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Editorial: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday

Born Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Ga., Martin Luther King Jr. is best known for his role as an American civil rights leader. Since his assassination at the age of 39 in Memphis, Tenn., King Jr. has gone on to become an icon for many when it comes to human rights across the globe. He's also been named a martyr by at least two Christian churches. Four years prior to his death, King was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work, making him one of the youngest recipients of the esteemed prize. In 1977 King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2004, he was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal, leaving no doubt as to the man's eternal legacy.

Monday marks the national celebration of the famed civil rights leader's achievements, as schools and government offices will close in observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The national holiday was established in 1986, 18 years after his death and 23 years after he led the famous "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom."

It was there where King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. King, Jr. shared his message, long regarded as a turning point in the civil rights movement and voted as one of the top speeches of the 20th century, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. In the speech, King Jr. called for end to discrimination and to further racial equality. He delivered the speech on Aug. 28, 1963, to an audience of roughly 200,000 supporters of civil rights, often called one of the largest protests in Washington's history. In his speech, King Jr. referred to a number of powerful sources, including Biblical texts, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the United States Declaration of Independence, and even Shakespeare. His speech was so powerful that King Jr. would be named that same year as Time Magazine's Person of the Year.

"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," King Jr. said in his speech. "I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood."

King Jr. used a non-violent approach to protest many of the segregations laws prevalent in the '50s and '60s, as well as other issues at the time. He led a number of civil rights marches in his life, which helped lead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. His legacy is one that will always be remembered, particularly at the beginning of every year, during the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.


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