Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

A day celebrated on the third Monday of January each year. This day honors a brave activist who changed the world in more ways than one. Martin Luther King Jr., also known as MLK, was born into a very segregated part of the country to African American parents, in 1929. At a young age, he learned and experienced the segregated life of an African American in Atlanta, Georgia, his hometown.

MLK played a big role in the Civil Rights Movement, a movement that tried to stop segregation and laws against African Americans. His first encounter was assembling a boycott of the city’s buses after Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat for a white man. After continuing to protest for little over a year, the court ruled segregation laws should not be followed anymore.  

MLK believed in peaceful protests, with no violence: even though violent actions often occurred. He delivered many many great speeches, his most famous being “I Have a Dream.” He later won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.  Four years later, he was assassinated after giving a speech in Tennessee.

On this day, Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his courageous, selfless acts and tireless work. The United States would be a very different country without his contributions to ending slavery and segregation. His dream came true.