Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Who was Martin Luther King Jr.?

Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Christian minister, activist, and political philosopher. He is one of the most well known leaders in the civil right movement and was

always a passionate worker towards gaining civil rights for people of color. Martin Luther King, Jr led and participated in marches and nonviolent protests that gave people of color the right to vote, labor rights, a end segregation, and many other civil rights. He also led the Montgomery bus boycott in 1995 that lasted 3385 days. Sadly, the Montgomery bus boycott became so tense that Martin Luther King Jr.'s house was bombed. His role in the boycott helped transform him into a national figure and a very well known speaker of the civil rights

movement. On September 20, 1958 Martin Luther King Jr. was stabbed in the chest with a letter opener by an mentally ill black woman who thought that he was conspiring against her with communists. Soon after he underwent emergency surgery and was hospitalized for several weeks. Sadly, this incident would only be the first attempt to take Martin Luther King Jr.'s life.

On August 28, 1963 the March on Washington took place. The march had very specific demands: an end to racial segregation in public schools; meaningful civil rights legislation, including a law prohibiting racial discrimination in employment; protection of civil rights workers from police brutality; a $2 minimum wage for all workers (equivalent to $19 in 2023); and self-government for Washington, D.C., then governed by Congressional committee. More than 250,000 people from diverse backgrounds attended the march. At the time this was the largest gathering of protesters in Washington, D.C.. The March on Washington is where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous speech "I Have a Dream":

"I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

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.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today."

On April 3, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr.'s flight to Memphis was delayed because of a bomb threat against his plane. When responding to the bomb threat he said:

"And then I got to Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers? Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will.

And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

Once Martin Luther King Jr. made it to Memphis, he was booked in Room 306 at the Lorraine Motel. Martin Luther King Jr. and his entourage stayed at Room 306 so often that it was known as the "King-Abernathy suite". Heartbreakingly, Martin Luther King Jr. was standing on the motel's second-floor balcony when he was shot at 6:01 p.m., Thursday, April 4, 1968, by James Earl Ray. Abernathy heard the shot from inside the motel room and ran to the balcony to find Martin Luther King Jr. laying on the floor. He was quickly rushed to emergency surgery at St. Joseph's Hospital, but would soon die at 7:05 p.m.

Why do we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day?

We celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. day to honor the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. He worked long and hard in a peaceful manner to gain equal rights for all people. Martin Luther King Jr. gained the respect and love of thousands of people through his work. Many have said that he lived his life to serve others and create respect for every race. By celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day we honor his memory and appreciate all the work he did throughout his lifetime to create a better future.