Martin Luther King Jr.'s upbringing significantly influenced his future activism. Growing up in a middle-class African American family in Atlanta, King was exposed to a strong sense of justice and equality through his parents and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). His father was a minister, instilling in him the values of faith and social responsibility. This nurturing environment fostered his commitment to nonviolence and civil rights, leading him to become a prominent leader in the Civil Rights Movement, advocating for racial equality and social justice.