By Molly Sporleder

Martin Luther King Jr., born January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, was a formative leader of the Civil Rights Movement whose work continues to be remembered today. King led the movement from 1955 until his assassination on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. His leadership and dedication to equality made a lasting impact on American history.

In 1964, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent resistance in the fight for equal rights for Black Americans. During this time, Black Americans were treated unfairly because of the color of their skin and faced segregation, discrimination, and restricted opportunities under the Jim Crow Laws. King devoted his life to fighting these injustices and worked to abolish laws that enforced racial inequality.

As a Baptist minister and activist, King achieved major successes in ending segregation and discrimination through peaceful boycotts, marches, and demonstrations. His efforts helped dismantle institutionalized segregation and led to the passage of landmark federal legislation, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In addition to his activism, King delivered powerful and iconic speeches, most notably the “I Have a Dream” speech at the 1963 March on Washington. This pivotal moment in civil rights history is still celebrated today and taught in schools to emphasize the importance of advocacy and public speaking.

Many people believe King’s message remains relevant in today’s society. “It honors the legacy of civil rights leaders and serves as a day of reflection on equality in America,” said Amirah Pena, a freshman at Hastings College.

Others reflect on whether society is fully living up to King’s vision. “I think MLK Day reminds us to look at the state of our world and ask ourselves if we are carrying out Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision and making changes to get closer to it,” said Brie Myre, a professor at Hastings College.

Here at Hastings College, they solidly represented King. The association here at Hastings, the student engagement group, put on an interactive event to memorialize King. During the lunch hours at the dining hall in the student union, they had a whiteboard with multiple cut-out hands instructing students to write a goal or dream they have on a cut-out hand and pin it on the whiteboard. This was a success for the student engagement group as many kids got involved and took the time to notice what the thought process was of writing a goal or dream on a hand to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and the legacy he left behind, and why we remember him!

In society, King is honored each year through a federal holiday observed on the third Monday of January, a tradition that began in 1986. His message of justice, equality, and peaceful change continues to inspire people to stand up for what is right and worth fighting for. Martin Luther King Jr. remains a monumental figure in history, leaving behind a legacy that teaches everyone has the right to the American Dream regardless of skin color, ethnicity, background, culture, religion, or circumstance.