The third Monday of every January is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A day to remember and honor the legacy of the late civil rights activist. 

     “We are determined here in Montgomery to work and fight until justice runs down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream,” Martin Luther King Jr. said.

     In December of 1955, King was in Montgomery, Alabama to honor the Freedom Riders, a group of civilians and activists who took interstate buses throughout the country to challenge the idea of people of color being segregated to the back of the bus. Martin Luther King Jr. paved the way for many African Americans to do things that are normal in today’s world such as walking on the same side as everyone else, using the same water fountain as everyone else and so much more. 

     “I have decided to stick with love,” King said “Hate is too great a burden to bear.” 

     King focused on spreading his message through love and peace, not violence.  In a time full of hatred we honor King and the legacy he created during the civil rights movement. Many schools around the country write contest letters referring to his famous “I Have a Dream” speech as a way for all students of different backgrounds to connect and understand the lasting impact King had. 

     “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant,” King said during his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech for his nonviolent campaign against racism.

     Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day to help alongside your community. A day to attempt to make a difference one small step at a time. 

     “Make a career of humanity,” King said. “Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”