Every year, the holiday known as Martin Luther King Jr. Day takes place on the third Monday of January, the closest Monday to his birthday. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was signed into law in 1983 by Ronald Reagan, and it was first observed 3 years later in 1986. Since then, the holiday has been used to remember how the Baptist minister and civil rights activist had an effect on America.

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most important figures of the Civil Rights movement. King is most known for his “I Have A Dream” speech that took place at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. The speech was only 17 minutes long, but that was just enough time to have a lasting impact on the future of the country. The speech would play an important role in helping pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act, a law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Another event King is known for is the Selma to Montgomery march that he led in 1965. Followed by him were thousands of nonviolent protesters, and they traveled across Alabama from Selma to the steps of the state capital in Montgomery. The distance between these cities is 54 miles and the march took 5 days. The march played a crucial role in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a law that outlawed racial discrimination in voting. 

These two events, along with many others, brought major victories to the civil rights movement. King also showed just how effective civil disobedience is by proving that nonviolent actions have a greater chance of gaining support than violent protests. The method was used throughout the civil rights movement and was crucial to their success.

Martin Luther King Jr. may not be alive today, but his legacy will live on and he will be remembered forever.