MLK’s Legacy

Fifty-eight years ago on August 28th, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his infamous ” I have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Given in the presence of over 250,000 civil rights advocates, the speech pleaded for civil, economic rights and ultimately an ending to racism.

Following 2020, a year where civil rights advocacy was incredibly prominent, the work of Martin Luther King Jr. allows us to put the history of advocacy into perspective. 

Kate Rosales ‘ 23 stated why she believes MLK’s prevalence within our society today is so important: “MLK was revolutionary through him having an impact even after he died; he died with a 75% disapproval rate and now people still recite his phrases and speeches.” She went on to further share, “I think people who truly care about the different injustices African American people face find comfort and a real truth in MLK, especially now.”

Samantha Guerrero ’23 also shared how she believes MLK influences society today: “I believe the reason why MLK had such an impact and is so highly respected was because he was able to uplift African American voices and resolve conflict with peace.” 

She further discussed the adversities he faced and overcame: “He made his voice heard and never backed down when threatened. He never stopped even when put into jail several times as well. This allowed other people to follow him and start what would be known as the civil rights movement. Although there is a lot work to be done still, we can look at Martin Luther King Jr. as the prime example on how to carry ourselves and work to fight injustices that are still prevalent in society today.”

Martin Luther King Jr. overcame adversities, criticism, and failure within his career in advocacy in order to create an impact so powerful that it will resonate forever. We too must further the fight for more civil and economic rights and continue the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.