was an American civil rights leader. Beginning in 1960, he launched the Atlanta Student Movement, wrote the Appeal for Human Rights, and subsequently started the Committee on Appeal for Human Rights. His work led to the desegregation of Atlanta and continued advocacy has brought further education to America regarding present-day racism and the struggles of the civil rights movement. Born on August 30, 1936, to Lonnie King and Bertha Thrasher in Arlington, Georgia, He attended Morehouse College where he met Julian Bond, Joseph Pierce, Roslyn Pope, and other young advocates ready to make their mark in the pivotal chapter of American history in which they were living.[1][2] In cooperation with other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), they drafted the Appeal for Human Rights. Not long after, King had to drop out of Morehouse College due to finances; he joined the US Navy and served for three years as a dispersing clerk and prize fighter. Then using his G.I. Bill, he finished his degree at Morehouse, and then received his Masters from the University of Baltimore in public education. Lonnie C. King Jr. died on March 5, 2019, at the age of 82.