Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but as in so many cities and towns throughout the country, his impact on Los Angeles was strong and far-reaching. King visited L.A. on numerous occasions to speak about equal rights and encourage voter participation, sometimes under tense, and potentially life-threatening circumstances. When he visited the city, thousands would turn out to hear this great orator and Nobel Peace Prize winner. King was comfortable speaking anywhere and seems to have welcomed every opportunity to get his message out.

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