“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
There are so many individuals that have and continue to inspire me to help create positive change in the world, people like; Mohammed Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Jane Goodall, Louise L. Hay and Ingrid Newkirk, just to name a few. These people have risked so much to raise awareness about the social injustices so many people (and animals) face on a daily basis. In celebration of all he has accomplished in the Civil Rights movement and to honour Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 19 – here are some facts you may not have known about this very inspiring man:
- Won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at the age of 35. To this day, he is still the youngest male to ever receive it.
- His speech, Why I Oppose the War in Viet Nam, went on to win him a posthumous Grammy and he has also been awarded the Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honours an American civilian can receive.
- As a result of helping organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott that lasted 385 days, King was not only arrested but his house was also bombed.
- Martin Luther King Jr was not the only member in his family to be assassinated – his mother, Alberta Williams, was also tragically killed in her Atlanta church in 1974.
- There are two places outside of the United States that celebrate Martin Luther King Jr day: Toronto, Ontario CANADA and Hiroshima, Japan.
- Despite being enacted in 1983 all fifty states didn’t observe Martin Luther King Jr day until 17 years later.
- His name was originally Michael, not Martin.
- King convinced ‘Uhura’ on Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols, to continue on with the role after the first season. Nichols (who later went to work for NASA) stated he told her not to leave the show because she was not only playing a black personas a main character on TV, but she was also playing a character that didn’t conform to the stereotypical black person of the day, usually portrayed. Rather, Uhura was portrayed as an intelligent member of the crew and an equal to those around her.
- There are over 700 streets in the United States named after Martin Luther King Jr.
- Between 1957 and 1968, he traveled more than 6 million miles and spoke at more than 2,500 events.
- U2’s song, “Pride (In The Name of Love)” was written about Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther Kings ‘I Have A Dream’ speech was delivered on August 28, 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. This speech inspired millions of people everywhere to stand for justice, equality and love. Read the full speech here:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
We must do our very best not to forget the amazing work people like Martin Luther King Jr. have done in order to ensure that all people are treated equally. We must honour their legacy by spreading their passion in creating positive change in the world. The world is a much better place knowing that Martin Luther King Jr’s words, actions and ultimately his life, created so much positivity in the world.
“When our days become dreary with low-hovering clouds of despair, and when our nights become darker than a thousand midnights, let us remember that there is a creative force in this universe, working to pull down the gigantic mountains of evil, a power that is able to make a way out of no way and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
COALITION OF POSITIVE ENERGY 