The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Story by Miracle Mason. Picture from Google.com

APR. 3, 2020: Martin Luther King Jr was born January 15, 1929 in Atlanta Georgia. He was a civil rights leader who protested in a nonviolent way. He wanted people to be treated fairly regardless of the color of their skin. Two things Martin Luther King Jr is well known for are his leadership in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and his famous speech “ I Have a Dream.

Martin Luther King Jr is worthy of respect and being acknowledged as an African American figure because he encouraged African Americans to know their worth, stand on their word and not take no for an answer. These qualities of Dr. King are evident in his Montgomery Bus Boycott that lasted 380 days.This boycott was important because African Americans could not ride on the front of the buses, and they were not allowed to use specific things such as water fountains, toilets, and entrances. The ones they could use were usually in poorer conditions than the ones used for the entrances for white people. If a white person wanted to use something for the blacks, they could, but blacks could not use anything specified for whites. This treatment was unfair and that is why it was important for African Americans to boycott and not use public transportation for 380 days in an effort to change segregation laws. This long boycott shows how African Americans had to really stick together and stay committed to change the world.

Today, Martin Luther King Jr is celebrated on the third Monday of January because his birthday is January 15. If you can, try to visit his memorial here in SW Washington, DC.

Miracle Mason is a 4th grade scholar at Friendship Blow Pierce Academy.