by Monica A.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is known to many because of his impactful role in the civil rights movement of the 1960’s, which focused on racism in its many rampant forms. However, unbeknownst to many, Dr. King was an equalist in all forms. Equality in race, ethnicity, background, gender, and really just about anything you can think of. While he may not have agreed with everyone, he was very much of the mindset ‘too each their own’. A more modern phrase that is relatable would be ‘not my circus, not my monkeys’.
Dr. King made strides in civil rights, all of which catapulted the same ideas of feminism into the American spotlight. Ideas about civil rights span more than one person could ever fully cover. Which is why I believe that Dr. King is frequently left out of the list of feminist contributors. A large portion of Dr. King's success was based around the fact that he made it possible for men and women of color to be free to exercise their rights that they had been given since the 1860's. In the 1960's men and women of color we’re not able to protest peacefully or even sit where they wanted to sit, eat where they wanted to eat or pray where they wanted to pray. So it is through Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.‘s achievements that segregation was quickly ended.
As can be gathered by many current event headlines, we still have a long way to go to resolve racial issues. Everyone should understand that while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made strides in the civil rights movement, his journey, our journey, is not over. Change is needed before systematic racism and sexism is eliminated from our society, but working together is our only hope to continue the dream that Dr. King had.
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