On December 10, 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. received the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway. The award recognized his leadership in the nonviolent struggle against racial segregation and discrimination in the United States. King’s acceptance speech connected racial justice at home with broader concerns about poverty and war. The honor raised international awareness of the civil rights movement and added moral pressure on U.S. leaders. It also strengthened King’s position within the movement, even as debates over tactics and goals grew more complex. The prize remains one of the most significant international acknowledgments of American civil rights activism.
