MARTIN LUTHER KING'S DAY 1

MARTIN LUTHER KING'S DAY

Martin Luther King Day is a date that is commemorated in the United States of America on the third Monday of January in honor of the African-American activist Martin Luther King Jr. It is a celebration that takes place throughout the nation and is declared a public holiday not work.

Who was Martin Luther King Jr.?

He was an American activist leader and pastor born on January 15, 1929 in the city of Atlanta. He was also a defender of the human rights of Afro-descendants, a fight for which in 1964 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. From a very young age he was involved in defending the civil rights and freedoms of Afro-Colombian communities, in a period when this population did not have full access to education, did not have the right to popular vote and suffered from constant acts of racism and segregation. especially in the southern states, where he was born. Luther King began to organize the Afro-descendant population throughout the country in order to demand equality and that they be allowed to participate in political activities, as well as guarantee admission to universities without any type of discrimination.

The peaceful demonstrations in which he managed to summon millions of people throughout the United States, achieving recognition of the rights and freedoms of Afro populations, remain as a legacy. In one of his speeches, he immortalized the phrase: "I have a dream" that moved the entire world and with which he made his struggle known.

Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in the city of Memphis, at the age of 39, while on his way to a demonstration. His death caused a wave of rejection and signs of pain, not only in the United States but also throughout the world.

Celebrations during Luther King Day

In commemoration of the birthday of Matin Luther King, which occurred on January 15, US President Ronald Regan decreed, starting in 1983, the third Monday of January as a holiday throughout the country. In addition to this holiday in his honor, he also received posthumous tributes such as a monument on the National Mall in Washington and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In several states of the country, hundreds of streets are named after him and in the world some towns were renamed as a tribute.

During the celebration of his day, marches are held to remember his legacy. The Afro-descendant community gathers around the hundreds of monuments displayed throughout the country to offer a minute of silence and pay tribute to their leader.

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