“Voice of Equality: The Inspiring Journey of Martin Luther King Jr.”
`I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal’
This was the speech that shook America and even the entire world to it’s core. From this moment on, all the struggles the African community had faced would come to a close. This prodigious speech was delivered by none other than, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
King was born on 15 January 1929, Atlanta, Georgia. Growing up as a middle child, he was often considered to be a prodigy of sorts. He learned both medicine and law after graduating from school. After a while, his interest towards theology led him to Boston University where he got a degree for systematical theology.
Montgomery Bus
Following the incident of Rosa Parks in 1 December 1955, where she refused to give up her seat for white people, caused an immense flare among the black community who took it to the streets to protest for equality. The protests were led by a young, prominent leader — King himself.
Izola Ware Curry
Martin became a well known speaker, writer after various protests ensued and was a favourite among blacks for his preachings on non-violent protests. 20 September 1958, what started as a normal day for Luther would reinforce his preachings, Izola Ware Curry, visited Martin in a book signing event and stabbed him with a letter opener. Fortunately enough, King’s road was not meant to end there, in fact, some say it only began from there.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
In 1957, Luther and several other activists began the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) with the intention of abolishing all segregation among the blacks and whites and to promote harmony and peace amongst all races without the use of violence. He remained the forerunner of the organisation till his demise.
Letter from Birmingham Jail
During his unceasing protests, there was a stoppage in Birmingham, which caused Martin to end up in jail. This led to the infamous ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’. This letter was written by Luther in his jail cell to the people who arrested him for coming into a consensus that social injustice is bad for any thriving community and how it should be dealt with. Many people also argued against King’s ways to achieve his goals which he also delved into, to clear confusions among the public about his purpose and goal.
The March on Washington
Held on August of 1963, in proliferating numbers close to 250,000 people gathered in Lincoln Memorial, Washington to address the problems faced by the public on equality, freedom and jobs. It was during this gathering that King gave out his exemplary speech, `I have a Dream’.
The Aftermath
The speech and the rally lead to an exponential increase in the popularity of our young Martin, who went on to become the `Man of the Year’ in 1964 and received the noble peace prize. Fun Fact — He is still to this day, the youngest man to ever achieve this award. The American constitution passed the Voting Rights Act whereby all African-Americans were allowed to vote.
Demise of a Nation Wide Hero
On the evening of April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated. He was fatally shot while standing on the balcony of a motel in Memphis, where King had traveled to support a sanitation workers’ strike. In the wake of his death, a wave of riots swept major cities across the country, whilst President Johnson declared a national day of mourning.
Martin Luther King Day
Celebrated on the 3rd Monday of every January is, The Martin Luther King day where people from all ethnicities and backgrounds come together to remember the struggles and challenges faced by King up until his final breath. He is truly a great man who many to this day take as an idol in their struggles to achieve freedom. Martin may not be with us physically, but rest assured — his words still resonate with many people across the world.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
