In our lives we would always look up to a certain individual who will appear to be a role model and inspiration. These people are usually those who have made significant changes in the society, and also those who did not hesitate to stand up, have a name and be known for fighting for what they believe is right for the many. Although it may be hard to find people like these nowadays when the world tends to grow more business, profit and money oriented. Instead of great minds and hearts who would push for world wide unity and peace, it is unfortunate to see that people nowadays seem to care only much about how they can economically survive rather than caring enough how they can help make others survive in harmony with them. Thus, it would be hard to find another person again like the man I have always looked up to in history. He was a “King” who selflessly fought for what he believes would bring peace and equality for the many; A “King” who never thought of personal agenda and motives, but of things that would make the world a better place for the future generations. He is Martin Luther King, Jr.
It was on the glorious noon of 15th day of January in 1929 when the young and innocent of the world Marti Luther, Jr. was born. It was in the humble home of Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr., his father, and Alberta Williams King, his ever thankful mother (Carrasquel, et.al.). He was brought up in a humble home from a humble community but in an environment rich in good values and warm traditions of being a family. As a child, Martin Luther never ran out of guidance having both his parents as well as his grandparents looking close after him, giving him full attention and supervision as he was growing up. He had his primary education at the Yonge Street Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia. He later on enrolled at David T. Howard Elementary School after going at Yonge School. He then spent his secondary education at the Atlanta University Laboratory School and Booker T. Washington High School. Having excellent performance as a student, he was recognized and honored in his entire years as a student. He was a consistent orator and was known as a very eloquent performer. And due to his outstanding competence as a student, he was eventually advanced to Morehouse College without formal graduation from Booker T. Washington in his junior year.
At a young age of fifteen, while studying at Morehouse College, he entered the ministry and decided to preach as what his father and grandfather did. He even explained once in his life that, “I’m a son of a preacher… my grandfather was a preacher, my great-grandfather was a preacher, my only brother is a preacher, my daddy’s brother is a preacher, so I didn’t have much choice” (Martin Luther King Jr. qtd. in Peace Pledge Union). But then his reasoning of not having a choice in becoming a preacher was disproved as he gave very well appeared to all his townsfolk as one of the most inspiring and moving preachers of his time. At nineteen, he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the Morehouse College and continued his venture on making a difference at the Croziet Theological Seminary In Chester, Pennsylvania. After 3 fruitful years, he achieved the Bachelor’s Degree of Divinity and he later on entered the Boston University in 1951 to go on for the doctorate studies (Peace Pledge Union).
Through the years, there never fails a time when a person would try talk against someone as like Martin Luther King, Jr. All his life, he felt like he wanted to help uplift the spirits of people rather than feeling that he needed to do it. As a preacher, he has touched millions of hearts who believed in justice and fairness as how Martin Luther King, Jr. preached about such values. He had such strong beliefs and faith caused by the long years black people like him have suffered miserable racism and discrimination from the white men of America. Because of this, he was pushed by his principles to fight for civil rights and equity to grant the people of his color the fairness and justice they all deserve as Americans the same (The Nobel Foundation). He himself, his family and his fellow Negroes have all experiences what it is like to be differentiated from the whites as if they are of a different non-American race when they are born on the same land as the white Americans. Martin Luther himself, experienced great prejudice and discrimination in a lot of ways especially within public areas where he always have to deal with white Americans he walked-by. But despite all these challenges, Martin Luther’s faith that a day will come that all will be fair between the two colors of America.
He never lost faith on the vision that someday people will look back to what he preached and will eventually believe that all the wars of conflict and racial interest are of nonsense and lame origins. He kept his dream in mind that someday, the black people shall be freed from all the railings and cages of economic and social discrimination, and they shall be seen of the same value and importance in the society as the whites. However, his efforts have been challenged and was tried to be put down over and over in his life. He experienced several arrests due to his active participation in civil rights movements and protests (Carrasquel, et.al.). He may have been tried to stop a lot of times in his life but his eagerness and determination to break the borders between the races in America appeared to be unstoppable. His life has been as well threatened several times but he was as much determined to put his life at risk in a gamble which puts their race’s freedom on the prize’s throne. Indeed, Martin Luther remained to be man who stood by his principles even on the most challenging and threatening times. He feared no bullets nor stoned that can be thrown at him for he faced everything will all his might just to prove that his principles were as strong as his opponents angst against him.
He stood and faced a lot of court trials and prosecutions without the hint of any weakness and depression. His heart cried silently inside him at the sightings of the very miserable and dramatic experiences his people went through. But despite all the downgrading and allegations, he maintained his strong will to continue and win the fight. During his time, he found no reason to lay the white flag on the foot of the relentless and injustice the society has dawned upon them. In his entire life, he viewed racial prejudice as the universal evil that destroys each nation’s potential for national equality and peace. He even fought for racial justice outside America believing that racism does not happen in the United States alone, but he opened his mind to the fact that millions of people might be going through the same experiences as him and his people do (America.gov). Thus, his words and his actions have been perfect proof that over America’s history there indeed will be one man who will be determined and corageous enough to stand by his principles and fight for the national plague of racial discrimination and injustice. Martin Luther himself, has been the human proof that greatness and value in the society does not know no color and race. All of his words were kept immortal in the hearts of the people whom he inspired through his life and in the land of America which he made to believe in his sincere and truthful intentions. All of his life has been commemorated and lived by since he gave off his last breath at the same balcony where he led a protest for social sympathy in Memphis Tennessee (The Nobel Foundation). It was where he was relentlessly assassinated, and was where he was started to be looked upon as one of America’s greatest people. Through the years, people’s admiration of Martin Luther King, Jr. hence prove that he never failed in all his dreams and beliefs. He shall be forever looked upon as one of the world’s greatest leaders who never got scared of fighting for what he believed was right for the many.
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