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Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) was the most influential civil rights leader in the US. He was a Baptist minister and an inspirational leader who believed in nonviolent peaceful protest to end racial segregation, promote equality, and to foster a better way of life for people of all races. This was his dream and his life’s work.
Every year, King’s legacy is celebrated on the third Monday of January, in 2024 the federal holiday falls on January 15, on what would have been his 95 th birthday, according to Cincinnati.com. This year, take the time to learn about his life, his mission, and help to keep his legacy alive.
Day of Service
MLK day is the only federal holiday that is designated a day of national service that encourages Americans to volunteer to help their communities, according to a blog on the Points of Light organization’s website. The Points of Light nonprofit organization was founded by the former US President George HW Bush and operates a global network of volunteer organizations that empower the spirit of service.
As champions of honoring King’s legacy through service, affiliates of the organization offer volunteer opportunities in communities across the country. In Atlanta, Georgia, hands on Atlanta will engage volunteers to work on food security, and the environment in line with his vision.
In Arlington, Virginia, Volunteer Arlington will offer training for SNAP ambassadors, sessions on affordable housing, and park cleanups. The Long Island, New York, Volunteer Center is organizing people for food drives and emergency food aid delivery. There are projects across the US.
Teach it to your children
There are many ways that you can observe MLK day with your kids, according to the MLKSB organization. You can participate in various events that celebrate the life and work of this inspirational civil rights leader.
Visit the MLK memorial in Washington DC and then visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which is on the national mall. Or visit the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.
You can watch an inspirational movie about the life of King including Selma about the voting rights marches, or for Our Friend, Martin for younger children. You can read a book about MLK (Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr or Our Friend, Martin) to your children or listen to the “I have a Dream Speech” together.
Become your own version of MLK
Everyone can be inspired by King and become leaders in their own communities. You can work to promote justice by standing up for what is right. MLK taught that Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Make the mission of working for the betterment of all your own by being a voice against discrimination, by fighting for what is right, and by treating all people with respect. By living a life of tolerance and love, you can change the world. On this Martin Luther King, Jr. day, do something kind and meaningful to share his legacy
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