Honoring King
Americans pay tribute to a leader’s legacy. For many Americans, Martin Luther King Jr. Day isn’t just a "day off " from school or work. They will make it a "day on" and participate in community service projects in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
A Great Leader
King (1929-1968) was a famous civil rights leader. When King was growing up, the South was
segregation. Black people did not have the same rights as white people. Under thelaw, they were not allowed to attend the same schools as white people and had to sit in the back seats of buses. Black people also had to use separate restrooms and drinking fountains.
When King was older, he worked to change those unjust laws. During the 1950s and 1960s, he gave speeches and organized peaceful marches and protests. Beginning in 1955, King led the famous Montgomery bus boycott. For 381 days, African Americans boycotted or refused to use, public buses in the Alabama city. A year later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation on buses was illegal.
King gained national attention from the boycott and, in 1963, delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. He told a crowd of more than
200,000 people in Washington, D.C., that his dream was for all people to be treated fairly and equally under the law. As a result of his work,
civil rights laws were passed. Those laws protect the rights of all Americans.
A Day of Service
Many people celebrate King’s legacy on Martin Luther King Jr. Day with parades and other events. The legacy of a leader is something he
or she has accomplished which will benefit future generations. For King, that meant making the world a better place. Thousands more will
honor King by cleaning parks, volunteering at homeless shelters, and participating in other community service projects.
"Everybody can be great because everybody can serve," King once said. By taking part in community service projects, Americans are able to keep this leader's dream alive.
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