On January 18th we dedicated a day to celebrate and honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. However, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not actually on January 18th. It may come to you as a surprise, but it is on the third Monday of January. This day is a commemoration of the civil rights activist who pushed through unfair social classes to bring equality to everyone and to secure civil rights for all people. 

Since the beginning of our nation, people of color have faced discrimination against them for the color of their skin. Slaves were legal until the 13th amendment, in which it was abolished. Although slavery was abolished in 1865, discrimination against people of color still existed. 

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. King was a Baptist minister and social activist who was well-known for leading the Civil Rights Movement. The peaceful protests led by Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders were part of the success in ending the discrimination.  In 1964, The Civil Rights Act allowed colored people to share the same public privileges as whites. 

Although Martin Luther King Jr. is not here with us now, he has made a huge impact on colored people everywhere. “I think he is an inspirational man,”  Zhanna Zohrabyan, a freshman at Hoover said.

“His story is an inspiration and his story had a huge impact on society especially with his speech. He changed people’s perspectives, especially white peoples’, after his speech they probably had a change of heart and their mindset.” Zohrabyan said.

Seeing how King’s peaceful protests benefitted people of color and allowed them to gain their rights, many people have been inspired. One recent example would be the several peaceful protests held by Armenians to spread awareness of the war. In a time like this, holding a march as grand as the March of Washington would be unethical, but people made it possible. They spread awareness on social media and some people did march as well, but it was all peaceful. 

We still face discrimination to this day, but it is thanks to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many others for being able to access public accommodations despite our skin color. He fought for the rights of colored people through peaceful protests and his speech. Celebrating this day, honors King’s legacy and proves his perseverance. King said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”