The Scoop Winter 2017 | Page 31

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate

cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”, this is one of the

most famous quotes by Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King

Jr. Every third Monday of January, we take a day to celebrate

the movement he led and the things he did to support it. We

commemorate Martin Luther King Jr’s actions to achieve

and fulfill his hopes for interracial happiness and peace.

The Civil Rights Movement was a huge event with the purpose

of creating equal opportunities for African-Americans, as well as

all other ethnicities. This movement had been an occurring

event since the 19th century ,but it peaked in the 1960’s, with

ideas of equal rights and opportunities for all races. Martin

Luther King Jr. was a major contributor to forwarding the

movement, being a leader and setting an example in non-

violent protests towards opposers of these ideals. Through this,

people joined along side him and helped to increase the size

and awareness of the movement.

The ideals for which Martin Luther King Jr. stood for are

celebrated on this day. Martin Luther King Jr. helped carry the

idea of peaceful equality for everyone. During this day, we

have unconditional gratitude for one another. We support

these ideas that Martin Luther King Jr. and his

movement represented as a way to

show respect to him and help

move forward with his

dreams, a dream

where we’re all equal

and can respect one another.

Dexter Hom