Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) was born in Atlanta, Georgia, the son and grandson of Baptist ministers. King was a gifted student and attended Morehouse College in Atlanta at the age of fifteen. While studying at Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania, King was introduced to and became strongly influenced by the nonviolent teachings of Henry David Thoreau and Mohandas Gandhi. He received his Ph.D from Boston University in 1955.

King was a great orator and on August 28, 1963, he joined other civil rights leaders in the March on Washington in support of civil rights legislation where he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech to an audience of more than two hundred thousand people. 

The Civil Rights Act was enacted in 1964 under the executive leadership of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination for reason of color, race, religion, or national origin in places of public accommodation of interstate commerce (restaurants, motels, hotels, theaters) and the desegregation of public schools. This was only the beginning. In 1965 the Voting Rights Act was passed and in the Civil Rights Act of 1968 prohibited housing and real estate discrimination. 

Students of all ages continue to study his writings. "I Have a Dream" shows King's dynamic and skillful use of rhetoric. An emotional and uplifting effect is created through the repetition of words and phrases, the use of biblical language, and the description of his vision of a world in which ALL people would be sisters and brothers. 

In 1964, a year after his iconic speech, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed into law the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In the United States, many follow the example by making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a day of service; they volunteer their time to honor this hero of nonviolent activism.

I'm honored to share this post today, and I hope the inspiration of Martin Luther King Jr. continues to inspire the world.

Cheers!

Lisa