Untitled Document
 In
the United States, people celebrate Martin Luther King
Jr. Day on the third Monday of January each year since 1986. But why
do they honor him with a holiday?
This is because he made the country a better place to live for
everyone. He is also famous for his “I Have a Dream” speech. With
this speech, he gave hope to African-Americans and changed America
forever!
Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia.
His parents taught him to treat all people with respect. They also told him
that the color of a person’s skin should not matter.
But as he was growing up, he found that not everyone believed what
his parents did. At that time, African-Americans were treated differently than white people.
For example, African-American kids could not use the same restrooms with their white
friends. They couldn’t even go to the same school! African-Americans
did not have the right to vote, either.
 In
1954, Martin Luther King Jr. organized non-violent protests against the mistreatment of African-Americans.
He never used violence. He was always peaceful. And he proved that peaceful mass action could bring about change. Soon,
he became the leader of the civil rights movement.
On August 28, 1963, 200,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial
in Washington D.C. It was a peaceful protest for laws to assure every American equal civil rights. It was
there that Martin delivered his famous “I have
a dream” speech.
“I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged by the color of
their skin but by the content of their character…” In 1964, he was
awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace.
Martin Luther King Jr. traveled across America, speaking about world
peace and supporting civil rights.
In April, 1968, he went to Memphis in Tennessee to give a speech. On April 4,
as he was leaving his hotel room, Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot
and killed. It was a sad day for many people in America. In 1986,
Martin Luther King Day became an official holiday in the United States.
Thanks to him, African-Americans are living better lives today. |
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