Today is Martin Luther King Day. The day is a federal holiday to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was a vital figure of the modern civil rights movement. His teachings stirred America's conscience. The marches he led brought significant changes in the fabric of life in America. His dream of Americans being judged by the strength of their character was fought for through his courage and selfless devotion. His civil rights activities spanned thirteen years. His charismatic leadership inspired America, and the world.
Born January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. was born into a society that did not follow the words of the Declaration of Independence that declared all men are created equal. Martin Luther King, Jr. entered the Christian ministry and was ordained in February 1948 at the age of nineteen. His devotion to God, and the idea that God created all of humanity equally led Dr. King to become a pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement.
Dr. King was arrested thirty times for his participation in civil rights activities. Although extremely involved with his family, his church, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, activities for peace and justice, his world travels, and his many speaking engagements, Dr. King also wrote six books and numerous articles.
Dr. King was shot on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. He was in Memphis to help lead sanitation workers in a protest against low wages and intolerable working conditions.
Dr. King’s funeral services were held on April 9, 1968 at Ebenezer Baptist Church and on the campus of Morehouse College, with the President of the United States proclaiming a day of mourning and flags being flown at half-staff. The area where Dr. King rests in Atlanta is surrounded by the Freedom Hall Complex of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic Site. The 23-acre area site was listed as a National Historic Landmark on May 5, 1977, and was made a National Historic Site on October 10, 1980 by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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