Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. He was a very influential Black, civil rights activist. and minister. One of the things he was known for is the, I Have a Dream speech which he recited on August 28, 1963. He gave this speech at the March on Washington in D.C. This speech was a call to end racism and for civil and economic rights. His non-violent approach is something he was also known for, which was due to his Christian beliefs.

The Montgomery Bus Boycott was to his credit also. This boycott lasted for a little over a year and started in 1955. Rosa Parks was arrested during the boycott for not giving up her seat to a white person. This boycott came about in Montgomery, Alabama because of racial segregation on the public transit system. Black people had to sit in the back of the bus.

• In October 1964, he won the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the youngest person to receive this honor.

• On April 4, 1968 he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Riots ensued after he was killed in cities all around the United States.

• Martin Luther King, Jr. is the only non-president to have a national holiday.

• In 1986 his birthday was observed in the United States as a federal holiday. Even though various states established his holiday as early as the year 1971.

Martin Luther King, Jr. positively changed the lives of African Americans, not only in his time but in many years after his death. People no longer have to sit in separate sections on the bus or drink from separate water fountains. He had a talent for bringing people together for a common goal. He was responsible for the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, just to name a few.

King has afforded, not only African Americans, but also the world as a whole with a lot of advantages that we might not have otherwise known today. His tireless efforts to protest and fight for equality and rights has truly paid off. We still have a long way to go in society but some progress has been made.