The 3rd Monday in January is more than a just a day to sleep in and bar-b-que, it’s a day to remember a man that changed our entire world with merely a “Dream.”  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr led an entire nation to reevaluate and revamp its way of life. 
Born on January 15th 1929 in Atlanta Georgia, King was destined for greatness. He was so bright in school that he not only skipped the 9th grade, but the 12th as well.  He began at Morehouse College when he was only fifteen years old. At nineteen, King graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and then attended Crozer Theological Seminary until 1951 when he received his Bachelors of Divinity Degree. In 1955 he received his Doctorate degree in Philosophy from Boston University.  For Martin Luther King Jr, education was one of the keys to his success.  

Another was the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.  King, like Gandhi, believed that one should “Be the change you want to see in the world,” through love, compassion, and acceptance of each other’s differences. The Non-Violent teachings of Gandhi became the primary platform in which King based his efforts towards change.  As King moved on and made major head way with the civil rights movement of the south, many people nationwide also joined in. The 1963 March on Washington brought over a quarter million people of all different races, creeds, ages, and sex together fighting for equality for all. It was here that Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. It is known in history as one of the most important marches to ever take place. 

The following year was a very big one for King.  In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive a Nobel Peace Prize for his work to resolve racial segregation and discrimination.  He was also the first black American to be honored as TIME magazine’s “Man of the Year.’  Martin Luther King Jr. continued to work towards equal rights all the way until his untimely death on April 4, 1968. Though gone, King will never be forgotten. In 1983 the United States Congress declared the 3rd Monday in January “Martin Luther King Jr. Day” and made it an annual federal holiday. 

In hundreds of cities, nationwide people will be waking up early Monday morning January 18th to march. Some will be marching in remembrance, some in celebration, and many in the hope that King’s words:  “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” will one day be a true statement EVERYWHERE.

by Elisha Skelton

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