Happy Birthday Dr. King!
January 15th marks what would have been the 85th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. King’s tireless work in the name of civil rights won him legions of followers and forced the world to take note of social injustices within the United States. King was born in Atlanta, Georgia and later at the age of 35, he became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. King delivered his now famous “I Have a Dream” speech before record-setting crowds in Washington D.C. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in August of 1963 at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
King’s life and work was cut short when he was gunned down by an assassin’s bullet on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 39. He left behind a wife and four young children. He was in Memphis, along with other civil rights workers, to help black sanitation workers gain equitable rights and working conditions.
It is for his contributions to the integration and enrichment of America that Dr. King is remembered every third Monday of January –the official holiday set aside to honor his legacy. The King Day holiday will be observed next Monday, January 20th with reflections and celebrations honoring the civil rights leader’s work in promoting peace and racial harmony.
To learn more about Dr. King, click [HERE].
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