Civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King is honored with a holiday in his memory today. Martin Luther King Day is commemorated on the third
Monday in January each year. This year’s official holiday is Monday,
Jan. 21, a week after King’s actual birthday on Jan. 15.
King
was born Jan. 15, 1929 in Atlanta. He rose to national prominence when
he led the boycott of the Montgomery’s transit system after Rosa Parks,
an African-American, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a
city bus. King later helped form the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference and went on to lead protests throughout the South and, in
1963, was a central figure in the March on Washington. King was killed by an assassin on April 4, 1968 in Memphis.
MLK Day is a federal holiday, though it was not made official until 18 years after his assassination.
Efforts
to honor King with a federal holiday began just months after his April
4, 1968 death. Those efforts failed, as did a 1979 vote by Congress that
came after King's widow, Coretta Scott King, spoke out in favor of the
day. Momentum for the holiday grew in 1980 when entertainer Stevie
Wonder released "Happy Birthday" in King's honor, leading to a petition
calling for MLK Day and, in 1983, House passage of a holiday bill.
Though Martin Luther King Day is an American holiday, the man himself was thoroughly international. His political thoughts traverses all borders.Like so many strugglers in the long fight against racism, King appreciated that it was, at it's heart a global project.
Many years later despite some victory's and gains, the march for
equality is unfinished, and for some his dream is unrealised, take for instance the case of the Palestinians who are daily imprisoned.
We cannot let go of Dr King's dream, because, surely it is everybody's
dream, we must continuously try to change the world, remember those in
the U.S.A fighting for jobs and freedom, a land still lanquishing to
find itself, while perpetrating injustice, discrimination and
inequality. A country that imprisons more of their citizens than any
other country in the world. African Americans in particular, though they
are 12% of the population, make up 38% of the state prison population,
despite their crimes being no different from their white and hispanic
counterparts.
Sadly King's legacy is gravely dishonoured every day that Donald Trump sits in the Oval Office, but in the Trump era. However Dr King's words can still be be both sobering and inspring, his words are a
timeless representation of the struggles that disenfranchised people face..Lets continue to honor him and continue to live his legacy
through our actions. In the face of cruelty and injustice, speak out, and speak up, for surely history will
judge us all for our silence. we can still find the courage to stand up and say enough.
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor … it must be demanded by the oppressed!” King determined. Reminding us that “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moments
of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at during times of
challenge and controversy,” He also warned us that “We must learn to live together as brothers, or we will perish together as fools,”
Here is an old poem of mine in his honour
Strength to Love
Martin Luther King had a dream
That still today stirs our conscience,
He rejected violence to oppose racial injustice
Spread a message of peace, love and understanding,
His only weapons were his words and faith
As he marched in protest with his fellow man,
A force for good, but radical with intention
Pursued civil disobedience was not afraid
of confrontation,
We are all born equal under skin
This noble struggle never stops within,
The causes of poverty must still be eradicated
There is so much more room for change,
As fresh iniquities call, lets keep hope alive
Standing firm let our voices ring out,
Keep sharing deeds of deep principle
In the name of pride and in the name of love,
We are all still citizens of the world
As Martin Luther carries on reminding,
“Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever.
The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself.”
We must continue to resist and overcome,
One day soon, all our dreams will be realised.
