Dr. King’s Legacy

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a day of service that many people participate in annually on the third Monday of January. It is the only federal holiday marked as a national day of service in the U.S., with the stated goal of encouraging all to volunteer and do their part to improve the communities in which we live. 

Dr. King was a man of compassion, fairness, equal justice, and witness. He was a great orator, minister, father, and husband. King traveled to many places worldwide and within the U.S. to preach justice and equality as he felt it was important for various races. He believed that little white and black children could one day play and work together and better our communities as active adult leaders. 

I vividly remember attending King Day at the Dome in Columbia (the capital of) South Carolina with our youth coordinator and fellow youth. We would travel via bus every MLK Day morning, march with signs, and attend the program. It was cool because we could hear many different speakers and participate in the festivities to honor Dr. King.

There are many places within the U.S. that those intrigued can visit to preserve the peace of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, a non-profit organization founded by Coretta Scott King, his wife (three months after his assassination), still stands in Atlanta, GA. However, it has significantly expanded, and many can visit the center to witness some of the history of Dr. King.

His daughter Bernice serves as the CEO of the center, ensuring that visitors can learn an incredible amount of information that they may not have known about her late father.

 King Center is dedicated to educating the world on the life, legacy, and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In addition, the King Center serves as a tangible preservation of the life of Dr. King as it inspires new generations to carry forward his unfinished work and empower change-makers who are continuing his efforts today.

Nearly a million people pilgrimage to the historic site each year to pay their respects to the King’s legacy. He lived an active, vital 39 years of life while on earth. 

Several years ago, I was blessed to visit Dr. King’s childhood and his home church where he grew up and preached. 

If you happen to visit Washington, DC, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is another great scenic place to visit to continue King’s legacy. 

In 2011, a dedication to his legacy was made on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. 

The MLK Memorial stands 30 feet high. Dr. King’s likeness is carved into the Stone of Hope, emerging from two boulders, which started as one and represented the Mountain of Despair. 

On the visible side of the Stone of Hope, the words “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope,” a line from Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, is cut into the stone. 

The memorial design references Dr. King’s 1963 iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, symbolizing both the struggle of the civil rights movement and his hope for a better future. In addition, a wall of quotes from Dr. King’s long civil rights career presents his ideals of peace, democracy, justice, and love. The memorial is the first to honor an African American individual and a citizen activist on the National Mall. 

I was also fortunate enough to visit this giant statue and capture a photo of it. I felt a sense of peace recognizing that a leader I grew up with as a child to learn about would finally be honored for all his sacrifices to improve our world. But, unfortunately, his death was not in vain.

On Friday, January 13, 2023, the unveiling of a monument honoring Dr. King and his wife, Coretta, in Boston, Mass, took place. The 22-foot tall sculpture “The Embrace” represents a hug between the pair after Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. It stands in the Freedom Plaza of the Boston Common, a public park. 

Dr. Martin Luther King lives on through his speeches, quotes, and actions. He left an invaluable imprint on the lives of many Americans and diverse people from all walks of life.