Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while standing on his hotel room balcony. I can only imagine the darkness of that day for the people who had come to see him as their leader.
King was a highly educated man, first receiving his BA in Sociology, then a Bachelor of Divinity. He then continued his theological studies and earned his PhD at Boston University in 1955. King was intrigued by Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent protest.
His involvement in the Civil Rights movement began with the Rosa Parks incident in December of 1955. He became an amazing leader and his doctrine of non violence was tested often...he was arrested 30 times for his involvement in demonstrations.
His work paid off and in 1964, the Landmark Civil Rights Act was passed. The following year, Dr. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
My eldest daughter, as I've said before, is fascinated by the Slavery of the African Americans and the Civil Rights Movement. Tonight at Chapters, despite trying to diversify her interests, she settled on a book about Rosa Parks. I guess on an anniversary like today, it was a fitting choice. We read it tonight together and I marveled at the courage of that woman to take a stand for what was right and risk the consequences. Fortunately, she lived to be 92. Her friend, Martin Luther King Jr. died a young man because of his belief that God created us as equal beings.
In his honour, here is one of my favourite quotes from his "I Have a Dream" speech.
"I have a dream that my four little 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"
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