Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I have a dream that one day my four little children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character.” This is one of the most famous lines in American history! Martin Luther King, Jr. stood before thousands of people presenting his “I Have a Dream” speech in April, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. Sadly, he was assassinated in 1968. Although King lived a short life, he did a lot of good.

If I were to describe a hero, I would just say Martin Luther King, Jr. He was determined, hardworking, tolerant, and compassionate throughout his life. He showed perseverance through thick and thin. I could fill up a whole page on the traits he had that make him an astonishing hero. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for everyone to be equal. He united white and African American people, and he stayed in jail to show how determined he was to make his race matter.

In 1951, Martin became a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Martin worked intensely for civil rights. A few years later, Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her bus seat to a white person on the bus. King was the leader for the boycott. The boycott went on for 382 days. The United States Supreme Court announced Alabama’s segregation laws unconstitutional. While King was out fighting for his rights and the rights of all people, his home was bombed. King did not want a violent protest and tried to calm his people. He spent five years in jail and then was released. It was one year later when King was arrested again. He announced he would stay in jail until the city brought white and African American people together. He was bailed out two days later.

The year 1968 was a terrible year for people all over the world. Martin Luther King, Jr. was staying at a motel in Memphis, Tennessee. While he was on his balcony, he was shot and killed. Many people, like me, wonder what other goals he would’ve accomplished if he had lived longer.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is an important hero to many people. He is important to me because he showed leadership, courage, and wasn’t afraid. I know that I could never show all of those qualities at once, but I hope I can show them in my life at different times. King is a role model to me. I think he’s important to other people, too, especially African American people because he persuaded everyone to live up to the words freedom and rights. He destroyed the line between white and African American people. Now we are all one because of my hero, Martin Luther King, Jr.