On January 18th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day takes place and St. Philip students have a day off from school. This day celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr, a well known civil rights leader who helped to end segregation against African Americans in America. Most known for fighting for racial equality, civil rights, and human rights in the United States, King was born on January 15, 1929 (“About Dr. King”).

A Baptist Minister in his early days, King studied at Morehouse College, Crozer Theological Seminary, and Boston University’s School of Theology.

His first well-known achievement was the heading of the Montgomery Improvement Association to protest the arrest of Rosa Parks. Parks, not much earlier, had refused to give up her bus seat for a caucasian man and was therefore prosecuted against. King traveled to multiple places, such as India, to spread his vision of equality. He also spoke out on the Vietnam War and formed the Poor’s People Campaign to stop the effects of antipoverty.

In 1963, Dr. King was one of the main forces behind the March for Jobs and Freedom that led a quarter million people (“About Dr. King). It was at this march that Dr. King delivered his famous and well known “I Have A Dream” Speech. Later after this event, Dr. King was named Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year.”

For all of his actions, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at the age of 35, the youngest person to win the Peace Prize (“About Dr. King”).

Most astonishing of all is that King led a mob of people with nonviolent resistance. In fact, his “I Have A Dream” Speech, Nobel Peace Prize Lecture, and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” are among the most revered writings in the English language (“About Dr. King”).

King is one of the most influential people of our time and is one of the most successful developers of America.

Resource: http://www.thekingcenter.org/about-dr-king