As you enjoy your day off from school, here’s some history on the historic man we celebrate yearly:
Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential leaders of American history to date. He was a man who dedicated his life to justice and equality in the United States through non-violence during the Civil Rights Movement.
He was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up in a segregated town, where discrimination based on race was harsh. King started to gain respect and fame in 1955 during the Montgomery bus boycott; a pivotal protest where a woman named Rosa Parks was arrested for sitting on a bus and refusing to give her seat up to a white passenger. King helped lead this boycott for over a year, and ultimately ended racial segregation on public buses.
Through the 60s, King became the face of the Civil Rights Movement. He led marches, led sit-ins, and gave public speeches—including his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. King's efforts were recognized nationally when he was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1964 at 35 years old, making him the youngest person at the time to receive the award.
He was sadly assassinated on April 4th, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. The movement to honor King with a national holiday began soon after his death, with the labor union, civil rights activists, and everyday Americans who wanted to commemorate his contributions. After years of advocacy, Ronald Reagan signed a legislation to establish the national holiday: Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Sources consulted:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_a_Dream
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/rosa-parks