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Signature of Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

King's handwritten signature, as it appears on his letters and documents.

King's own signature, used to authenticate his letters and documents.

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Black handwritten cursive signature on a white background reading 'Martin Luther King, Jr.', with a flourish under the final letters.
Martin Luther King Jr., signature.

About this source

What it is

This is an image of Martin Luther King Jr.'s autograph signature, the way he signed his name on letters and papers.

Why it matters

A signature is a small but personal trace of a historical figure. It reminds students that King was a real person who signed real documents, not just a name in a textbook.

Look closer

  • What can handwriting tell us about a person, and what can't it tell us?
  • Why do archives keep track of a figure's signature?
  • Compare this signature to others you have seen from the same era — what looks similar or different?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Martin Luther King Jr. on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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I Have a Dream

Martin Luther King Jr. · 28 August 1963

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Letter from Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King Jr. · 16 April 1963

Bronze plaque on a stone wall above a hedge, reading that the edifice is the site of the last address of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and that from the pulpit of Mason Temple he delivered the speech containing the phrase 'I've been to the mountain top' on April 3, 1968.Speech

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I've Been to the Mountaintop

Martin Luther King Jr. · 3 April 1968

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Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence

Martin Luther King Jr. · 4 April 1967

Typed letter on aged paper addressed 'KING,' containing abusive accusations and a passage urging him to take his own life within 34 days. Several words are partly obscured by typewriter marks.Letter

Primary source

Mlk-uncovered-letter

FBI (presumably William C. Sullivan) · 1964

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