Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Protests for a change
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. shakes his fist at a speech in Selma, Alabama Feb. 12, 1965. His sermons and speeches have inspired today’s social justice leaders. “Today I want to tell the city of Selma, today I want to say to the state of Alabama, today I want to say to the people of America and the nations of the world, that we are not about to turn around.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter ”- Martin Luther King Jr.
Students had a day of absence in tribute to a significant figure in American history. It is a federal holiday that marks his birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
With all of the protests demanding racial justice in 2020 and the current climate of the country, activists like Martin Luther King are acknowledged for leading peaceful protests and marches for social justice as well as equality for all citizens.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a American Baptist minister known for his activism for civil rights. He led marches for African Americans’ right to vote, labor rights, desegregation and other civil rights.
Sophomore Felicia Steffie said, “I would like to celebrate it like I would any other year because it is very important. Martin Luther King Jr. was a great person because he made life great when he gave us the power to speak our mind and not be afraid to speak up.”
Freshman Annabella Chaklos celebrates by spreading awareness.
“On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I most likely would use the day to spread awareness on my social media about the struggles of people of color, such as sharing their stories and posting petitions, and do my best to listen and learn from them. I’d like to use my voice to help without speaking over people of color. I believe that this day should be important to everyone, but at the same time, it may not be my place to celebrate. The holiday is important to me because it should be a day of learning and listening from people of color. Influential leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. are so very important to today’s society because they made their voices heard. In a time where people of color were completely silenced and discriminated against, they made sure that everybody would hear their struggles and their dreams of equality and justice.”
One student paid tribute to the day by creating artwork supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
(Photo by Reilly Messaros )
Sophomore Reilly Messaros says, “I mostly ruminate about the struggle of minorities here in America. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. contributed to the newfound empathy and understanding of other people’s struggles in our society.”