Jadyn Johnson-Bowles
Bark! Voice of the Bulldogs
Copy Editor

Students get one day off in January to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but many do not fully understand why the school gets the day off.
Dr. Martin Luther King is most notably known for his “I Have a Dream” speech and his work in the civil rights movement, but students may not understand his legacy.
“You know, I may have learned about him once in like third grade, but that was about it. I like that we get the day off, and I guess I never wondered or cared to know more about all that he had done,” an anonymous student said.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, to parents Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King in Atlanta, Georgia”. During this time, Atlanta was the most segregated city in the south, meaning that Martin grew up with injustice.
Martin started his career out as a baptist minister where he would speak about injustices in his sermons. He then began to work as an activist and a leader in the Civil Rights Movement in the mid-1950s.
Dr. King was able to work with Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and other activists during his time.
According to History.com, “in August of 1963, he curated the March on Washington as a peaceful protest for jobs and freedom. About 250,000 people of all races attended to make a statement and stand up for justice”. Martin was also awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his work.
Dr. King’s power came to a head with his “I Have a Dream” speech, in which he spoke about a world of equality. Not only did he want people of all races to be able to hold the same jobs, but he wanted them to receive equal pay. He was a fighter who shared his strong beliefs and took a stand.
Sadly, Martin had also gained non-supporters, and according to Stanford.edu “on April 4, 1968, at the age of 39, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee”. His death was taken as an act of violence, so more violence proceeded.
The Civil Rights Movement kept going strong and now through the legacy of Dr. King and so many others, equality has not somewhat been reached.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. may be able to rest easy now knowing that his dream has come to fruition.