Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Why It's More Than Just a Day Off

Today, January 18th, the third Monday in January, is Martin Luther King day, the day on which we honor the life and success of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, all he did for the African people of America, but how much do you really know?

Dr. Martin Luther King jr (1929-1968), was one of the foremost figures during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. He was an activist, seeking change within America, and using his amazing public speaking skills to do so. He encouraged nonviolent resistance, marches and boycotts to protest segregation in the south.

He captivated hundreds of thousands of people with his speeches, moving more and more people to join the movement. Though his protests were often met with violence from the police and other organizations Dr. King and his followers kept up momentum, gaining support from the federal government and many people in the North.

During the March On Washington in 1963 Dr. King gave his famous ‘I have a dream’ speech, sparking a fire that still burns in the minds of activists and protesters today. With his influence the 24th amendment was ratified, repealing the poll tax, and later in 1964 he became the youngest person to ever receive the nobel prize from peace, (though in 2014 he was relieved of that title by Malala Yousafzai at age 17).

Dr. King’s work for the American people lives on, inspiring the Black Lives Matter movement that has been taking over America in the past few years. To this day, many people use his words to help change the tide of a nation, using them to shed more light on the terrible situation African Americans and other people of color face in this country everyday.

Dr. Martin Luther King jr. paved the way for modern Black Lives Matter protests with his Bus Boycotts and Marches. If he could see how far we have come he would be proud, but would still remind us that there is a long way to go.

Black Lives Matter, even when America isn’t looking, please remember that, today, and always.