Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is observed every year on the third Monday of January. This holiday is celebrated by taking time to reflect and take action on global civil rights issues, honoring the achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. King was a chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism during the American Civil Rights Movement. His leadership helped achieve meaningful progress toward racial equality, challenged the status quo and envisioned a day when people would not be judged by the color of their skin but rather by the content of their character.
Who was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr?
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist who had an instrumental impact on race relations in the United States beginning in the mid-1950s.
Among his many efforts, King headed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Through his activism and inspirational speeches, he played a pivotal role in ending the legal segregation of African American citizens in the United States, as well as the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (1).
King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, among several other honors. He continues to be remembered as one of the most influential and inspirational African American leaders in history.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
― Martin Luther King, Jr.
Sources:
Lewis, David L. and Carson, Clayborne. "Martin Luther King, Jr.". Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Dec. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Martin-Luther-King-Jr. Accessed 21 December 2022.