As Martin Luther King Jr. Day passed by, students spent their day off of school doing as they would on any long weekend- completely oblivious to the meaning behind the holiday.

Many forget what the holiday is and why it is recognized as a holiday. Martin Luther King Jr. was a very admirable man; he is remembered for his determination to desegregate America. While it is incredibly difficult to rank all of his achievements, there are a few that made a lasting and memorable impact.

Bus Boycott of 1955
After Rosa Parks sparked riots against unfair bus treatment, Martin Luther King Jr. took it upon himself to help organize a bus boycott in which hundreds of African American citizens refused to ride any buses in Alabama. This boycott lasted for close to thirteen months, sending a brutal hit to the Montgomery buses. The boycott ended when the United States Supreme Court made the decision that declared Alabama and Montgomery laws requiring segregated buses to be unconstitutional.

Illegal to Segregate or Discriminate Based on Skin Color
While Martin Luther King Jr. did not single-handedly  carry the weight of this achievement on his own shoulders, he played a very important part in the evolution of equal rights. He organized sit ins, where groups of African Americans would protest by sitting in a whites only diner. The group did not leave no matter what was thrown or shouted at them. King spoke out against segregation by giving speeches and organizing peaceful acts of protest. Martin Luther King Jr. was able to change the minds of many by the actions he took against discrimination and segregation.

March on Washington and I Have a Dream
Lastly, the most memorable speech Martin Luther King Jr. gave was during a giant protest that was later referred to as the March on Washington. King stood up in front of hundreds of men, women, and children and delivered a moving speech, which was later called “I Have a Dream” in reference to the four words he repeated multiple times. In this speech, King told of a vision he had, a vision where his children would grow up and be treated as equals rather than an inferior race. To this day, this speech is closely studied and remembered.

Overall, Martin Luther King Jr. took incredible action to change what he believed needed to be fixed. Thanks to him, and many others, the world has evolved to be much more accepting of not only race, but also in other aspects, such as religion. This is a piece of our history that should never be remembered as just another day off of school.