photo credit: Gale
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday that is celebrated on a third Monday in January. It is a day to honor the legacy of an inspiring civil rights activist who fought against discrimination and segregation. He encouraged Americans to help serve their communities and advocated for every person’s voice to be heard, no matter their background. Love this
“MLK was an iconic civil rights leader and his contributions against racial discrimination were powerful,” senior Gracelyn Quaye .
The late Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” An American Civil Rights activist and minister who led the Civil Rights movement from 1955 until he was assassinated in 1968, King’s leadership is well-known from his nonviolent protest containing the heartfelt “I Have A Dream” speech, which later became his defining legacy.
His early education stunned many with being able to skip ninth and 12th grade. King graduated from high school at the age of 15 in 1944, according to NobelPrize.com. After attending Morehouse College, King received his bachelor’s in Sociology, according to Morehouse.edu.
While studying at Crozer Theological Seminary, located in Pennsylvania, King was the president of a class of mostly white students, and he later got his doctorate in 1953, according to Nobelprize.com.
Quickly after, King became a national figure as a spokesman for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a crucial civil rights movement that led to many African Americans refusing to ride the city buses to protest against segregated seating. This boycott went on for over a year, but that wasn’t the last of King’s protests.
“He believed in civil disobedience which is defined by nonviolence. I think students can learn a lot from the nonviolent nature of his advocacy for equal rights, and utilize his approach too,” Quaye said.
King was arrested on April 12, 1963 for leading a non-violent protest against segregation, according to History.com. During King’s eight days of being held at Birmingham jail, came the infamous “Letter from Birmingham Jail”.
“It is one of the best forms of rhetoric written. From his statements he gave, given his situations and surroundings was inspiring and I think that’s why it holds so much power to anyone who reads it,” English Teacher Andrea Vescelius said.
King wrote an influential letter to ultimately defend his nonviolent defiance against racial injustice after white “religious” men called his protests “unwise and untimely”, according Nul.org.
King uses such empowering words in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to illustrate the true ignorance towards his non-violent protesting.
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for freedom. Over a quarter-million of people attended the March on Washington. King added statements in his speech as a sermon and a philosopher do highlight the importance of equality in America, according to naacp.org. Emphasizing the “dream” concept for young children of color to walk hand-in-hand with white children.
“He gave people so much more than courage, he gave them hope. I don’t think I’d be sitting here in this classroom right now if it wasn’t for that man,” an Orange junior who wished to remain anonymous said.
A year later, President Johnson signed the National Voting Rights Act of 1965. These laws banned discrimination against African Americans and women all together, ending segregation, as explained on naacp.org.
A day of mourning was held on April 4, 1968, the day of Martin Luther King Jr’s assasination. A white supremacist by the name of James Earl Ray acted out on racial hatred towards King, who shot him dead while he was standing on a balcony outside his Motel room. Ray was arrested and sentenced to 99 years in prison, he later died in said prison in 1998, according to biography.com.
King gave the American people hope and reassurance for the possible future of our country. His words and courage to speak out against segregation will never go unnoticed. Want to support his legacy even more? Attend ‘The Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Arts Complex’ by the Kings Art Complex right here in Columbus,Ohio. They produce and present the cultural expressions of African Americans during significant historical events in America and around the world. If you want to contribute or even get involved with Kings Art Complex, and would like more information, head to kingsartcomplex.com.
