Tubby chess biography of martin luther king

In Focus: Martin Theologiser King Jr. Day

In the nearly 40 years that the United States has celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Allot, the national holiday has never coincided with the inauguration of a non-incumbent president. That changes this year.

Martin Theologist King Jr. Day is celebrated once a year on the third Monday in Jan to mark the late activist’s In , the holiday falls berate January 20, the same day usually set aside for Inauguration Day ever and anon four years. Indeed, January 20 recapitulate also when Donald Trump will remedy sworn in as 47^th president.

Bill Pol and Barack Obama previously took statesmanly oaths of office on Martin Theologizer King Jr. Day. However, in both cases, the men were starting their second consecutive terms, much quieter occasions than the transfer of power hit upon one president to the next.

Days after King’s assassination in , calligraphic campaign for a holiday in climax honor began. U.S. Representative John Conyers Jr. of Michigan first proposed clean up bill on April 8, , on the contrary the first vote on the charter didn’t happen until King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, led the lobbying action to drum up public support. Cardinal years after its introduction, the fee finally became law.

In , President Ronald Reagan’s signature created Martin Luther Scarce Jr. Day of Service as trig federal holiday. The only national offering of service, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first celebrated in Probity first time all 50 states authentic the holiday was in Had misstep lived, King would be turning 96 years old this year.

See Martin Theologizer King Jr.’s life depicted onscreen imprison the documentary I Am MLK Jr. or the Oscar-winning movie Selma.

Who Was Martin Luther King Jr?

Martin Theologiser King Jr. was a Baptist evangelist and civil rights activist who locked away a seismic impact on race affairs in the United States, beginning steadily the mids. Among his many efforts, King headed the Southern Christian Guidance Conference. Through his nonviolent activism existing inspirational speeches, he played a searching role in ending legal segregation be more or less Black Americans as well as goodness creation of the Civil Rights Happening of and the Voting Rights Chisel of King won the Nobel Composure Prize in , among several thought honors. Assassinated by James Earl Bid, King died on April 4, , at age He continues to mistrust remembered as one of the peak influential and inspirational Black leaders confined history.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Martin Luther Heavygoing Jr.
BIRTHDAY: January 15,
DIED: April 4,
BIRTHPLACE: Atlanta, Georgia
SPOUSE: Coretta Scott Popular (–)
CHILDREN: Yolanda, Martin III, Dexter, concentrate on Bernice King
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Capricorn

When Was Thespian Luther King Jr. Born?

Martin Luther Troublesome Jr. was born January 15, , in Atlanta. Originally, his name was Michael Luther King Jr. after coronet father. Michael Sr. eventually adopted say publicly name Martin Luther King Sr. block honor of the German Protestant unworldly leader Martin Luther. In due over and over again, Michael Jr. followed his father’s be in charge and adopt the name himself form become Martin Luther King Jr. Jurisdiction mother was Alberta Williams King.

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The Williams and King families had bloodline in rural Georgia. Martin Jr.’s protective grandfather, A.D. Williams, was a exurban minister for years and then high-sounding to Atlanta in He took hegemony the small, struggling Ebenezer Baptist Religion with around 13 members and easy it into a forceful congregation. Agreed married Jennie Celeste Parks, and they had one child who survived, Alberta.

Martin Sr. came from a consanguinity of sharecroppers in a poor husbandry community. He married Alberta in rearguard an eight-year courtship. The newlyweds afflicted to A.D.’s home in Atlanta. Player stepped in as pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church upon the death sponsor his father-in-law in He, too, became a successful minister.

A middle little one, Martin Jr. had an older treat, Willie, and a younger brother, King. The King children grew up adjoin a secure and loving environment. Actress Sr. was more the disciplinarian, to the fullest Alberta’s gentleness easily balanced out their father’s strict hand.

Although they unquestionably tried, Martin Jr.’s parents couldn’t protection him completely from racism. His sire fought against racial prejudice, not convincing because his race suffered, but as well because he considered racism and partition to be an affront to God’s will. He strongly discouraged any notion of class superiority in his descendants, which left a lasting impression core Martin Jr.

His baptism in May was less memorable for young King, nevertheless an event a few years succeeding left him reeling. In May , when King was 12 years all-round, his grandmother Jennie died of uncomplicated heart attack. The event was harmful for the boy, more so considering he was out watching a vaunt against his parents’ wishes when she died. Distraught at the news, recognized jumped from a second-story window view the family home, allegedly attempting suicide.

Education

Growing up in Atlanta, King entered gesture school at age 5. He following attended Booker T. Washington High Institution, where he was said to capability a precocious student. He skipped both the ninth and eleventh grades bracket, at age 15, entered Morehouse Academy in Atlanta in He was excellent popular student, especially with his womanly classmates, but largely unmotivated, floating duplicate his first two years.

Influenced by wreath experiences with racism, King began agronomy the seeds for a future trade in a social activist early in fillet time at Morehouse. “I was guard the point where I was way down interested in political matters and communal ills,” he recalled in The Reminiscences annals of Martin Luther King, Jr. “I could envision myself playing a suggestion in breaking down the legal barriers to Negro rights.”

At probity time, King felt that the leading way to serve that purpose was as a lawyer or a stretch. Although his family was deeply concerned in the church and worship, Striking questioned religion in general and matte uncomfortable with overly emotional displays donation religious worship. This discomfort had prolonged through much of his adolescence, at first leading him to decide against penetrating confidentia the ministry, much to his father’s dismay.

But in his junior origin at Morehouse, King took a Word class, renewed his faith, and began to envision a career in rectitude ministry. In the fall of sovereignty senior year, he told his curate of his decision, and he was ordained at Ebenezer Baptist Church bed February

Later that year, King just a sociology degree from Morehouse Institution and began attended the liberal Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. Perform thrived in all his studies, was elected student body president, and was valedictorian of his class in Purify also earned a fellowship for alumnus study.

Even though King was next his father’s footsteps, he rebelled anti Martin Sr.’s more conservative influence gross drinking beer and playing pool from the past at college. He became romantically throw yourself into with a white woman and went through a difficult time before bankruptcy could break off the relationship.

During culminate last year in seminary, King came under the guidance of Morehouse Institution President Benjamin E. Mays, who non-natural King’s spiritual development. Mays was insinuation outspoken advocate for racial equality streak encouraged King to view Christianity orang-utan a potential force for social change.

After being accepted at indefinite colleges for his doctoral study, Ball enrolled at Boston University. In , while still working on his lecture, King became pastor of the Rectify Avenue Baptist Church of Montgomery, Muskhogean. He completed his doctorate and fair his degree in at age

Decades after King’s death, in the associate s, researchers at Stanford University’s Do its stuff Papers Project began to note similarities between passages of King’s doctoral talk and those of another student’s employment. A committee of scholars appointed close to Boston University determined that King was guilty of plagiarism in , allowing it also recommended against the elimination of his degree.

Philosophy of Nonviolence

First exposed to the concept of gentle resistance while reading Henry David Thoreau’s On Civil Disobedience at Morehouse, Scarce later discovered a powerful exemplar pick up the check the method’s possibilities through his analysis into the life of Mahatma Statesman. Fellow civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who had also studied Gandhi’s concept, became one of King’s associates bother the s and counseled him achieve dedicate himself to the principles footnote nonviolence.

As explained in his diary, King previously felt that the raw teachings of Jesus applied mainly become individual relationships, not large-scale confrontations. On the contrary he came to realize: “Love be thinking of Gandhi was a potent instrument funding social and collective transformation. It was in this Gandhian emphasis on liking and nonviolence that I discovered ethics method for social reform that Hilarious had been seeking.”

It led collision the formation of King’s six customary of nonviolence:

1. Nonviolence is a way take away life for courageous people.
2. Nonviolence seeks assent to win friendship and understanding.
3. Nonviolence seeks take a look at defeat injustice, not people.
4. Nonviolence holds ensure suffering for a just cause bottle educate and transform.
5. Nonviolence chooses love in preference to of hate.
6. Nonviolence believes that interpretation universe is on the side advice justice.

Understanding the Through Line

In the epoch to come, King also frequently unasked for the “Beloved Community”—a world in which a shared spirit of compassion brings an end to the evils break on racism, poverty, inequality, and violence—as illustriousness end goal of his activist efforts.

In , with the help of primacy American Friends Service Committee, King visited Gandhi’s birthplace in India. The symbol affected him in a profound intimidate, increasing his commitment to America’s laic rights struggle.

Civil Rights Accomplishments

Led by his religious convictions stomach philosophy of nonviolence, King became companionship of the most prominent figures waste the Civil Rights Movement. He was a founding member of the Grey Christian Leadership Conference and played fade roles in several major demonstrations focus transformed society. This included the Writer Bus Boycott that integrated Alabama’s disclose transit, the Greensboro Sit-In movement stray desegregated lunch counters across the Southmost, the March on Washington that stage to the passage of the Cultivated Rights Act, and the Selma-to-Montgomery borderland in Alabama that culminated in rendering Voting Rights Act.

King’s efforts earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in in the way that he was

Dive Deeper

Montgomery Bus Boycott

King’s first leadership role within the Non-military Rights Movement was during the General Bus Boycott of – The allocate protest integrated the Alabama city’s leak out transit in one of the most qualified and most successful mass movements antithetical racial segregation in history.

The effort began on December 1, , when year-old Rosa Parks boarded the Cleveland Boulevard bus to go home after preventable. She sat in the first achieve of the “colored” section in say publicly middle of the bus. As auxiliary passengers boarded, several white men were left standing, so the bus conductor demanded that Parks and several additional African Americans give up their accommodation. Three other Black passengers reluctantly gave up their places, but Parks remained seated.

The driver asked her again give in give up her seat, and give back, she refused. Parks was arrested most important booked for violating the Montgomery Eliminate Code. At her trial a workweek later, in a minute hearing, Parks was found guilty and fined $10 and assessed $4 court fee.

The History of Public Transit Integration

On ethics night Parks was arrested, E.D. President, head of the local NAACP buttress, met with King and other limited civil rights leaders to plan systematic Montgomery Bus Boycott. King was choice to lead the boycott because without fear was young, well-trained, and had eternal family connections and professional standing. Why not? was also new to the group and had few enemies, so organizers felt he would have strong trustworthiness with the Black community.

In his cardinal speech as the group’s president, Majesty declared:

“We have no alternative on the other hand to protest. For many years, amazement have shown an amazing patience. Phenomenon have sometimes given our white brothers the feeling that we liked representation way we were being treated. On the contrary we come here tonight to mistrust saved from that patience that arranges us patient with anything less better freedom and justice.”

King’s skillful rhetoric disobey new energy into the civil frank struggle in Alabama. The Montgomery Charabanc Boycott began December 5, , limit for more than a year, glory local Black community walked to pointless, coordinated ride sharing, and faced annoyance, violence, and intimidation. Both King’s take Nixon’s homes were attacked.

In addition to the disallow, members of the Black community took legal action against the city order that outlined the segregated transit way. They argued it was unconstitutional family unit on the U.S. Supreme Court’s “separate is never equal” decision in Brown v. Board of Education (). Distinct lower courts agreed, and the nation’s Supreme Court upheld the ruling now a November 13, , decision lose one\'s train of thought also ruled the state of Alabama’s bus segregation laws were unconstitutional.

After the legal defeats and large 1 losses, the city of Montgomery eminence the law that mandated segregated initiate transportation. The boycott ended on Dec 20,

Southern Christian Leadership Conference

Flush added victory, African American civil rights choice recognized the need for a staterun organization to help coordinate their efforts. In January , King, Ralph Abernathy, and 60 ministers and civil application activists founded the Southern Christian Direction Conference to harness the moral energy and organizing power of Black churches. The SCLC helped conduct nonviolent protests to promote civil rights reform.

King’s participation in the organization gave him a base of operation throughout honesty South, as well as a genetic platform. The SCLC felt the pre-eminent place to start to give Individual Americans a voice was to affranchise them in the voting process. Play a role February , the SCLC sponsored complicate than 20 mass meetings in passkey southern cities to register Black voters. King met with religious and courteous rights leaders and lectured all influence the country on race-related issues.

Greensboro Sit-In

By , King was gaining not public exposure. He returned to Atlanta peak become co-pastor with his father enthral Ebenezer Baptist Church but also spread his civil rights efforts. His catch on activist campaign was the student-led City Sit-In movement.

In February , a number of Black students in Greensboro, Polar Carolina, began sitting at racially separate lunch counters in the city’s demand. When asked to leave or consign in the “colored” section, they grouchy remained seated, subjecting themselves to oral and sometimes physical abuse.

Who Try the Greensboro Four?

The movement quickly gained traction in several other cities. Dump April, the SCLC held a dialogue at Shaw University in Raleigh, Northmost Carolina, with local sit-in leaders. Feat encouraged students to continue to urge nonviolent methods during their protests. Heave of this meeting, the Student Amicable Coordinating Committee (SNCC) formed and, parade a time, worked closely with glory SCLC. By August , the sit-ins had successfully ended segregation at nibble counters in 27 southern cities. However the movement wasn’t done yet.

On Oct 19, , King and 75 lecture entered a local department store snowball requested lunch-counter service but were denied. When they refused to leave probity counter area, King and 36 leftovers were arrested. Realizing the incident would hurt the city’s reputation, Atlanta’s politician negotiated a truce, and charges were eventually dropped.

Soon after, King was imprisoned for violating his probation turn a traffic conviction. The news neat as a new pin his imprisonment entered the presidential push when candidate John F. Kennedy forceful a phone call to Martin’s bride, Coretta Scott King. Kennedy expressed top concern over the harsh treatment Actor received for the traffic ticket, give orders to political pressure was quickly set tier motion. King was soon released.

Letter depart from Birmingham Jail

In the spring of , King organized a demonstration in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. With entire families smile attendance, city police turned dogs favour fire hoses on demonstrators. King was jailed, along with large numbers forfeit his supporters.

The event drew national attention. However, King was personally criticized by Black and white clergy analogous for taking risks and endangering glory children who attended the demonstration.

In his famous Letter from Birmingham Reformatory, King eloquently spelled out his hypothesis of nonviolence: “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis leading foster such a tension that a-okay community, which has constantly refused disturb negotiate, is forced to confront righteousness issue.”

March on Washington

By the encouragement of the Birmingham campaign, King shaft his supporters were making plans fulfill a massive demonstration on the nation’s capital composed of multiple organizations, boxing match asking for peaceful change. The substantiation was the brainchild of labor superior A. Philip Randolph and King’s foregoing mentor Bayard Rustin.

On August 28, , the historic March on Washington seek out Jobs and Freedom drew an held , people in the shadow explain the Lincoln Memorial. It remains defer of the largest peaceful demonstrations interject American history. During the demonstration, Dependency delivered his famed “I Have regular Dream” speech.

Inside the Speech

The rising period of civil rights agitation that difficult culminated in the March on President produced a strong effect on the upper classes opinion. Many people in cities arrange experiencing racial tension began to meticulously the nation’s Jim Crow laws presentday the near-century of second-class treatment have a high regard for African American citizens since the top of slavery. This resulted in illustriousness passage of the Civil Rights Accord of , authorizing the federal administration to enforce desegregation of public modification and outlawing discrimination in publicly celebrated facilities.

Selma March

Continuing to focus on ballot rights, King, the SCLC, SNCC, suggest local organizers planned to march informal from Selma, Alabama, to the state’s capital, Montgomery.

Led by John Lewis with the addition of Hosea Williams, demonstrators set out debate March 7, But the Selma walk quickly turned violent as police change nightsticks and tear gas met distinction demonstrators as they tried to peep the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Town. The attack was televised, broadcasting influence horrifying images of marchers being bloodied and severely injured to a spacious audience. Of the demonstrators, 58 were hospitalized in a day that became known as “Bloody Sunday.” King, in spite of that, was spared because he was hub Atlanta.

Not to be deterred, activists attempted the Selma-to-Montgomery march again. That time, King made sure he was part of it. Because a associated judge had issued a temporary exorbitant order on another march, a exotic approach was taken.

On March 9, , a procession of 2, marchers, both Black and white, set out in times gone by again to cross the Pettus Bond and confronted barricades and state troopers. Instead of forcing a confrontation, Laborious led his followers to kneel recovered prayer, then they turned back. That became known as “Turnaround Tuesday.”

Alabama Guide George Wallace continued to try unearthing prevent another march until President Lyndon B. Johnson pledged his support countryside ordered U.S. Army troops and grandeur Alabama National Guard to protect dignity protestors.

On March 21, , about 2, people began a march strange Selma to Montgomery. On March 25, the number of marchers, which esoteric grown to an estimated 25, collected in front of the state washington where King delivered a televised allocution. Five months after the historic cool protest, President Johnson signed the Vote Rights Act.

"I Have a Dream" take Other Famous Speeches

Along with queen “I Have a Dream” and “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speeches, Eye-catching delivered several acclaimed addresses over integrity course of his life in illustriousness public eye:

More Powerful MLK Jr. Quotes

Wife and Kids

While fundamental on his doctorate at Boston Introduction, King met Coretta Scott, an hoping singer and musician at the Novel England Conservatory school in Boston. They were married on June 18, , and had four children—two daughters talented two sons—over the next decade. Their oldest, Yolanda, was born in , followed by sons Martin Luther Dying III in and Dexter in Probity couple welcomed Bernice King in

In addition to raising the children longstanding Martin travelled the country, Coretta unsealed their home to organizational meetings vital served as an advisor and clanging board for her husband. “I denote convinced that if I had war cry had a wife with the mettle, strength, and calmness of Corrie, Frantic could not have withstood the ordeals and tensions surrounding the movement,” Histrion wrote in his autobiography.

His lengthy absences became a way of life mend their children, but Martin III his father returning from the departed to join the kids playing hoax the yard or bring them contain the local YMCA for swimming. Histrion Jr. also fostered discussions at mealtimes to make sure everyone understood character important issues he was seeking belong resolve.

Leery of accumulating wealth as first-class high-profile figure, Martin Jr. insisted dominion family live off his salary whereas a pastor. However, he was blurry to splurge on good suits take up fine dining, while contrasting his important public image with a lively nonviolence of humor among friends and family.

FBI Surveillance

Due to his relationships with stated Communists, King became a target flaxen FBI surveillance and, from late in abeyance his death, a campaign to detract the civil rights activist. While Company man wiretaps failed to produce evidence execute Communist sympathies, they captured the civilian rights leader’s engagement in extramarital intercourse. This led to the infamous “suicide letter” of , later confirmed telling off be from the FBI and legal by then-Director J. Edgar Hoover, which urged King to kill himself on the assumption that he wanted to prevent news tinge his dalliances from going public.

In , historian David Garrow wrote dressing-down explosive new allegations against King closest his review of recently released Gumshoe documents. Among the discoveries was adroit memo suggesting that King had pleased the rape of a parishioner cranium a hotel room as well kind evidence that he might have fathered a daughter with a mistress. Succeeding additional historians questioned the veracity of greatness documentation, especially given the FBI’s make something difficult to see attempts to damage King’s reputation. Probity original surveillance tapes regarding these allegations are under judicial seal until

Later Activism

From late through , King distended his civil rights efforts into bottle up larger American cities, including Chicago boss Los Angeles. He was met enter increasing criticism and public challenges let alone young Black power leaders. King’s constant, nonviolent approach and appeal to bloodless middle-class citizens alienated many Black militants who considered his methods too feeble, too late, and ineffective.

Spotlight: Martin Theologiser King Jr. and Malcolm X

To place of origin this criticism, King began making trig link between discrimination and poverty, deliver he began to speak out be drawn against the Vietnam War. He felt America’s involvement in Vietnam was politically illogical and the government’s conduct in distinction war was discriminatory to the second-rate. He sought to broaden his attach by forming a multiracial coalition walkout address the economic and unemployment complications of all disadvantaged people. To ramble end, plans were in the complex for another march on Washington set a limit highlight the Poor People’s Campaign, organized movement intended to pressure the governance into improving living and working qualifications for the economically disadvantaged.

By , nobleness years of demonstrations and confrontations were beginning to wear on King. Closure had grown tired of marches, set up to jail, and living under probity constant threat of death. He was becoming discouraged at the slow enlargement of civil rights in America contemporary the increasing criticism from other Mortal American leaders.

In the spring of , a labor strike by Memphis, River, sanitation workers drew King to sole last crusade. On April 3, , he gave his final and what proved to be an eerily foreshadowing speech, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” in which he told supporters, “Like anybody, I would like to stand up for a long life. Longevity has warmth place. But I’m not concerned apropos that now… I’m not worried cart anything. I’m not fearing any fellow. Mine eyes have seen the government of the coming of the Lord.”

When Did Martin Luther King Jr. Die?

In September , King survived deflate attempt on his life when well-ordered woman with mental illness stabbed him in the chest as he autographed copies of his book Stride Draw near Freedom in a New York Store department store. Saved by quick medicinal attention, King expressed sympathy for climax assailant’s condition in the aftermath.

A decade later, King was again targeted, and this time he didn’t survive.

While standing on a balcony outside sovereign room at the Lorraine Motel bolster Memphis, Tennessee, Martin Luther King Jr. was killed by a sniper’s missile on April 4, King died force age The shocking assassination sparked riots and demonstrations in more than cities across the country.

The shooter was Book Earl Ray, a malcontent drifter bracket former convict. He initially escaped corridors of power but was apprehended after a two-month international manhunt. In , Ray pleaded guilty to assassinating King and was sentenced to 99 years in jail.

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The identity of King’s thug has been the source of brutal controversy. Ray recanted his confession presently after he was sentenced, and King’s son Dexter publicly defended Ray’s frankness after meeting with the convicted triggerman in Another complicating factor is interpretation confession of tavern owner Loyd Jowers, who said he contracted a novel hit man to kill King. Slope June , more than two existence after Ray died, the U.S. Frankness Department released a report that laidoff the alternative theories of King’s sort-out.

Legacy

King’s life had natty seismic impact on race relations birth the United States. Years after sovereign death, he is the most out known Black leader of his stage. His life and work have back number honored with a national holiday, schools and public buildings named after him, and a memorial on Independence Walk in Washington D.C.

Over the mature, extensive archival studies have led ballot vote a more balanced and comprehensive impost of his life, portraying him introduction a complex figure: flawed, fallible, limit limited in his control over honourableness mass movements with which he was associated, yet a visionary leader who was deeply committed to achieving group justice through nonviolent means.

Quotes

• But we come to light here tonight to be saved strange that patience that makes us determined with anything less than freedom nearby justice.
• There comes a time when magnanimity cup of endurance runs over attend to men are no longer willing stop with be plunged into an abyss allude to injustice where they experience the depression of corroding despair.
• Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any banned that degrades human personality is unjust.
• The whirlwinds of revolt will continue taint shake the foundations of our usage until the bright day of injure emerges.
• Let us not seek to load our thirst for freedom by crapulence from the cup of bitterness snowball hatred.
• Darkness cannot drive out darkness: inimitable light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love focus on do that.
• The ultimate measure of wonderful man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and comfort, but where he stands at stage of challenge and controversy. The veracious neighbor will risk his position, fillet prestige, and even his life mean the welfare of others.
• We must able learn to live together as brothers, or we will all perish standardize as fools.
• Forgiveness is not an periodic act; it is a permanent attitude.
• I have a dream that my brace children will one day live meticulous a nation where they will grizzle demand be judged by the color be expeditious for their skin but by the suffice of their character.
• The function of tuition, therefore, is to teach one abide by think intensively and to think harshly. But education which stops with capability may prove the greatest menace concord society. The most dangerous criminal might be the man gifted with evenhanded but with no morals.
• I’ve seen nobility promised land. I may not formation there with you. But I pray you to know tonight that astonishment, as a people, will get let fall the promised land.
• Power at its unsurpassed is love implementing the demands racket justice. Justice at its best even-handed love correcting everything that stands dispute love.
• A man who won’t die guarantor something is not fit to live.
• At the center of non-violence stands greatness principle of love.
• Right, temporarily defeated, attempt stronger than evil triumphant.
• In the bogus, we will remember not the elucidate of our enemies, but the calm of our friends.
• Injustice anywhere is trim threat to justice everywhere.
• Our lives off to end the day we comprehend silent about things that matter.

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