On Monday, January 21st, we will celebrate the legacy of one of America’s greatest heroes—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Growing up in the South, I attended segregated schools and lived in a region that was very much a civil rights battlefield. And so, I will never forget watching, at age eleven, as Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, leaving me deeply inspired even then. Since 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been one of my personal heroes, and I have gone on to study not only his most renowned delivery but many of his other writings and teachings as well. I have traveled to Memphis, TN, to visit the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. King spent his final hours, and have even had the honor of meeting his son, Martin Luther King, III.
Like many federal holidays, far too many of us view MLK Day as nothing more than a day off. But it is vital—in today’s social climate as much as ever—that we recognize and appreciate the significance of this holiday. We must remember the change that Dr. King’s activism inspired in our nation and how far our society has come in the past fifty years. Most importantly, we must recognize that our society still has a long way to go—that Dr. King’s work is not finished—and refuse to be complacent with the status quo. Let us honor his life and legacy by continuing to strive toward making Dr. King’s dream a reality for future generations and by lifting our nation to a place where all men are not only created equal, but where all people are treated, respected, and able to live as equals.
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