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martin
luther king jr. day
third Monday in January
martin
luther king jr. day
United States
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i s t o r y
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Martin Luther King, Jr. is among
the most inspirational characters in world history, let alone the short
lifespan of the United States. Born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15,
1929, Dr. King emerged into the public eye following the arrest of Rosa
Parks for her refusal to give up her seat on a public bus to a white
passenger on December 1, 1955. Dr. King was closely involved in the
organization and eventual success of the Montgomery bus boycott, which
ended with the Supreme Court declaring the bus segregation laws of
Montgomery and the state of Alabama unconstitutional. Dr. King espoused
the nonviolent revolution tactics and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi,
became even more active in direct action against the institutions of
racial segregation and intolerance, and made his name known as an
impassioned civil rights leader. In 1964, Dr. King was awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize for his struggle to assert the rights of African Americans
oppressed by the brutality of U.S. policy and racism. "As long as
the mind is enslaved, the body can never be free," he said in a
speech entitled "Where do we go from here?" Tragically, he was
killed by a sniper on April 4, 1968 on the balcony of a Memphis,
Tennessee motel. Dr. King's dedication to freeing the collective mind
and speaking out against injustice, as well as his remarkable
contributions to the American civil rights movement are celebrated
annually across the country on the third Monday in January.
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r a d i t i o n s
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Dr. King serves as a prime example
of a brilliant mind fighting ignorance and discrimination. Lean more
about his interesting life, or read one of his four books and many
letters and speeches to get a better grasp on both that political
movement and its effects on American society and legislation. Research
other civil rights activists, such as Harriet Tubman, W.E.B. Du Bois,
and Frederick Douglass, and their dramatic influence on social change.
Reflect privately or within groups on how the tactics used have shaped
American history and whether the advocates of civil rights would be
pleased with the state of current racial relations. Promote acceptance
and egalitarianism by setting your prejudices aside and teaching others
to do the same. Dr. King accepted the Nobel Peace Prize by addressing
the need for people to create a lasting approach to peaceful coexistence
among people of different races, belief systems, and backgrounds.
"If this is to be achieved, man must evolve for all human conflict
a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation," he
said. "The foundation of such a method is love."
see
some great cards to send for this holiday |
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