January 15, 1929 – The day that gave us Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A man of courage, vision, passion, and fortitude to see equality come for all mankind. There were many who helped during the Civil Rights Movement, but Dr. King was someone with such a dynamic presence that it was hard to not be moved by the conviction of his words. A bold leader who promoted unity through a peaceful force, Dr. King became the recognizable face of the Civil Rights Movement.
Growing up in Montgomery, Alabama, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was all too aware of the social and economic inequities and racial discrimination directed towards minorities. He believed African-Americans were indeed “entitled to the basic rights and opportunities of American citizens”.
As a true activist, Dr. King spent over a decade dedicating his energy and efforts into making strides towards freedom for all. His imminent wish for change would not allow him to rest as continued injustice spread throughout America.
“I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Dr. King went on to lead the Montgomery bus boycott, the Birmingham Campaign, and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Despite being threatened and arrested on several occasions, Dr. King never tired in his desire for change through peaceful demonstrations, nor did he cease preaching both love and reconciliation to America and its lawmakers.
“The end of violence or the aftermath of violence is bitterness. The aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation and the creation of a beloved community. A boycott is never an end within itself. It is merely a means to awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor but the end is reconciliation, the end is redemption.”
That relentless energy eventually paid off as President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the National Voting Rights Act of 1965, which ended previously legal segregation practices and disavowed discriminatory voting laws towards African-Americans.
Dr. King was taken away from our world when James Earl Ray assassinated him on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee on April, 4, 1968. Except, James Earl Ray was too late. Dr. King’s message and momentum was already instilled in many and the soul of his movement continued on for change in America up until this very day.
We cannot forget that Dr. King did not and could not do it alone without the bravery of those who were willing to follow his lead, yet he was, and is admired for his willingness to be the face of change for many.
Today, we must continue to spread his message and possess the courage and resilience needed to strive for freedom for the oppressed here in America and our fellow nations.
I will leave you with the powerful words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal. …all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
Dear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
We will never forget.
