Reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr.
By Anya Millard, 6th Grade Student at Eagle Arts Academy
Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was the face and heart of the civil rights movement in America during the 1960’s. He was assassinated on April 4th, 1968 and we remember his sacrifice to this day. He was born in the South and grew up in an education system that divided white and black students, called segregation.
Do you ever wonder why he wanted to help stop segregation? Mainly, because when he was 15, he went to college and saw something that motivated him. During one summer at college, he went on a trip up north during the summer with his school. He was amazed that there was no segregation. He saw couples of different races, people using the same water fountain and so much more. He wanted that to happen everywhere, so he started to protest to stop segregation.
He stopped all violence in the protests he organized and started to make very special speeches, instead. One of his most successful and memorable speeches was “I have a dream.” Many see this speech as a major turning point in the cause for African-American Civil Rights.
One of my favorite quotes from him is “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” It is a very great quote and says to me that the people who started segregation were completely and utterly wrong. In my opinion I think the most effective quote was “faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.” It reminds people to start taking risks and fight for what you think is right.
Martin Luther King Jr. spent his whole life trying to achieve equal rights for blacks and whites. He was a very inspirational person and did a lot to stop segregation.