IHS student’s remember Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy
Martin Luther King Jr. imaged in 1963 (Associated Press)
On the third Monday of every year, America remembers the social activist who led the way for equal rights in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr. day (MLK day) commemorates the life, legacy, and efforts of the leading voice behind the American civil rights movement.
Born on January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, raised by his parents and grandparents. After high school, King attended Boston University to study, where he met and married his wife, Coretta Scott King. In 1955, King and Coretta Scott moved to Montgomery, Alabama – a highly segregated city at the time, which became the epicenter of the civil rights movement in America.
In Montgomery, King led boycotts, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott against inequality, peaceful rallies and marches against segregation, and organized protests. King also is famous for his “I Have A Dream” speech, which spoke on the struggles African-Americans faced from segregation, and his hope for the children of the future. From these protests, rallies, and boycotts, the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the 1965 Voting Rights Act became possible.
Today, King’s leadership impacts people of diverse racial backgrounds in the United States. King, alongside other leaders a part of the Civil Rights Movement, made civil liberties possible for individuals of all races, which include: the right to vote, non-discriminatory employment, desegregation, and more.
“Because of his fight for justice, I will get to exercise my rights like when I vote in a year. These things only became possible for me because of his actions, and I am grateful for it,” said Chloe Ballantyne, IHS junior.
In the United States, MLK day is the only federal holiday established as a National Day of Service, encouraging citizens to engage in community-centered action. Typically, the day is celebrated by community marches, rallies, and speeches by politicians. However, within the doors of IHS, for some, MLK day pays homage to the diverse student body students’ have the opportunity to learn in.
“His [Martin Luther King Jr.] fighting has allowed for Independence to be a place where students of all ethnicities, genders, and beliefs can come together and get an education and be part of a team,” said Kendall Barlow, president of the African- American Student Association at IHS.
