What organization did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. help establish as its first president?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which was founded in 1957. The SCLC aimed to harness the moral authority and organizing power of Black churches to conduct nonviolent protests aimed at ending segregation. King was chosen to be the organization's first president, a position that allowed him to lead efforts in the Civil Rights Movement, advocating for equality and justice through nonviolent means. The SCLC became instrumental in organizing key events such as the Birmingham Campaign and the Selma to Montgomery marches, which were crucial in raising national awareness about civil rights issues.

In contrast, the other organizations listed—NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), and CORE (Congress of Racial Equality)—were also significant in the fight for civil rights but were established by different leaders and had varying focuses and strategies in their approaches to combating racial injustice.